The Dawgs took home four top five finishes, ten personal best records and one top ten school mark during the University of Kentucky Jim Green Invitational in Lexington, Kentucky this weekend.

The invitational hosted 20 teams with four of them holding a national ranking. This is the Salukis’ second indoor competition of the season.

Rosalind Joseph, SIU Director of Track and Field and Cross Country, said she feels the invitational was a great way for her team to see how far they have progressed in their training.

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“The Jim Green Invite was a great way to resume the season,” Joseph said. “This meet gave us a chance to see where we are in our training and what we need to work on for the rest of the season.”

Saluki senior sprinter, Tyjuana Eason was one of the top five finishers for Southern placing fifth in the 60 meter dash – running a season best time of 7.55.

Eason went on to earn another season best in the 200 meter dash with a time of 24.52, finishing sixth.

Junior Genesis Ewell led the way for the long sprints finishing ninth in the 400 meter dash after running a season best time of 57.37.

For men’s sprints sophomore Johnny McGluen, set two of collegiate-bests in both the 200 and 400 meter dashes running a 49.04 in the 400 finishing ninth and a 22.04 in the 200 finishing tenth.

Sophomore distance runner Canoy Tyree also earned a personal-best on the men’s side, running a 1:53.61 in the 800 meter dash.

Fifth year senior multi-event athlete Matthew Bigelow achieved two personal best records in the high jump with a leap of 6’-2.75’’ and the 60 meter hurdles, running a time of 8.60 seconds.

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The rest of Southern’s top five finishes came from the Saluki field athletes.

Senior thrower Adam Kessler earned a third place finish in the shot put throwing a length of 19.19 meters while sophomore thrower Sam Sikon finished eighth with a 17.49 meter toss.

Kessler’s throw also moved into the second place spot on the SIU all-time list, passing John Smith’s 1984 record.

Senior thrower Nate Dyer was the next top five finisher for SIU placing fourth in the weight throw with a 17.47 meter toss.

On the women’s side, sophomore thrower Aveun Moore took eighth in the shot put, while her teammate Kayleigh Conlon set a personal-best in this event with a toss of 14.79m to take 11th place.

The final top five finish for the Salukis came from junior jumper Willie Rodgers who finished fifth in the triple jump with a leap of 14.85 meters.

This jump put Rodgers into the number one seed position for jumping in the Missouri Valley Conference.

SIU will take the track again in Evansville, Indiana at the Sycamore Team Invitational on Jan. 19.

Sports reporter Tamar Mosby can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @mosbytamar.

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