Men, women head to Tennessee for Sea Ray Invite

The SIUC men’s track and field team will attempt to continue its streak of solid performances at the Sea Ray Invitational in Knoxville, Tenn., this weekend, while the women’s team will take a few athletes to the Sea Ray Invitational then travel to SIU-Edwardsville to compete on Saturday.

The men’s team is fresh off a second-place finish at the All Sport Relays in Cape Girardeau, Mo., last weekend, where they were edged by the University of Missouri 219.5-211 in the seven-team meet.

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The team is expecting another competitive meet this weekend. Because of the competitiveness of the meet men’s coach Bill Cornell will only be taking 13 athletes to compete.

The women’s team will have a full weekend of activity as some of the team will compete at the Sea Ray Invitational and then travel to SIUE Saturday to compete.

Only six members of the Salukis will compete at the Sea Ray Invitational. Senior Amy Stearns will compete in the hammer throw, senior Lorraine Parkinson will compete in the heptathlon, senior Raina Larsen will compete in the 1,500-meter run and junior Michelle Nitzsche will compete in the pole vault.

Senior Kelly French will compete in the 3,000- and 1,500-meter runs and junior Felicia Hill will compete in both the high and triple jumps.

Hill won the triple jump (39 feet 9.50 inches) and the high jump (5 feet 2 inches) at the All Sport Relays in Cape Girardeau last weekend.

The men’s and women’s teams should face competition from Vanderbilt University, Marquette University, Ball State University and Missouri Valley Conference foe Illinois State University.

NFL To play or not to play:Elway to decide before draft

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John Elway, who admits his mind changes every day, said Wednesday he will decide before the April 18 NFL Draft whether to continue playing or retire.

The Denver Broncos’ quarterback, who turns 38 in June, finally won a Super Bowl ring in January, an appropriate capstone to his brilliant 15-year career. His family, coaches and teammates all want him to play at least another season.

There’s a million things that are going to go into this decision, Elway said, but the bottom line is what my gut tells me. I just want to give my gut plenty of time so I can make that right decision.

He said he was in no hurry to decide because coach Mike Shanahan said he would not base personnel decisions on Elway. But Elway noted that owner Pat Bowlen indicated he would like to know by the draft.

It changes every day, really it does, he said. I’ll go through things where I’ll think, I’d like to play three more years.’ Then there’s a time where I’ll think, Just move on.’ Then I’ll think, I’ll play another year.’ Then I’ll think, I don’t want to play.’ It changes daily.

Elway, appearing at a press conference to promote a Celebrity Players Tour golf tournament that will be played in July, admitted his wife, Janet, and four children want him to continue playing.

All five have 49 percent of the vote, he said. I’ve got the 51 percent.

Six weeks ago, Elway had minor surgery on his throwing shoulder. My shoulder has a long ways to go, but other than that everything else is pretty good, he said.

He has begun working out at the Broncos’ practice facility but said those workouts should not be interpreted as an indication he is preparing for the 1998 season.

That’s rehab, he said. I’ve got to do that anyway for my shoulder. I want to be able to play catch with my kids when I’m 50. I’ve seen too many guys walk away from the game without rehabbing an injury and it affects them the rest of their lives.