CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Southeast Missouri Track and Field team hosts its second home meet of the season as a final tuneup before the OVC Conference Championships. 

The meet will take place Friday starting with field events at 4 p.m. and the track event starting at 6 p.m.

It is a shorter track events program. It will be limited to the men's and women's 55-meter dash and hurdles along with the mile. 

Record Update

For the sixth time this season a member of the SEMO track program reached an indoor school record. At the last meet, Clara Billing topped her own indoor pole vault record of 14-6.25 to set a new record of 14-7.25. Her new mark ranks No. 1 in the OVC and in a tie in 49^th in the country.

Last Time Out

Competing at the Heartland Invitational in Indianapolis, Indiana Billing won the invitational pole vault event while also setting her new school record. Other podium finishers for SEMO included three finishers included Cole Reinders, who placed second in the men's 800 meters in 1:51.2, his second runner up of the meet, and Trenton Braswell finished second in the men's shot put with a throw of 54-2. Andreese Ortiz secured third in the women's weight throw at 56-11.5, Anna Thomason placed third in the women's 60-meter hurdles in 8.46 seconds after qualifying second in preliminaries, Jake Cannon cleared 16-6.5 to finish third in the men's pole vault invitational, and Matt Pluff tied for third in the men's high jump at 6-9.5.

OVC Athletes of the Week

The Redhawks had three athletes named as OVC Track and Field Athletes of the week. Clara Billing after her record-breaking performance. Joining Billing was fellow pole vaulter Jake Cannon who earned Co-Male Field Athlete of the week after his third-place finish with a new personal best height of 16-6.5. Sydney Burdine was the final award winner taking home the OVC Female Track Athlete of the Week after two top eight finishes. She set personal best times in the 200m (24.48) and the 400m (54.98).  

National Rankings

The SEMO track team is well represented on the individual event national rankings. Despite not competing in the shot put since the Indiana Invitational (Jan. 16-17) Marshall Swadley's mark of 62-2.5 still sits at No. 21 in the nation. Trenton Braswell's weight throw of 68-1.75 sits No. 49 nationally. 

On the women's side Clara Billing moved into t a tie in 49^th in the pole vault following her school record mark and Anna Thomason still sits 26^th in the pentathlon.

OVC Rankings

Along with having a presence on the national lists the SEMO track teams are well represented on the OVC rankings, three weeks out from the indoor conference championship meet the Redhawks have 12 athletes at the top of events. The women have 10 athletes leading the lists, while the men have two. 

Leading the lists on the women's team includes Sydney Burdine in the 400m, Madelyn Gray in the mile Nova Ojutkangas in the 3000-meters and 5000-meters, Anna Thomason in the pentathlon and the 60-meter hurdles, Andreese Ortiz in the shot put and weight throw, Clara Billing in the pole vault and Brianna Dixon in the high jump. For the men, the distance medley relay and Marshall Swadley, in the shot put, lead the way. 

Along with the event winners SEMO has eight men in the top three of events and the women add 10 others in the top three as well. 

Up Next

SEMO will travel to Louisville, Kentucky for the OVC Championships. The two-day meet starts Tuesday and continues Wednesday.