Months of hard work and training for the Missouri Southern track and field team will be put to the test today when the team competes at the MIAA Outdoor Championships. The Lions had an excellent opportunity to prepare for the event last weekend when they competed on their home track for the Bill Williams/Bob Laptad Invitational where a pair of school records fell.

The red-hot relay team of Jazz Allen, Erron Holley, Desmond Williams and Jeff Fraley continued to re-write history, breaking their record in the 4×100-meter race for the third straight week. Their time of 40.43 seconds was also the fastest time ever at Fred G. Hughes Stadium and currently ranks sixth in the country. Fraley continued his dominant day, breaking the school record in the 400 meters with a provisional time of 47.56 in his first attempt of the event all season.

“Week after week of breaking the record, you just wonder how fast you can go, how much further can we push it,” said Fraley. “After getting a few records, I just want to have them all before I leave. I know they will be broken eventually, but I want to make it as hard as possible for the next person to do that.”

“Breaking our record is expected now,” said Allen. “It’s obvious to us and the public that we have four talented guys on that unit. We go into every meet with anticipations of running 39. Our goal now is to be the first team in D2 to do it.”

When asked if the team would continue the record-breaking streak for a fourth straight week at the Conference Championships, Allen replied,

“Does a bear shit in the woods?”

Elsewhere, the 4x400m relay team of Fraley, Sam Kohrs, Anthony Price and Thomas Hawkins won their event in a time of 3:14.67. Senior Darion Boure won the triple jump with a provisional mark of 48-08.25 while senior Jacob Rowe won the long jump with a personal best and provisional mark of 23-08.25.

“There’s no better place to go big than at home,” said Rowe.

The Lions’ success at home last weekend has given the team all the confidence they need going into today’s all-important Conference Championships.

“The MIAA is a very strong conference like usual this year, and we’ll have our hands full,” said head coach Bryan Schiding.

The Lions will once again renew their heated rivalry with Pittsburg State University today as they try to beat the Gorillas, last year’s MIAA Outdoor Champions.

“We have to beat Pitt State plain and simple. We’re willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen,” said Holley.

The Conference Championship lasts throughout the weekend, with the final event Sunday at Lindenwood Track in St. Charles, Mo.

“We are ready to compete, and the whole team is ready to win the championship. We have a great shot at the title,” said senior Nicklas Polizzi.