@MIZ_TrackField to Host Missouri Invitational on Friday

Friday, January 15

Columbia, MO

Missouri

Missouri Invitational

@MIZ_TrackField to Host Missouri Invitational on Friday

1/13/2016 10:37:00 AM | Track & Field

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COLUMBIA, Mo. - In their second meet of the 2016 indoor campaign, Mizzou Track & Field returns home to the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse for their first of two home meets this season with the Missouri Invitational. The 30th running of the meet, it is sure to be an exciting one as the Tigers line up some of the top performers from last week's memorable season opener against Illinois and Iowa.

SPRINTS
Retaking the track for the sprinting events after a stellar collegiate opener will be freshman Maya Cody, who earned the season's first SEC Female Freshman of the Week honor in recognition of her record book performances in the 60m and 400m dashes. In fact, Mizzou swept the SEC Freshman of the Week honors, with both Cody and Matthew Ludwig (pole vault) recognized by the conference for their exciting collegiate debuts. Cody is currently ranked second in the SEC for the 400m dash, fourth in the NCAA, and is ninth in the conference for the 60m dash. Her time of 54.84 in the 400m and 7.54 in the 60m earned her the No. 6 and No. 2 spots in Mizzou history, respectively.

Joining her on the line for both the 60m and 400m dashes will be junior LaQuisha Jackson, one of the two returning indoor school record holders for the Tigers this year. Jackson had her Tiger debut last year, crashing through the record books in both the 60m (7.31) and 200m (23.58) dashes. She also holds the No. 2 performance in school history for the 400m dash (54.50).

Another name to watch out for this season is that of Ayo Adewole, who returns for her senior campaign after closing 2015 as an NCAA West Preliminary Round qualifier in the 400m dash, and as a member of the school record breaking 4x400m relay team during the SEC Outdoor Championships (3:40.68). She will take to the blocks in the 400m dash this weekend after placing fourth at last week's Border Battle. Another member of that record 4x400m team is also scheduled to take to the line on Friday, with junior Valerie Thames returning to the 60m hurdles after running the sixth-fastest in Missouri history last weekend (8.64). Joining her in the hurdle line-up will be senior Alyssa Felton, who currently holds the No. 3 spot on the All-Time list in the event.

The men's 60m dash will also see a performance from a returning school record holder, with senior Markesh Woodson returning to the blocks after his winning performance at last weekend's season opener. Woodson broke his own record in the event during last year's SEC Championships, placing second in the conference with a final time of 6.58.

Freshman Charles Graham, Jr., will continue chasing down the 60m hurdles school record on Friday, after hitting the second-fastest time in school history (7.99) during his Tiger debut at last weekend's Border Battle. The current record has stood at 7.92 since 2010.

FIELD EVENTS
Freshman Matthew Ludwig, who joined Maya Cody as the two SEC Freshmen of the Week to kick off their Tiger careers, will return to the pole vault runway after clearing the third-best mark in school history last weekend. His 5.10m (16-8.75) also earned him his first event win in the black and gold, and has him ranked third in the SEC and 12th in the NCAA.

Senior Tony Carodine and sophomore John Warren will also return to competition this week, after dominating the triple jump field during during the Border Battle. The pair hold two of the top five spots in Missouri history in the triple jump, with John Warren leading at No. 3 in school history, followed closely by Carodine at No. 5. They will look to defend their home track in the event, and are scheduled to return to the runway for the long jump.

MID-DISTANCE // DISTANCE
The middle-distance and distance fields are highlighted by a number of newcomers this weekend, including a number of freshmen returners from the cross country season - Ellyn Atkinson, Hannah Thomas, Carolyn White, Kate Smith, Zach Cook, Patrick Kearns, and Evan Schulte.

Also making her season debut this weekend is senior Liz Reida, who returns to the track after an exciting 2015 season which culminated in NCAA West Preliminary Round qualifications in both the 800m and 1500m runs. She will be featured in the field for the mile run on Friday afternoon.

On the men's side, senior Will Crocker will continue his final indoor campaign in the black and gold, returning for his second consecutive 800m run competition. Crocker had a breakthrough 2015 indoor season, clocking the second-fastest mile time in school history (4:01.34) and earning his first All-SEC honor as part of the third-place men's distance medley relay team. He will be joined on the line by two other members of that relay squad, with senior Sam Dickerson and junior Jarrad Mason both scheduled to compete in the 800m run. Junior Ben Goodman, the fourth member of that team, will join fellow-junior Cain Winebrenner in the 400m dash.

HEAR FROM COACH HALTER
"Obviously it's always fun to compete at home. This is our second week back, we've been training hard, and many of our athletes have been pulling double shifts. We've been doing a lot of fun team building exercises over the last two weeks, and it's been a great opportunity for the athletes. I know they are looking forward to getting in front of their family and friends and showing off what they do. Many of our athletes will still compete in off events as we prepare for the bulk of our schedule coming up here in the latter part of January and early-February as we set up for championships. We continue to look forward to what the season has in store. We've already had some terrific performances from many of our newcomers, 21 in uniform last weekend which was unbelievable and awesome. And, many of our returners are eager to show why they're stars. We're looking forward to seeing how things unfold here in the future."

TIGER LINE-UP: TRACK EVENTS
60m DASH, MEN - Tony Carodine // Charles Graham, Jr. // Jerrad Mason // Niager Mathis // Kahmari Montgomery // Markesh Woodson
60m DASH, WOMEN - Lynnsey Brim // Maya Cody // Alyssa Felton // LaQuisha Jackson // Jacqueline Obi
200m DASH, MEN - Kahmari Montgomery
200m DASH, WOMEN - Jacqueline Obi
400m DASH, MEN - Ben Goodman // Cain Winebrenner
400m DASH, WOMEN - Ayo Adewole // Maya Cody // Valeska Halamicek // LaQuisha Jackson // Sydney Wells
800m RUN, MEN - Will Crocker // Kenny Cushing // Sam Dickerson // Thomas George // Brian Hernan // Jerrad Mason // Mark Sheridan
800m RUN, WOMEN - Sandrae Farquharson // Sarah Jacobsen // Valerie Thames // Carolyn White
MILE RUN, MEN - Jordan Cook // Brian Hernan // Tim Johnson // Sheldon Keence // Dan Roe
MILE RUN, WOMEN - Ellyn Atkinson // Bailey Hession // Bianca Mello // Nicole Mello // Liz Reida // Hannah Thomas
3000m RUN, MEN - Zach Cook // Patrick Kearns // Tyler Schneider // Evan Schulte // Drew White
3000m RUN, WOMEN - Becca Batliner // Kate Smith
60m HURDLES, MEN - Charles Graham, Jr. // Ser Whitaker
60m HURDLES, WOMEN - Alyssa Felton // Valerie Thames