OTAHKS TRY TO DUPLICATE INDOOR FEAT

Southeast Missouri State University track and field coach Joey Haines knows his women's team should win the Ohio Valley Conference outdoor championship this weekend.

The one thing, according to Haines, that could hurt the Otahkians is if they suffer a letdown after winning the OVC indoor title in February.

"It's kind of like winning the Super Bowl and then having to come back a couple of months later and win it again," said Haines.

But knowing his squad, Haines doesn't believe a letdown will be a factor, meaning he fully thinks the Otahkians will prevail when the OVC outdoor meet is held today and Saturday in Charleston, Ill.

"We've got a great group of girls and I think they'll still be really hungry," Haines said. "We won the indoor title and should pick up points from the added field events and 400-meter relay outdoor.

"That means we should be favored to win if our women do what they're capable of. We don't need super performances, we just need to perform at our highest level."

Haines thinks the Otahkians will receive challenges from Eastern Kentucky and Middle Tennessee.

The Otahkians will be led by senior Shannon O'Dell, who will run both hurdle races and run on both Southeast relay teams. Yvonne Hente will also be in four events: the 200-meters, 400-meters and both relays.

Janelle Quigley, the indoor 3,000 champion, will run the 1,500 and 3,000 while Tammy Wenkel, second in the indoor 800, will run the 800 and mile relay.

Important field event points should come from Jennifer Phillips and Denise Ford, who will both compete in the shot put, discus and javelin. Two-time indoor high jump champion Heather Fisher will try to win her first OVC outdoor title.

Southeast will be favored in both relays. O'Dell and Hente will be joined by Shauna Birge and Kim Stewart in the 400 while O'Dell, Hente, Wenkel and Stewart will run the 1,600.

"We need a total team effort just like at the indoor meet," said Haines. "Every point we can scrape up will be valuable to us."

Southeast's men, while probably not a threat for the title, will be shooting for a spot in the top three.

"I think our men's team might surprise some people," Haines said. "We should pick up a lot of points in the field and that could move us up as high as second in the standings.

"Eastern Illinois (the host squad) should win the men's title, with Southeast, Eastern Kentucky and Middle Tennessee in a battle for second."

The Indians will be led by Bryan Alfultis, the defending champion in the shot put and discus, and two-time defending champion Randy Johnson in the javelin. Alfultis also claimed the OVC indoor shot put title.

"We need to do well in the field events in order to move up from our fourth-place finish indoors," said Haines. "Alfultis, Matt Gaylor and Jim Rhea all need to do well in the throws and our three pole vaulters need to place high."

Pole vault entries for the Indians will include Chris Prescott, Chris Moore and Tim Davis.