2007 Track and Field - Cougars Set for Outdoor Nationals

		Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Track and Field	Women's Track and Field SIUE Athletics

May 15, 2007

Cougars Set for Outdoor Nationals
        EDWARDSVILLE, ILL. — The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville men’s and women's track and field teams will send 18 individuals to the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C., on May 24-26.
        The Cougars notched both the men’s and women’s Great Lakes Valley Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships two weeks ago at Korte Stadium.
        “This is definitely an exciting time for our program because this is the largest contingent that we have taken to a D-II Championship since I have been on the staff,” said SIUE track and field coach Dave Astrauskas. “Not only are we taking a large number of athletes, but a lot of them will be competing in more than one event. SIUE will be competing in 19 different track and field events next week.”
        SIUE placed seventh in the nation at last year’s NCAA Division II Championships.
        “Hopefully we can score some points this year and improve on last year’s finish,” said Astrauskas.
        On the men’s side, GLVC Male Athlete of the Year and 2006 All-American Kyle Rose (Kankakee) will compete in the 400 meters. 2005 All-American Jonathan Bannister (Plano, Tex.) has also qualified in the 400 meters and the 400-meter hurdles. Bannister and Rose will be joined by Chris Littleton (Champaign), Chris Wright (Richton Park), Nicholas Harold (Urbana) on the 1,600- meter relay team.
        Blake Marcum (Centrailia) will compete in the 1,500 meters and Kyle Cameron (East Moline) has qualified for the 3,000 meter steeplechase. 2006 All- American Anthony Weber (Marengo) returns to the championships in the pole vault. Scott Block (Hanover Park) qualified in both the shot put and the discus throw for the meet.
        “We are taking several veteran athletes who have won multiple All- American awards in seasons past,” said 2006 GLVC Coach of the Year Astrauskas. “I look for all of them to put up some big performances.”
        On the women’s side, GLVC Women’s Athlete of the Year and 2006 All- American Deserea Brown (Flossmoor) has qualified for the the 400 meters, 400- meter hurdles, and the heptathlon. Tairisha Sawyer (Chicago), a 2006 All- American joins Brown in the 400 meters as well has competing in the 200-meter dash.
        Valerie Simmons (St. Louis, Mo.), a 2006 All-American, has qualified for the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles. 2006 All-American Angel Royston (Florissant, Mo.) and Juliet Alrich (Carpentersville) have both qualified for the 400 meters as well. Royston, Alrich, Brown, Sawyer, and Simmons will lead the SIUE relay teams in the 4x100 meters and the 1,600-meter relay.
        Christine Butler (Matteson) will compete in the triple jump where she earned All-American status in 2006. Alicia DeShasier (Carrollton) has qualified in the javelin and her mark of 164 feet, nine inches (50.23 meters) leads the nation. Callie Glover (Bartlett), a 2006 All-American, will compete in both the discus throw and the hammer throw, and Lindsey Defevers (Virden) also qualified for the discus throw.
        “We will have a very busy weekend with 18 athletes competing in a variety of different events over the three days,” said Astrauskas. “SIUE will be represented in the sprints, hurdles, jumps, throws, and distance events which is a true indication of our programs balance.”
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