Women’s track off to ‘excellent start’

Just three meets in, Missouri Southern's women's track and field team has already picked up 12 provisional or automatic qualifying marks.
"We are off to an excellent start," Head Coach Patty Vavra said.  "We've had a lot of nice provisionals these first few meets."
The women competed at the Florida State Relays in Tallahassee on March 26 and 27 where Ashley Bunch landed a provisional time and new school record in the 3K steeple chase. 
"It was Ashley's first time running the steeple chase," Vavra said. "She looked like she had run it all her life."
Lisa Vengels broke the school record and placed fifth in the high jump the last day of the FSU relays and went on to win the Arkansas Invitational last weekend with an automatic qualifying mark of 5-8.75. 
Also at Florida State, Kimi Shank broke her own school record, placed first, and received an automatic qualifying mark in the 5K while Courtney Waltbillig placed second in the event with a provisional time.
On April 3 at the Emporia State Relays, four Lions competed and three returned with provisionals. Emilie Mieseler placed second in the hammer with a distance of 169-03. Channell Lloyd placed first in the 100m hurdles with a provisional time of 14.55 and second in the triple jump with a distance of 40 feet even.
Kiley Jones placed second in the discus with a provisional of 152-08.
Last weekend the team traveled to the John McDonnell Invite at the University of Arkansas. Lloyd earned a provisional in the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.48 and another provisional in the triple jump with a third place finish and a distance of 45-08. Carita Riutta picked up a provisional in the 800m with a fifth place finish, while Shank placed No. 12 in the 1500m also picking up a provisional time.
Two athletes were sent to Pittsburg State, where Mieseler earned a provisional and second place finish in the hammer throw with a heave of 174-08 while Erin Steffens placed fifth in the discus.