April 23, 2004

Stats

DES MOINES, Iowa - The University of Missouri track and field squad opened competition in the 95th annual Drake Relays on Friday. The Tigers' women's distance medley relay took a second place overall finish and earned the second-fastest time in school history and the men's 4x800-meter relay earned the fifth-fastest time in Tiger history.

The women's distance medley relay team of Jill Petersen, Jessica Stockard, Ashley Patten and, Amanda Bales finished second place in their race with a time of 11:11.04, the second-fastest time in Missouri history. The team was held off by Big Ten Indoor champion, Michigan, who won with a time of 11:10.28. The Tigers were Big 12 Indoor champions with Petersen, Stockard, freshman Allison Werner, and Bales taking the crown.

Today, Petersen (O'Fallon, Mo.) took the lead leg running her 1200-meter time in 3:33.1, finishing her leg in fourth place. Next, sophomore Stockard (Godfrey, Ill.) hit the 400-meter leg, improving the Tigers to a third place standing. Sophomore Ashley Patten (Clarkston, Mich.) ran the two-lap 800-meter in a personal-best time of 2:05.40, placing the Tigers with Michigan neck-and-neck at the handoff. Bales (Bettendorf, Iowa) ran the anchor Mile leg in a time of 4:38.7, running a back-and-forth race with Michigan's Lindsey Gallo.

The men's 4x800-relay, started by three of Mizzou's freshmen, finished fourth overall and ran in a time of 7:25.16, the fifth best in school history. Tipper O'Brien (Kirkwood, Mo.) was the lead leg and handed off to fellow freshman Marcus Mayes (Sand Springs, Okla.) who ran an outdoor personal-best of 1:50.5, keeping the Tigers within the top five pack. Jimmie Jones (Detroit, Mich.) ran the third leg in 1:51.3 and handed off to junior Neville Miller. Miller (St. Louis, Mo.) took the baton and surged at one time to third place, running his leg in a personal-best time of 1:49.6.

In the field events, senior Janae Strickland took second in the women's shot put with a throw of 53 feet, 2? inches (16.21m), and senior Gary File took third in the men's javelin with a throw of 204 feet, 1 inch (62.21m).

Saturday action will include Missouri undergraduate coach Christian Cantwell and junior Conrad Woolsey competing in the men's special invitational shot put event, and volunteer coaches Derrick Peterson and Timothy Dunne running in the men's invitational 800-meter run.

For a complete rundown of results visit mutigers.com or the meet website, drakerelays.com.