Jan. 29, 2005
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The Missouri Track and Field team completed competition at the Northern Iowa Invitational Saturday in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Tigers set 13 personal bests on the way to five event championships. Senior Neville Miller set a new UNI Dome record in the 1000-meter run, Tiger shot putters Bill Hobson and Adam Burla break their old personal bests by over a foot, freshman weight thrower Bobby Musil extended his best in the event by over four feet, and senior Brandon Goebbert rounded out his heptathlon, gaining 300 points on his all-time best.
A successful day for the Tigers was highlighted by freshmen women Kasey Kimball and Trisa Nickoley. Kimball (Eureka, Mo.) won the women's mile in 4:59.06 and later took second in the 800-meter run with a collegiate personal best of 2:18.23. Nickoley (Tecumseh, Kan.) won the 600-meter race in 1:32.99, nearly breaking a stadium record. Junior Kristen Hansen (Okboji, Iowa) brought home the title in the 1000-meter, winning in 2:56.91. Hansen also placed second in the women's mile, completing a Tiger 1-2-3 sweep of the event with freshman Carolyn Rauen (Cincinnatti, Ohio) taking third.
The Tiger women also won an exciting 4x400-meter relay in 3:49.85 over host Northern Iowa with Whittney Stuart, Trisa Nickoley, Kaela Rorvig, and Laura Brandt providing the team. Nickoley and Rorvig (Columbia, Mo./Hickman HS) are Tiger freshmen.
The men's distance races were also successful for the Tigers as they took titles in two events. Tipper O'Brien (St. Louis, Mo.) led the men to a top five sweep of the Mile run with a personal-best winning time of 4:10.55. Tim Ross placed second with a new PR of 4:12.44. Senior Neville Miller (St. Louis, Mo.) won the 1000 meter in 2:26.14, setting a new UNI Dome record with his personal-best time.
Just like the women, the Tiger men with Jimmie Jones, Neville Miller, Jason Jones, and Marcus Mayes ran a great 4x400-meter relay, leading from wire-to-wire to win in 3:16.55.
Again, the Tiger men's distance contingent made a strong showing amongst the tough competition provided by Kansas State, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Junior Bill Hobson (Katy, Texas) won the men's shot put with a throw of 57 feet, 5 inches (17.50m), breaking his old personal best by a foot. Senior Adam Burla placed second, throwing for 56 feet, 2 inches (17.12m), a new all-around personal best, besting his indoor best a foot also. In the men's weight throw, freshmen Tyler Dailey and Bobby Musil took the third and fourth place spots. Musil improved upon his personal best in the event by over four feet to end the day at 61 feet, 6¼ inches (18.75m).
In the final day of the men's heptathlon, senior Brandon Goebbert finished the competition in third place with 5,167 points, a new personal best by 300 points. Goebbert earned new heptathlon bests in the 60-meter hurdles and pole vault events.
Next for the Tigers will be the Meyo Classic, hosted by Notre Dame University, next Friday and Saturday.