FARGO, N.D. - Nine members of the Western Illinois track and field squad were named to the 2012 Outdoor All-Summit League Team.

Those student-athletes honored on the men's squad were Michael Castel (Moline, Ill./Moline), Jeffrey Liles (Lena, Ill./Lena-Winslow), Jamario Taylor (Aurora, Ill./East Aurora), Paul Hames (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Rolling Meadows), Nathaniel Marshall (Bushnell, Ill./Bushnell-Prairie City) and Jordan Liles (Lena, Ill./Lena-Winslow). The women's side was represented by Carianna Cottone (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community West), Nichole Manning (Kansas City, Mo./Winnetonka) and Dana LaRue (South Holland, Ill./Thornwood).  

The top three athletes in each event after The Summit League Outdoor Championships earned the award. Castel, Jeffrey Liles, Jordan Liles and Marshall are first-time All-League selections. Hames and Cottone have both been named to two All-League squads, while this is Taylor's third selection. LaRue has been named to six All-League teams while Manning ends her career with seven All-League selections. 

Taylor became the fifth Leatherneck to win an outdoor men's high jump conference title by clearing a height of 7-00.25. He cleared the bar on the final attempt while North Dakota State's Jeremy Geditz (6-11.00) and South Dakota State's Jared Vlastuin (6-11.00) could not do the same.   

The last Fighting Leatherneck to win an outdoor men's high jump conference title was Lawrence Hardin in 2010 (6-08.75). Taylor's season best performance at the SIUE Gateway Classic (7-00.50) ranks 40th nationally and 19th in the NCAA West Region. 

LaRue used a personal best throw of 51-00.25 to place second in the women's shot put behind Southern Utah's Kayla Kovar (51-02.75). Her effort ranks fourth in program history, 60th in the nation and 33rd in the NCAA West Region. 

Manning cleared a height of 13-02.50 to set the pole vault program record and place third overall behind South Dakota's Bethany Buell (14-00.50 – meet record) and Emily Grove (13-04.50). Manning's effort ranks 52nd in the nation and 33rd in the West Region. 

With a toss of 191-11, Marshall placed second in the men's hammer throw behind North Dakota State's Casey Orgon (196-03). His season-best effort at the Fighting Scots Invitational (192-02) ranks 89th nationally and 48th in the West Region.  

With a time of 52.30, Jeffrey Liles placed third overall with the second fastest 400-meter hurdles performance in program history. Liles' effort ranks 93rd nationally and 55th in the West Region. 

In the men's javelin throw, Jordan Liles used a personal best effort of 194-05 to finish second behind North Dakota State's Nikola Mijailovic (200-09). Liles' throw ranks sixth in program history. 

Hames placed third in the men's shot put with a throw of 53-07.00. His personal best effort ranks seventh in program history. 

Cottone used a time of 36:57.72 to place second in the women's 10,000-meter run behind Southern Utah's Diana Medina (36:41.98). In the men's 10,000-meter run, Castel finished third with a time of 32:01.57, which ranks ninth in program history.

Taylor, Marshall, Manning and LaRue are set to compete in the NCAA West Regional from May 24-26 at the University of Texas. They will attempt to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, which take place in Des Moines, Iowa from June 6-9.

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