Press Release

Eric Rickert

April 24, 2011

Rickert hits provisional mark at Kansas Relays

Kansas Relays Results

LAWRENCE, Kan.-Northwest Missouri State senior Eric Rickert reached an NCAA provisional mark by putting the shot 53-feet-1.5-inches Friday at the Kansas Relays hosted by Kansas University. Rickert placed ninth in the 30-man field and has the 24^th-best throw in Division II.

Sophomore Porter Groves entered Northwest's all-time top-10 list in the triple jump where he marked at 46-feet-11-inches. Groves placed 11^th in the event and shares the 10^th-best leap in program history with Richard Berry.

The Northwest women were highlighted by senior Kayli Hrdlicka and freshman Taylor Woodruff who turned in season-best times in the 1,500-meter run. Hrdlicka was the race's runner-up after crossing in a time of 4:45.31. Only Emporia State's Katelyn Mona was better. Woodruff placed 14^th in the field of 33 with a time of 4:58.98.

Sophomore Lekiesha McKnight turned in a 10^th-place finish in the shot put with a throw of 41-feet-10.75-inches. Northwest's 400-meter relay team also placed in the 10 spot. Samantha Fender, Chelsie Dailey, Courtney Jefferson and anchor Rachel Lewis finished in 48.12s.

Split squad competes at Central Missouri

Mule Relays Results

Thirteen Northwest student-athletes - seven men and six women - competed in the Mule Relays hosted by University of Central Missouri Friday. Stevie Katzer highlighted the field by finishing fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a personal-best time of 13:25.26 - good for sixth in program history.

Freshman Ashli Mosby and junior Heidi Johnson earned second place honors in the 100-meter hurdles and 1,500-meter run, respectively. In her first collegiate outdoor competition, Mosby ran 15.29s in the finals of the hurdles. In her first outdoor 1,500, Johnson ran 4:53.97.

Senior Austin Gray competed in three events, scoring a career-best mark in the shot put (46-feet-3.25-inches) and reaching a season-best in the discus (108-feet-2-inches). His best placing, however, came in the hammer throw where 177-feet-8-inches was good for sixth place