April 10, 2003

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The University of Missouri men and women's track team host the seventh annual Tom Botts Invitational this weekend at Walton Stadium. The Tigers are hosting a meet for the second consecutive week, last week they hosted their outdoor home opener the Missouri Relays. Visiting Mizzou this weekend will be the track and field teams from Notre Dame, Illinois, and Big 12 Conference foe Iowa State.

At last week's Missouri Relays Tiger athletes qualified for the NCAA Regional Championships in nine events. Tiger senior co-captain and All-American Russ Bell qualified in the hammer throw, the discus, and the shot put. Tiger high jumpers Jesse Sims and Jason Edmonds also qualified for the Regionals. On the women's side junior Jennifer Bennett set a school record with a pole vault of 13 feet, .25 inches to qualify. High jumpers Jenny Bybee and Alicia Cannady, heptathlete and hurdler Fiona Asigbee, and Janae Strickland in the shot put also qualified for the Regionals.

The 7th Annual Tom Botts Invitational starts Friday at 2:00p.m. with the hepathathlon and concludes Saturday afternoon.