Dec. 8, 2004

By Shalae Schulte
www.siusalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - For the first time in Southern Illinois history, the men's and women's track and field programs will begin the season under a combined coaching staff.

Connie Price-Smith, who spent the past three seasons as the women's head coach, will take the reigns of both teams this season. She is joined by sprints and hurdles coach Lawrence Johnson, distance coach Matt Sparks, both in their third season at SIU, and throws coach John Smith in his first season at SIU.

Price-Smith, a four-time Olympian and SIU alum, took over both squads last May, and so far is happy with the results.

"I think that it has been so much easier. Everything has gone much more smoothly as far as the practicing and the scheduling," Price-Smith said. "I think it has been really good for the athletes as well. Everybody gets out there and they get their chance to train together as well as separately."

After fourth-place finishes by both teams at the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships and third and sixth-place finishes by the women and men at the outdoor championships a year ago, the Salukis are looking to improve in the conference standings.

"I think we have a really good squad of returning athletes and I feel that the newcomers will come in and add to the mix," Price-Smith said. "I think that if everybody competes to the level they're capable of that we should move up in the conference."

The Salukis return a mass of young talent, all gaining valuable experience last season.

The women's team returns senior Kelsey Toussaint, and sophomores Sherlenia Green and Marquita Vines in the sprints.

Toussaint qualified for the NCAA Regional meet in the 100-meter dash, 4x100-meter relay and the 4x400-meter relay. She holds four Saluki records including the indoor 60-meter dash, 200-meter dash and 4x400 and outdoor 4x100.

Green competed in the NCAA Regionals as well, on the 4x100 team, while Vines achieved All-American status at the USA Junior Track and Field Championships after finishing eighth in the 400-meter hurdles.

In the men's sprints, seniors Felix Anderson and Emmanuel Daux, and junior Anthony Acklin return. Anderson, who broke the school record in the indoor 200 last season, qualified for the indoor national meet, but was unable to compete due to injury.

Daux was a regional qualifier in the 110-hurdles a year ago when he placed seventh, while Acklin was an MVC all-conference performer finishing second in the 60-meter hurdles at the MVC Indoor Championships.

A large group returns from each Saluki distance crew including junior Ty-Nica Davis, and sophomores Katie Birn, Brittani Christensen, Katie Ringlestein, Sarah Rinker, Cherylynn Schilling and Lindsey Wagner for the women.

Davis, the defending MVC Indoor 800-meter run champion, and Christensen, who finished fifth at the MVC Cross Country Championships this fall, lead the women's distance crew. Schilling returns following a trip to the USA Junior Track and Field Championships, where she finished ninth in the 5000-meter run, earning All-American honors.

Returning for the men are seniors Rob Duncan and Tony LaChiana, juniors Joe Byrne and Eli Baker, and sophomores Thomas Gentry, Diarmuid Grant and Hunter Sheldon. All returnees are members of the 2004 MVC Cross Country co-championship team. Junior Brandon Lukes will also contribute in mid-distance.

Seniors Inna Turevsky and Katie Fesler return in the jumps for the women. Turevsky is the defending MVC triple jump champion and holds the Saluki indoor record.

Senior Freddy Rule, juniors Michael Logsdon and Jason Pochynok and sophomore Antwon Stapleton return for the men. Rule returns in the high jump after fourth-place finishes at both the indoor and outdoor MVC championships a year ago, while Stapleton is the top returnee in the triple jump.

Returning in the women's throws are seniors Venisha Williams and Katy Ritten and junior Megan Cenkush. Williams is the top returnee for Southern in the weight throw, while Ritten led SIU in the shot put. For the men, seniors Mark Milleville and Matt Weishaar return.

SIU adds some new faces to the women's team including six freshmen and two transfers, while the men complement their team with 10 freshmen and one transfer.

Looking to make an impact in the women's sprints are freshmen Andrea Norris, a four-time state qualifier and all-conference honoree from Lisle, Ill., and Caryce Porter, a top-four finishisher in the 100 and 200 at the Illinois State Track Meet for Elgin Academy.

On the men's side freshman Antoine Jennings is looked upon to make a sudden impact. The long-sprinter from Chicago, Ill. earned all-conference and all-state honors in both the 200 and 400.

Freshmen Shelby Brice and Jessica Ordway, who just finished their first season on the women's cross country team, look to make an impact in the distance events, while freshman Bryant Horton joins the men's team in mid-distance.

The men's teams adds three jumpers to the mix, including 2004 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) triple jump champion Kenen Shadd, and freshmen Michael Chamness and Josh Cullers. Chamness, a high jumper from Anna-Jonesboro High School, finished third two times at the Illinois State Meet, while Cullers was a two-time all-state performer in the pole vault at Harrisburg High School.

The women's throwers will improve with the addition of junior Amarachi Ukabam and freshman Brittany Riley.

Ukabam, a transfer from Ohio State, was an NCAA Indoor All-American in the shot put, weight throw and discuss a year ago. The coaching staff looks for her to go after a regional qualifying mark early in the season.

Additions to the men's throwers include sophomore Brenton Siemons and freshman Joe Mueller, both high school state qualifiers in the discus.

Both teams begin the new season Friday, hosting the Saluki Fast Start Invitational. Southern, along with Lincoln University, Lindsey Wilson, the Illinois men's team and SEMO will be competing.

The Saluki coaching staff is eager to start the new season and looking forward seeing what each athlete and team can accomplish. Price-Smith feels the combined teams will be a success for SIU track and field.

"I think that having the teams together pushes them and there is not a conflict of different styles," Price-Smith said. "I think that the system is working really well and I think that it will show, come competition time, the unity amongst the men and women."