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

Deserea Brown

May 5, 2008 Cougars Prepare for NCAA Championships           EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - With the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships less than one month away, the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville women's track team is peaking at the right time.           On their home track this past weekend SIUE effortlessly won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship meet. This was the fourth consecutive conference title for the program.           With this being SIUE's last GLVC Conference meet, head coach Dave Astrauskas was pleased with the outcome.           "It was nice to go out on top and really show that we are prepared for our move to Division I and the new competition level."           After last weekends meet, SIUE has eight individuals and two teams that have either automatically or provisionally qualified to participate in the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships.           With qualifying marks in six different events, Deserea Brown (Flossmoor, Ill.) leads the Cougars into the championships. This past weekend Brown automatically qualified in the 400 meter hurdles with her time of 58.53.           Other events she will participate in are the 100 & 200 meter dash and the heptathlon. She is also a member of the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams.           Shelinda Brackett (St. Louis, Mo.) and Juliet Alrich (Carpentersville, Ill.) have both provisionally qualified in four events apiece.           Brackett will compete in the 100 meter dash and Alrich will compete in the 400 meter dash. Both athletes will compete in the 200 meter dash in addition to the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays.           Angel Royston (Florissant, Mo.) will also be joining Brackett and Alrich. Royston has provisionally qualified in the 200 & 400 meter dash. She is also a member of the 4x400 meter relay team.           Christine Butler (Matteson, Ill.) and Megan Dennis (Country Club Hills, Ill.) will both represent the Cougars in the triple jump. In addition to the triple jump, Butler will also participate in the long jump and 4x100 meter relay.           Dennis has provisionally qualifying marks in the 100 meter and 400 meter hurdles.           Coreen Ellis (St. Louis, Mo.) and Amber Triner (Winfield, Ill.) will also make the trip to nationals to compete. Ellis will compete in the 800 meter run and Triner in the 100 meter hurdles.           At nationals Astrauskas expects good performances from everyone going because of prior championship experience.           "Almost all of our athletes have participated in a championship meet. For the younger athletes that was able to compete in the indoor championships, that experience will be huge.           Now SIUE will prepare to head to to Bloomington, Indiana to compete in the Billy Hayes Classic. The University of Indiana is hosting the meet from May 9-10.                   -siue cougars-