Warrensburg, Mo. (Mar. 7, 2000) - Central Missouri State University will send six men and two women to the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships Friday and Saturday (Mar. 10-11) at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston, Mass.

Leading the Mules' qualifiers is senior pole vaulter Andrei Skvortsov (Sochi, Russia). He has the best indoor mark in Division II this season at 17' 3/4". Skvortsov was runner-up last year, won the event in 1998 and was runner-up in 1997. In addition, he was the 1997 outdoor pole vault champion. Another member of the Mules' squad owning the top mark in Division II this season in his event is junior long jumper Greg Schmidt (Carrollton, Texas, Plano H.S.) with a mark of 25' 4".

Also qualifying for the Mules are junior Edwin Harris (Knob Noster, Mo., KNHS) in the 400 meter dash, sophomore Andy Gilmore (Ashland, Mo., Southern Boone County H.S.) in the high jump, sophomore Duane Brisbon (Cross, S.C./East Central Mississippi C.C.) in the triple jump and junior Paul Bennett [Notts, England/Johnson County C.C. (Kan.)] in the mile run. Harris has the fourth-best time in the 400 at 48.09 seconds. Gilmore has the sixth-best mark in the high jump at 6' 10 3/4". Brisbon has the fifth-best mark in the triple jump at 50' 11 ½". He placed sixth at last year's NCAA meet. Bennett has the eighth-best time in the mile at 4:13.92.

The Jennies' qualifiers are sophomores Rachel Harvey (Branson, Mo., BHS) and Melissa Short (Jacksonville, Fla., Sandalwood H.S.) in the 800 meter run. Harvey has the sixth-best time in that event at 2:15.71, while Short has the ninth-best time at 2:16.02.

Schmidt will compete in the long jump finals Friday. Bennett, Harris, Harvey and Short will run Friday in qualifying heats for their events. If they qualify, they will run in the finals Saturday. The finals for Skvortsov, Gilmore and Brisbon will be Saturday.

The Mules placed fourth in last year's NCAA meet, scoring 22 points. It was their fourth straight top five finish at the indoor championships. The Jennies did not score in last year's meet.

NCAA Div. II Indoor Track & Field Championships

Boston, Mass.

Friday, Mar. 10

Men's Long Jump Finals - 5:45 p.m. (CST)

Men's Mile Run (Preliminaries) - 6:15 p.m.

Men's 400 Meter Dash (Preliminaries) - 7:15 p.m.

Women's 800 Meter Run (Preliminaries) - 8 p.m.

Saturday, Mar. 11

Men's Pole Vault Finals - 10:30 a.m.

Men's High Jump Finals - 11:00 a.m.

Men's Triple Jump Finals - 12:30 p.m.

Men's Mile Run Finals - 12:40 p.m.

Men's 400 Meter Dash Finals - 1:20 p.m.

Women's 800 Meter Run Finals - 1:50 p.m.