The Missouri Southern men’s track and field team competed at the MIAA Conference Championship Meet last weekend in Warrensburg, finishing in fourth place overall. Five Lions athletes were named 2015-All-MIAA Performers including senior sprinter Jeff Fraley, who earned the MIAA High-Point Honor as well, his second straight. Pittsburgh State University won the team title.

“The obvious reaction is disappointment,” said co-team captain Eric Schott. “As a team we really wanted to bring home the trophy. However, when you look at the breakdown of the meet, you have to be proud of how a lot of the guys competed.”

Fraley won two individual events in the 60 meter dash and the 200m and placed third in the 400m. The St. Robert, Mo., native broke his school record in the 200m with a time of 21.51 seconds. The time also stands as the fastest ever ran at the University of Central Missouri’s Multipurpose Building and when converted for a banked track, is the third fastest in the country this season.

“I have not had an exhausting weekend like that before and by the end of the day Sunday I was surprising myself by what I still had left inside me, figuratively and literally,” said Fraley. “Breaking the facility record was not something I planned on doing and was an awesome end of my day. That is my first facility record that I have obtained, and it means quite a bit to me. When you think about it, it means that out of all the people that have ran in that building over the years, my team this weekend was the fastest. That just seems like a blessing and honor.”

Senior Darion Boure in the triple jump and freshman Sam Kohrs in the 600 yard dash were also first place finishers and All-MIAA Performers.

Boure broke his school record with a distance of 50-04.50, ranking him fourth nationally.

Sophomores Morgan Hold and Bryan Burns rounded out the list of Lions named All-MIAA. Hold finished second in the pole vault while Burns placed third in the weight throw.

“I didn’t quite go as far as I wanted or place where I needed to,” said Burns. “I had more in the tank, it’s just the moment caught up with me, and I didn’t stay within my technique, so my distance faltered. On my last throw, Coach Allen told me ‘Rise to the occasion, we need more points, trust the technique, and you’ll go deep,’ and, well, he was right.”

The NCAA Division II Indoor Championships will be in Birmingham, Ala., March 13. Fraley, Boure, and any others who may qualify now turn their attention to preparing for their biggest meet of the season.

“My plan is to walk out of their as National Champ,” said Fraley.