The NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships kick off Friday.

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - Three members of the Lock Haven University men’s and women’s track & field team are headed to Minnesota for the 2008 NCAA Division II National Indoor Track & Field Championships.

Paul Martin (Pickering, Ontarion/Pine Ridge Secondary) will represent the Bald Eagles, while two Lady Eagles have qualified for the national championship meet.

Juniors Chelsea Morse (Beaver Dams, N.Y./Campbell-Savona) and Shala Simms (Ardmore, Pa./Upper Darby) will represent the Haven women.

This year’s championships are in Mankato, Minn., and are being hosted by Minnesota State University-Mankato.

Martin is set to compete in the 60M hurdles and is the school record holder in the event.

In 2007 Martin earned Indoor All-American honors after competing on the Bald Eagles distance medley relay team that finished seventh.

Martin’s personal best and the LHU school record is 8.10. With that time he is ranked 11th of 13 athletes going in. He will be in lane four of the first heat in the prelims.

This marks the third trip to the NCAA indoor championships for Martin, who is looking to cap off a strong indoor season in a big way, which he is more than capable of doing.

He’s coming off a third place showing in the 55M hurdles at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championships. The 55M hurdles at this year’s conference meet was very deep with the top three from the PSAC meet all heading to Minnesota.

Despite a strong race at the conference meet it wasn’t that perfect race Martin and LHU co-head coach Aaron Russell were looking for.

“He’s healthy and mentally focused,” Russell said. “I think he’s ready for the big break through race we’ve been looking for.”

Simms will compete in the 800 meter run, where she has really turned it on as of late.

She got in as an alternate, but this is a huge step in her career.

Russell has been pleased with Simm’s progress this season and thinks this is wonderful chance for her to take the next step in her racing.

“It’s a great opportunity for her to get an idea of what it’s like at the next level,” Russell said. “There is no pressure on her and she can just go out and race.”

With the outdoor season fast approaching and a full slate of running left next year this could be exactly what Simms needs to take her to the next level of collegiate running said Russell of his talented junior middle distance runner.

She is ranked 19th going in with an indoor school record time of 2:15.90.

Morse will be looking to add to her already impressive career.

She heads into women’s high jump competition ranked in a three-way tie for second with a mark of 5-09.25.

Morse is coming off a second place finish at the PSAC championships, where she jumped 5-09.25 tying the championship record.

Morse, who was a 2007 Outdoor All-American, is looking to go after the win in Mankato’s Myers Field House.

According to Russell, at last year’s indoor championships in Boston, Morse went in hoping to do well and earn an All-American honor.

This year it’s different as she is going in looking for that national championship.

“She certainly has the potential to win it,” said Russell “The bigger the meet, the more pressure she feels, the better she does.”

This season she’s had big jump after big jump and now she’s rested and ready to go after it.

For more information on the NCAA championships visit the official meet site.

The link is listed below.