April 29, 2004
NORMAN, Okla. - The University of Missouri track and field team completed the first day of the Big 12 Outdoor Championships on Thursday. Senior Holly Scherder took the title in the women's hammer throw with a school record heave. Sophomore Jessica Stockard is in second place after the first day of the women's heptathlon and sophomore Hans Uldal is also in second after day of the men's decathlon.
Scherder (Frankford, Mo./Bowling Green HS) won the first throwing title for the Tigers in Big 12 history with a throw of 199 feet, 4 inches (60.76m), the first time Missouri has had a hammer thrower in the 60-meter club. Scherder with her first Big 12 title is now a three-time all-Big 12 performer after placing third with the indoor weight throw earlier this season.
"I was feeling real great out there and I knew I could do it," said Scherder. "I had a great practice yesterday and felt confident in what I could do."
Scherder completed the preliminary round in the lead with a first throw of 181-11 (55.46m).
"I was a little jittery last night and couldn't sleep," Scherder said. "Once I got into the final, I got relaxed and did what I could do."
In the first throw of the finals, Oklahoma State's Delisa McClain passed Scherder with a throw of 185-11 (56.67m). McClain came into the competition with the best mark on the conference performer's list. Scherder regained the lead on her next to last throw with a toss of 190-4 (58.14m). Scherder was the last thrower in the competition, and knew she was going to be Big 12 Champ before she stepped into the ring and unleashed her best mark of her career and topping McClain by just less than 13 feet.
"I have been waiting for this moment for four years," Scherder added. "I've been working hard and my coaches have been working hard behind me all the way. To come out here and accomplish my goal is amazing. There was some great competition out there and they pushed me all the way. I knew what I had to do out there today and went out and did it. It feels great to come out on top."
After day one of the combined events Jessica Stockard (Godfrey, Ill.) is in second place with a personal-best day one total of 3,338 points in the women's heptathlon. The sophomore trails Kansas State's JaNelle Wright, who has the second best score in the nation leading up to the weekend, by 65 points. Stockard took had the top time in the final event in the day, the 200-meter dash. Stockard finished sixth in the indoor Big 12 heptathlon. Sophomore Liz Young scored 2,810 points for ninth after day one.
In the men's decathlon, sophomore Hans Uldal stands in second place with 3,778 points. Uldal trails Texas Tech's Aki Heikkinen by 99 points. Freshman Bjorn Sommerfeldt is in 14th after no-heighting in the high jump.
Also today, sophomore Chase Hall took fourth in the men's 10,000-meter run with a time of 31:07.37. Hall is now a two-time all-Big 12 performer; he finished second as a freshman in the 10k. Junior Josh Davis finished ninth running in a time of 31:38.57.
Sophomore Serena Ramsey finished third in the women's 10k in a time of 35:47.91, earning her third all-Big 12 honor. Senior Amy Chipman took tenth in the race; freshman Kate Greer took twelfth.
After day one the Mizzou women are in third place in the meet with 16 points; the men stand in sixth from Hall's five points.
For complete results visit mutigers.com or recordtiming.com.