May 27, 2008

Cape Girardeau, Mo. - Seven track athletes from Southeast Missouri State University will compete this weekend at the NCAA Mideast Regional in Fayetteville, Ark.

All-American sprinter Miles Smith, the 2005 NCAA Mideast champion in the 400-meters, will be back in action after missing several weeks with a leg injury suffered in the OVC championships. Smith will join long jumper John Berry, triple jumper Bilal Hameed, javelin throwers Ben Stricklin, Samantha Espiricueta and Lindsay Hearne as well as shot putter Andy Glass at the NCAA Regional.

The top five place winners in each event at the regional automatically qualify for the NCAA national finals with the next seven qualifying for a possible at-large selection based on seasonal best times or distances. Smith, a World Championship gold medalist in 2005, could qualify by placing in the top 12 at Arkansas because his seasonal best time of 45.67 ranks him 13th nationally and third in the Mideast Region.

"I'm going to go easy this weekend and just make sure I qualify and stay healthy," Smith said. "I've been having good workouts and if I can just qualify this weekend, I should be near peak form for the NCAA finals on June 12-14 at Drake University in Des Moines, Ia. The Olympic Trials will follow on June 27-July 6 in Eugene, Oregon.

Berry is ranked ninth in the NCAA Mideast Region with a best jump of 25-feet 5 ½-inches. Stricklin is ranked 11th in the javelin with a throw of 214-6. Espiricueta ranks 12th with a throw of 149-0 while Hearne who is battling a leg injury ranks 13th.

Hameed is ranked 14th in the triple jump while Glass ranks 41st in the region in the shot put after qualifying by winning the OVC shot put championship.