May 3, 2004

Central Missouri's Lori Pitz Takes The MIAA Heptathlon Title While Pittsburg State's Shawn Hoyle Is The Decathlon Champion

After the final day of action at the MIAA Multi-Event competition in Kirksville, Mo., a pair of sophomores captured the MIAA titles as Central Missouri's Lori Pitz won the heptathlon and Pittsburg State's Shawn Hoyle won the decathlon event.

The Jennies dominated the women's competition as they placed one-two-three at the event. After the first day's leader, Truman's Christina Winkler, was forced to withdraw due to an injury, Pitz took over the lead and never gave it up through the final three events. She ended the meet with a score of 4,670 points. Denise Sandbothe finished second with 4,493 points and Jessi Kirkman was third with 4,391 points.

Pittsburg State's Leah Shireman finished fourth with 4,141 points, followed by Brandy Honeywell of Northwest Missouri with 3,855 points, Megan Lamberson of Emporia State with 3,453 points and Brandy Jones of Emporia State with 3,373 points.

Central Missouri scored 24 points as a team, giving them an early lead at the MIAA Outdoor Championships which will take place this weekend in Maryville, Mo. Pittsburg State scored four points, Northwest Missouri had two and Emporia State recorded one point.

In the decathlon, Hoyle took over the lead during the third event of the day, the pole vault, and held on for the win with 6,386 points. Central Missouri's Ryan Thompson was runner-up with a total of 6,284 points. A pair of Emporia State teammates finished third and fourth as Tyson Allen recorded 6,247 points and Cameron Babb, the leader after day one, completed the meet with 6,206 points.

Rounding out the men's side was Pittsburg State's Jeremy Dunkle with 6,143 points, Central Missouri's Michael Klaus with 6,043 points, Missouri Southern's Chris Turner with 5,434 points, Missouri Southern's Justin Juline with 5,361 points, Northwest Missouri's Patrick Sasser with 4,886 points and Northwest Missouri's Pete Paniccia with 4,439 points.

Pittsburg State scored 12 points at the event, followed by Emporia State with 10 and Central Missouri with nine.