June 4, 2007

www.siusalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois thrower Brittany Riley, the 2007 NCAA indoor weight throw champion, is among those selected as NCAA Division I District Athletes of the Year by the U.S. Track and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

USTFCCCA honors the top men and women in track and field events for the nine districts in Division I outdoor track and field.

Riley, a junior from Flossmoor, Ill., enters the NCAA Championships with a best hammer throw of 237-11, trailing only Jenny Dahlgren of Georgia on the all-time collegiate list. She won Missouri Valley Conference and Mideast Region titles, the latter with a throw of 237-3, the third-longest throw in collegiate history. During the indoor season, Riley won the NCAA indoor championship in the 20-pound weight throw with a 83.10, the longest throw in the history of the event.

Riley, along with fellow thrower Brenton Siemons will begin competition at the NCAA Outdoor National Championships Wed., June 6, in Sacramento, Calif.

Riley's prelims for the hammer throw and discus are scheduled for Wednesday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. respectively, while Siemons' will compete in the men's shot put prelims at 7:15 p.m. Thursday. All times are central.

For more information on the 2007 NCAA Championships log on to www.hornetsports.com.