May 15, 2003

COLUMBIA, MO. - The University of Missouri men and women's track and field teams will head to Austin, Texas for the 2003 Big 12 Track and Field Championships hosted by the University of Texas. The Tigers have qualified 29 athletes for the NCAA Central Regional Championships to be contested later this month in Columbus, Ohio.

On the men's side the Tigers will send 15 athletes who have set regional qualifying marks including the two-time defending Big 12 decathlon champion Knut Sommerfeldt . Sommerfeldt and teammate Hans Uldal have already qualified for the NCAA Championships in the decathlon. Tiger throwers Russ Bell and Christian Cantwell look to contest for Big 12 crowns this weekend. Bell has the best hammer throw mark in the Big 12 this season with a toss of 207 feet, 7 inches and Cantwell, a two-time Big 12 champion, has the farthest shot put in the Big 12 with a throw of 69 feet, 5.25 inches. High jumper Jesse Sims and middle distance runners Timothy Dunne and Ryan Hampton look to contend for Big 12 titles as well.

On the women's side All-American pole vaulter Jennifer Bennett looks to grab her first Big 12 championship this year; she has the best Big 12 pole vault mark this season with a height of 13 feet, 5.75 inches. Janae Strickland has set and re-set the school shot put record and fellow thrower Lindsey Markworth has qualified for the regional championships in two events. On the track the Tigers look to middle distance runner Ashley Patten and distance specialist Serena Ramsey for Big 12 title possibilities. The Tigers also have five regional qualifiers in the high jump led by sophomore Jenny Bybee who has a season best jump of 5 feet, 10.75 inches.

The Big 12 Championships are being hosted by the University of Texas for the first time , Missouri has hosted the Big 12 Championships three times including last year.