May 31, 2000

The first day of the NCAA Championships got underway today in Durham, N.C. Six University of Missouri athletes saw action as day one of the heptathlon was completed along with several preliminary heats.

Senior Jill Aholt and junior Michelle Moran competed in the first four events of the heptathlon and are both in good position for the final three events tomorrow. Today, the heptathlon events included the 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put and the 200m. After those four events, Moran is in eighth place while Aholt is in 19th place. For both athletes, it is their first NCAA Championship meet and both earned their second-best day one point totals.

In the men's 800m senior Derrick Peterson qualified for Friday's final. Peterson, the 1999 defending outdoor NCAA champion finished second in his heat with a time of 1:46.58. His time was an outdoor personal best and is now less than three tenths of a second off the school record.

MU's half mile duo on the women's side of juniors Ashley Wysong and Sunny Gilbert also turned in solid performances. Gilbert ran a 2:06.38 to finish 12th overall and earn All-American honors as she was competing in her first individual event at nationals. Wysong ran a 2:05.27 and qualified for Friday's final. She will be looking for her third consecutive top-five finish.

The final event for the Black and Gold today was the men's steeplechase where senior Ryan Pirtle continued MU's streak of finalists. Pirtle ran a 8:49.19 to qualify ninth overall for the final on Friday.

For Missouri on Thursday, the final three events of the heptathlon will be completed as well as the final of the men's shot put. Christian Cantwell, the MU school record holder in the shot put, will be looking to repeat his All-America honor from the indoor season. The freshman sensation is going into the competition with the fourth best mark (64-9 ?) and the best mark for a collegiate American. It is also the best mark by a freshman in the country during the 2000 outdoor season.