Southern track and field head to Emporia for 2012 MIAA Outdoor Championships

Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern men's and women's track and field teams head to Emporia, Kansas today for the 2012 MIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. 

The Lions men enter the championships ranked 16th nationally behind a strong group of performances in the sprints, jumps and throws. 

Freshman Jeff Fraley goes into the conference meet ranked second nationally in the 200m and sixth in the 100m. He ranks first in the MIAA in the 200m and third in the 100m. 

Clark Tanksley ranks 11th nationally in the high jump and second in the MIAA in the event, while both John Lowe and Michael Juergens rank 14th nationally in the pole vault and second in the MIAA. 

Taylor McClelland ranks 15th nationally in the long jump, but third in the MIAA, while Darion Boure ranks 13th in the triple jump and fourth in the MIAA. 

Seth Hackney and Dustin Green rank 19th and 20th nationally in the shot put, while the pair rank second and third in the MIAA. Green is 8th in the discus, second in the MIAA, while Nicklas Polizzi is 13th nationally in the event, ranking fourth in the MIAA. 

On the women's side, Lisa Vengels comes into the event ranked 5th in the high jump and third in the MIAA in the event. Nicole Green ranks third nationally in the shot put, and second in the MIAA, while Kylie Cornman is 17th nationally in the event, sixth in the MIAA. 

Vanessa Langford is 13th in the pole vault, but ranks first in the MAIA coming into the meet. Jasmin Hughes is 20th nationally in the 200m, but is tops in the MIAA in that event. 

The Championships kick off today with the heptathlon and decathlon. The women will send both Vengels and Emily Paullus to compete in the heptathlon, while Jayce Thomas will compete in the decathlon. Both events will conclude tomorrow with the rest of the meet kicking in high gear tomorrow afternoon.