The MIAA Outdoor Championships in St. Charles, Mo., began today for the Missouri Southern women’s track and field team. The time has finally come to compete in what, for many, will be the biggest meet of the year.

The Lions prepared for the competition last week at the Bill Williams/Bob Laptad Invitational at Fred G. Hughes Stadium where senior Dora Eastin was one of the two Lion winners on the day. The Neosho High standout won the 800 meters while fellow senior Sydney Potts finished first in the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 1:04.81. The Lions had 10 other top three finishers.

“Winning the race was an awesome feeling, but it’s all about time,” said Eastin. “I ran a 2:17 and I’m not even ranked top eight in the conference. I need to be running a 2:13 and I’ve have been struggling to get to that point.”

The team has a difficult task ahead at this weekend’s Conference Championships. No. 9 ranked team in the country, Lincoln, has won the meet the last four years. The Lions will also have to contend with two other top-five teams in the nation including No. 1 ranked Central Missouri.

“The MIAA is a conference where you know that when you go to the championship meet, you’re going to have to be at your best,” said head coach Patty Vavra. “But it’s also going to push you to that national qualifying performance or your personal best in many cases. You can either tuck your tail between your legs and walk away, or you have an opportunity to say ‘this is tough, this is hard, but it’s going to help me be better.’”

For some Lions, this will be the first chance to participate in the Outdoor Championships, while others will be bidding farewell to the event.

“I’m not too nervous for the meet,” said freshman Allie Heckemeyer. “I know if I get nervous or overwhelmed, I have great teammates and a great coaching staff there to give me the support and confidence I need.”

“Putting on my uniform for the last time will be heartbreaking,” said senior Kindra Emberton. “I put so many years into this sport for two minutes and some odd seconds just to hear the crowd lift me up, and I’m not ready to give this up at all. I’d do anything to be a freshman all over again. I had nothing like this growing up; my coaches make sure I have everything I need here to succeed. MSSU has forever changed my life, and I couldn’t be more thankful for the experience.”

The MIAA Outdoor Championships begin at 2 p.m. today on the campus of Lindenwood University and finish Sunday afternoon.