Two MSSU women's track and field athletes earn Academic All-District recognition

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Missouri Southern State University senior Morgan Ash and junior Elena Bisotto were named to the Academic All-District Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Team, selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) on Friday.

This is the second straight year that Ash and Bisotto have earned the honor.

Ash, a Biology/Pre-Physical Therapy major has a cumulative 3.80 GPA while Bisotto, a biology major has a perfect 4.00 GPA.

Ash is the school record holder for the javelin with a throw of 51.45 meters (168 feet, 9 inches). She holds four of the top ten marks in Southern history including three of the top four marks in the event.
Bissoto, who was a finalist for the MIAA Winter Women's Athlete of the Year, holds the No.3 spot in the performer's list in outdoor pole vault as she cleared 3.98 meters (13 feet, 0.75 inches). She holds the No. 2 mark in the Southern performer's list for the indoor portion of the season after she cleared 4.04 meters (13 feet, 3 inches).

The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. Selections are made for track & field/cross country honorees separately in four divisions - NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. Honorees selected first-team Academic All-District® will advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. Academic All-America honorees will be announced next month.

Missouri Southern is part of District 7, which puts the Lions up against student-athletes in the MIAA, the Great American Conference and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The group is two of four MIAA student-athletes that made up the All-District team.

MSSU men's basketball announces changes in camp schedule

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern Men's Basketball program has announced some changes to its summer camp schedules for this year.

The Lions will be putting on three different camps this year that will give attendees the chance to hone their skills with some of the nation's best coaches.

Southern will host a team camp on June 19-20 on the campus of Missouri Southern. The costs will be $375 per team for two days or $200 per team if only competing on one day. Six games will be played with a single-elimination tournament to finish up the camp and shirts will be provided for each team member.

There will be an individual day camp on July 20-23 for grades 1-9 with a cost of $85 per player. Times will be from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm with a lunch break from noon to 1 pm. To register for the camp, please go to www.abcsportscamps.com/mssumbb.

Finally, Southern will provide an elite camp on August 16 from 1-5 pm for grades 9-12. Cost to attend the elite camp is $50.

For more information on any of the camps, please contact assistant coach Cody Seidel at seidel-c@mssu.edu or 573-680-9063.

Twenty-one MSSU track and field athletes named All-Americans

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Board of Directors and Division II Track & Field Executive Committee announced that 21 individuals from Missouri Southern's track and field teams have been named All-Americans.

Jasmine Deckard earned All-American honors in three events, the 60-meter dash, 200-meter dash and joined Elizabeth Adeoye, Chardae Overstreet and LaNea Wallace in the 4x400-meter relay. Deckard was No. 2 in the 200-meter dash and No. 7 in the 60-meter going into the NCAA Championships. Cornesia Calhoun-White and Kiara Smith were All-Americans in the 60-meter hurdles.

Southern earned four in the pole vault. Emily Presley will lead the way as she is ranked No. 1 headed into the event by clearing 4.30 meters (14-1.25). Elena Bisotto and Samantha Petry, who ranked in the top ten before NCAA competition at No. 7 and No. 10 respectively, as well as Lauren Sutherland (No. 19) earned the honors.

Southern, who had the No. 1 power ranked Vault Squad in the NCAA was the only program with four vaulters qualified and selected for the NCAA Championships.

In the throws, Payton Roberts had the nation's top throw entering the national meet in the shot put with a throw of 16.13 meters (52-11) while Kirsten Leisinger was an All-American in the weight throw.

On the men's side, Rajindra Campbell led a group of three throwers. He held the No. 1 spot in the shot put entering NCAA competition with a throw of 20.07 meters (65-10.25). Josh Fulmer and Travis Petersen earned the honor in the weight throw. They sat at No. 8 and No. 16 in the event, respectively, entering the meet.

In the long jump, Josh Norvile had the No. 2 mark in the nation with a leap of 7.72 meters (25-4) before the NCAA Championships. Adrain Broadus earned honors in the triple jump and Brendan Watkins earned the honor in both events. Dean Howard was All-American in the pole vault as he entered the meet at No. 6.

On the track Gidieon Kimutai was All-American in the 5,000-meter run while Ryan Riddle is in the mile. Kimutai posted a time of 14:03.08 with an automatic qualifying time to sit in sixth. Riddle was No. 13 entering the meet in the mile.