Track and Field teams open the indoor season at Saluki Fast Start

Bianca Stuart provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships in March.

Dec. 5, 2008

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Complete Results

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois track and field teams recorded 35 top-five finishes and one provisional mark at the first meet of the indoor season, the Saluki Fast Start Friday at the SIU Recreational Center.

Bianca Stuart became the first Saluki to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships in March, winning the women's long jump with a leap of 20-03.75. Malaikah Love finished third in her first collegiate meet with a jump of 19-02.50.

Love went on to win the triple jump with a final leap of 41-00.50, while Judeka Adams (40-01.50) and Gwen Berry (38-11.75) came in third and fourth. The Salukis also picked up the meet title in the men's triple jump, Bakana Maxim winning with a jump of 47-11.25.

Miracle Thompson won the women's pole vault clearing 12-00, beating her previous school record mark of 11-11.25, while Tracy Walker picked up fifth place in the high jump clearing 5:02.25.

In the women's throws the Salukis picked up six of the top eight finishes in the weight throw. Gwen Berry finished second with a throw of 60-11.25, Richael Roach, third with a final toss of 58-09.50 and Sasha Leeth fourth at 55-09.25. Jeneva McCall (55-03.75), Olga Ciura (53-02.75) and Jordan Harris (51-11.25) finished fifth, seventh and eighth respectively. In the shot put, Roach (44-09.75) and Harris (44-01.50) finished third and fourth.

In the men's pole vault, Cody Doerflein finished second in a jump-off, clearing 15-07 in his first meet as a Saluki.

The Salukis took four of the top five spots in the men's weight throw with Ryan Schumaker taking second with a throw of 56-09.50. Tom Smith (56-01), Jake Deiters (54-10.75) and J.C. Lambert (53-05.50) came in third, fourth and fifth respectively. Schumaker went on to win the shot put with a 52-08.25 mark, while Lambert finished fifth at 47-01.

Fresh off earning All-America honors in cross country, Jeff Schirmer won the 5,000-meter run in 14:24.14, crushing his personal best in the event by 20 seconds.

Stephen Arvanis finished second in the 800 in a time of 1:55.09 for the men.

In the women's sprints, Kandise Thompson ran 57.55 in the 400-meter dash for second-place. Kendra Deck ran 59.00 for fifth. Stuart finished fourth in the 60 in a time of 7.65 with Love finishing behind her in fifth in 7.76.

Terri Counts picked up a second-place finish in the 60-hurdles in 8.73. Thompson finished fourth in 8.94.

In the 600, Nefeteri Williams finished 1:37.47 for the meet title.

In the men's sprints, Stevie Warren won the 200 dash in a time of 21.92.

To close out the meet for the women, the 4x400-meter relay of Deck, Katherine Burton, Williams and Thompson finished second in a time of 3:55.43.

Both Saluki teams return to action in January when they host the SASF Invitational Jan. 16-17.