APRIL 12, 2000
(INDIANAPOLIS) -- Decathlete Phil McMullen and middle distance runner Collette Liss (Valparaiso, Ind.) qualified for the 2000 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials while Indiana Invaders had five victories at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville this weekend.

McMullen, who captured the Tony Wilson Award for the outstanding athlete in the Scott Hartman Decathlon, finished with a personal-best and meet record of 8,097 points in the ten-event, two-day contest. Teammate Kamau Sullivan finished second in the decathlon with 7,288 points.

Le'gretta Smith and Julia Laiuvara finished third and fifth in the 400 meter hurdles with times of 59.73 and 61.11 respectively while Hope Sanders was fourth in the 800 meter run in 2:06.99. In the field events, Tyra Holt (Bloomington, Ind) was fourth in the pole vault at 3.70 meters, Jamie Strieter was fourth in the javelin throw at 48.02 meters and Angie Joy was fourth in the discuss throw at 51.16 meters.

Collette Liss won the 1500 meters invitational in 4:14.00 while Lorilynn Hoffman was eighth in the 5,000 meters invitational in 17:15.70 and Judy Porter and Kelly French captured the top two spots in the 10,000 meters invitational with times of 35:23.55 and 35:30.55 respectively.

The Distance Medley Relay team of French (3:32), Smith (53.9), Sanders (2:08) and Liss (4:37) won the race in a meet record time of 11:12.43.

For the men, Todd Moroney was ninth in the 3,000 meters steeplechase invitational in a time of 8:56.94 and Scott Lidskin and Jim Sellers finished sixth and eighth in the 5,000 meters invitational with times of 14:14.74 and 14:18.60.

In the men's field events, Daren McDonough was third in the pole vault at 5:36 meters, Kirt Thompson won the javelin throw in 74.38 metes and Frankie Young was fifth in the long jump at 7:56 meters.

"We had a hell of a meet for our opener," said Invaders Head Coach Chris Buhler. "To go down there and do as well as we did was pleasing especially considering the composure our multi-event guys showed despite the rain delays and indoor pole vaulting. With 19 athletes in the meet it was great to see the Invaders up front in most events, many of the races being invitational races. Now where to do go from here and can we get better and better?"

The Indiana Invaders, a not-for-profit organization, present an innovative, resident-based, athlete-centered support system with access to world class facilities.

For more information, please contact Greg Harger.

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