Big 12 Honors Tiger Trackster O'Brien

May 11, 2005

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COLUMBIA, Mo.--Sophomore Tipper O'Brien, a native of the St. Louis suburb, Kirkwood, was named the Big 12 Athlete of the Week for track and field by the conference office late-Tuesday for his 1500-meter run at last weekend's Billy Hayes Classic in Bloomington, Ind. O'Brien and the rest of the Tigers will travel to Manhattan, Kan., this weekend for the Big 12 Outdoor Championships to be held at R.V. Christian Track, Friday thru Sunday.

O'Brien, Athlete of the Week

O'Brien ran the fastest race at 1,500 meters by a Tiger in 31 years, clocking 3:44.14 in the invitational race, placing fifth among a national-caliber field. O'Brien's time earned him entry into the NCAA Mideast Regional later this month and takes him to sixth in the highly-completive conference event standings. The time was the best Missouri has seen since the 1973 NCAA Championships when Missouri Hall-of-Famer Charlie McMullen ran a 3:41.90 (which would convert to a 3:59 mile).

Missouri's past winners of the Big 12's Athlete of the Week Award [since 2000]

May 10, 2005 - Tipper O'Brien

February 10, 2003 - Amanda Bales

February 10, 2003 - Christian Cantwell

February 3, 2003 - Christian Cantwell

April 22, 2002 - Christian Cantwell

April 8, 2002 - Christian Cantwell

January 14, 2002 - Christian Cantwell

May 14, 2001 - Christian Cantwell

The Horse-Race That Is The Decathlon in the Big 12

If you thought the Kentucky Derby was exciting last weekend, just wait until Friday and Saturday's decathlon events at conference meet. Sure, the 10-event decathlon spans two days and lasts about 12 hours, maybe not the best setting for your average short-attention-spanned fan, but for those who like to see World-class competition at any level, this might be your event. Just like in the Derby, the first one out of the gate might not be the one first to the finish line.

Tiger junior Hans Uldal enters the meet with the fifth-best score the World has seen so far in 2005 from his 7,731-point, winning performance at April's Audrey Walton Combined Event. Uldal, who automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships with the score, also enters the weekend with the second-best score in the NCAA and the Big 12. Uldal, a 2004 Olympian for Norway, will undergo some very-tough competiton, as the top-five conference entries rank in the top 11 in the NCAA and the top 26 in the World.

The collegiate list is lead by Texas' Trey Hardee, who ranks second in the World with his score of 7,839 points from the Texas Relays. Hardee placed third in the NCAA Indoor heptathlon, trailing his teammate, Donovan Kilmartin who placed second. Kilmartin is tenth in the World currently, with the third-best Big 12 decathlon score and the fourth-best performance in the NCAA (7,650). In the hunt also is Texas A&M's Allen Bullock, ninth in the NCAA with 7,387 points.

Fifth on the Big 12 list, 11^th on the NCAA list, Tiger sophomore Bjorn Sommerfeldt will also have great potential to stir the pot, already scoring 7,336 points this year. Another sleeper is K-State's Darius Draudvila, who placed fifth at the NCAA Indoor in the heptathlon. He has the potential to be in the 7,500-point range as well.

Englin Second in the World Under 20

According to the track and field statistic service Tilastopaja Oy (it's Finnish), freshman Tiger Nate Englin (Shoreview, Minn.) ranks second in the World of people under 20 years of age. While his best put of the season of 57-7½ (17.56m) puts him ninth on the conference list, it's worth noting that shot putters really don't hit their niche collegiately until their junior and senior years. Englin surprised the field at the Big 12 Indoor Championships, making the final and placing seventh despite ranking only 12^th entering the meet.

Senior Conrad Woolsey enters the meet as the defending indoor conference champion, topping current league-leading shot putter Sheldon Battle of Kansas on the final throw of February's Big 12 Indoor. Woolsey enters with the fourth-best throw of the outdoor season on the conference list.

Bales Being Bales

It was at last year's Big 12 Outdoor Championships when junior Amanda Bales ran her first 5000 meters on the track, she did pretty well. She placed sixth, named to the All-Big 12 team in the event. She also qualified for the NCAA Regionals there, went on and placed fifth at Regionals to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the event. Pretty good story. Not to mention, Bales ran a 1500-meter qualifier the day before the 5k and ran in the 1500 final the day of the 5k. She did pretty well in the 1500, considering she was tripped. She got up and recovered to fifth.

Will she double again this year? This SID has no idea (the coaches keep these secrets under lock and key), but one thing is for sure if the 11-time All-Big 12 performer and 2003 NCAA Cross Country All-American wanted to double, she'll be a threat in both events again.

Flashback ... 1985

A Kansas City Royals fan has a special connection to 20 years ago, as in 1985 the Royals won their first World Series ever. Twenty-years have passed, and let's just say that piece of history probably won't repeat itself.

One thing that did repeat of 20 years ago is that K-State is once again hosting a conference championship. It was "Back In Time" in 1985 (Back to the Future reference) that the Wildcats hosted their last Big 8 Championships.

At that meet, the Tiger men placed second with Bob Teel at the helm, behind a heavily-injured, but resilient sprint core. Daniel Ogidi led off the winning 4x400-meter relay in which the Tigers had to place in front of Nebraska to secure second. Ogidi, battling a heel injury, placed third in the 400-meter hurdles and sixth in the open 400. Already, Ogidi ran four 400-meter races, two over hurdles.

The Tiger women placed sixth with a young, very young group. Third-year coach Rick McGuire took 15 to the championships, 12 of which were freshman. One senior, Sabrina Dornhoefer, didn't disappoint in her final Big 8 Championships, winning the 1500-meter run and taking second in the 5000-meter run.

Some More History For Ya

The Tigers at the 2004 Big 12 Outdoor finished fourth on the women's side and 11^th on the men's side with a young, very young team in Norman, Okla. The teams earned dual sixth-place finishes at the 2005 Big 12 Indoor.

The men's best finish at the Big 12 Outdoor came in 2001 and 2002 when the team placed third. The Tiger women's best-team finish came in 2003 and 2004 with fourth-place showings. The Tigers last won a conference outdoor meet in 1951 when the men's team took a Big 7 Championship while hosting.

40 Tigers Named Academic All-Big 12

If you haven't noticed the Tiger track and field team has some wits about them. Forty of the Tiger squad members were named to the Academic All-Big 12 list. Seven Tigers (part of the conference's 22 total) were also recognized as having a 4.0 cumulative GPA. The complete list is on big12sports.com.

FSN to Show Conference Championships to National Audience

Fox Sports Net will air a two-hour tape delayed broadcast of the Big 12 Outdoor Championships with host Brent Stover, airing on most of the FSN Networks including FSN Midwest later next week. Viewing the meet on FSN Midwest gets a little complicated now. If you live in a non-St. Louis Cardinals viewing area (yes, two baseball references in one release), then the show will air Thursday, the 19^th at 11:00 a.m., central. If you live in Columbia and St. Louis and want to catch the show, watch Saturday, May 21^st, at 4:00 p.m., central. Check out big12sports.com, click on championships, then the outdoor track and field championships and find the link to FSN Clearances to see a complete list of the networks involved. Over four days, the broadcast will be available to 78-million subscribers around the country.

24 Ear-Marked for NCAA Regionals

One thing we do know, at least 24 Tigers will be going to the collegiate post-season as they have earned marks for entry into the NCAA Mideast Regional that will be held later this month. The regional system, now in its third year, sustains that if an athlete finishes in the top five of one of the four regionals, they automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships.

They're Already In

The heptathlon, decathlon, and the 10,000-meter run are events that do not use the regional system. Those athletes qualify with the traditional automatic/provisional qualifying system. Decathlete Hans Uldal and women's 10,000-meter runner Valerie Lauver are already in the NCAA National Championships.

Lauver broke the school record in the 10k, with a time of 34:07.04 at late-March's Stanford Invitational.

The Missouri-Kansas Border Showdown, presented by Midwest Ford Dealers

The final regular-season points in the Missouri-Kansas Border Showdown are up for grabs at the Big 12 Outdoor. The men's and women's meet are worth one-point apiece in the competition that pits the two schools in the all-sport showdown. Missouri holds a 5.5-point lead over the Jayhawks and could clinch the series by winning two of the remaining five regular season points (2.5 bonus points could still be utilized if other teams meet in post-season play). The Tiger baseball team plays Kansas in a three-game series starting Friday with one game worth a point apiece.

Other Logistics

The meet will begin Friday with the women's heptathlon at Noon. The javelin and hammer throw events along with the 10,000-meter runs will also be held on Friday. The preliminaries for the running events are slated for Saturday, with the finals on Sunday. For ticket information, visit big12sports.com, click on "Championships". A link to the live results will be posted on mutigers.com when known.

Tigers to Watch

***MEN***

Greg Bracey (So., Milwaukee, Wisc.)

* Wide receiver on Tiger football team

Season Bests

* 100m - 10.77, PR, Big 12: 16th

* 200m - 21.80

Personal Bests

* 200m - 21.76, Big 12 `04

Tyler Dailey (RSFr., Joplin, Mo.)

* NCAA Regionally qualified (HT)

Personal Bests

* SP - 16.25m, 53-3¾, Pepsi, Big 12: 15^th

* DT - 45.72m, 150-0, Tulsa

* HT - 56.89m, 186-8, Botts, 4^th All-Time at Mizzou, Big 12: 10^th, ME Region: 19^th

Marquis Davis [mark-is] (Sr., O'Fallon, Ill.)

* 2003 NCAA Regional Qualifer (200m, 4x100)

Personal Bests

* 100m - 10.61, Big 12 `03

* 200m - 20.99, Ward Haylett `03

Season Bests

* 200m - 21.36, Billy Hayes, Big 12: 10th

Big 12 Indoor

6^th, 200m, 21.63

Nate Englin (Fr., Shoreview, Minn.)

* In national top 15 in both shot put and discus last year in high school

* NCAA Regionally qualified (SP)

* Second in the World among people under 20 (SP)

Personal Bests

* SP - 17.56m, 57-7½, Botts '05, Big 12: 9^th, ME Region: 14th

* DT - 48.44m, 158-11, Mo Relays `05

Big 12 Indoor

7^th, SP, 17.24m, 56-6¾

Brandon Goebbert [go-bert] (Sr., Hinsdale, Ill.)

* Four-time Big 12 perfomer

Personal Bests

* DEC - 6,773 points, Walton '05, Big 12: 8th

* PV - 5.00mi, 16-4¾, MU All-Comers `05

Big 12 Indoor

5^th, HEPT, 5,295 points

Chase Hall (Jr., Tulsa, Okla.)

* Two-time All-Big 12 performer

Personal Bests

* 10k - 29:29.18, Stanford `04

Season Bests

* 10k - 30:34.45, Mt. SAC, Big 12: 15^th

2004 Outdoor

2^nd, 10k, 31:07.37

Ryan Hampton (Sr., Liberty, Mo.)

* Indoor All-American (DMR)

* Big 12 Champion (DMR)

* Five-Time All-Big 12

Personal Bests

* 1500 - 3:48.50, Stanford '04

* 5000 - 14:05.66, Stanford '05, SCHOOL RECORD, Big 12: 7^th, ME Region: 15^th

Season Bests

* 1500 - 3:55.58, Pepsi

* 5000 - above

Big 12 Indoor

1^st, DMR, anchor leg

3^rd, 3000m, 8:10.55

Bill Hobson (RSSo., Katy, Texas)

* Two-time All-Big 12

Personal Bests

* SP - 17.65mi, Big 12 Indoor '05

Season Bests

* SP - 16.98m, 55-8½, Iowa Twilght, Big 12: 12^th, ME Regional: 21^st

Big 12 Indoor

5^th, SP, 17.65m, 57-11

Chris Horn (Jr., O'Fallon, Ill.)

Personal Bests

* HJ - 2.12mi, 6-11½, MU All-Comers `05

* LJ - 7.40m, 24-3½, Botts '05,

* TJ - 14.37mi, 47-1¾, MU-KU-KSU Tri `04

Season Bests

* HJ - 1.95m, Botts

* LJ - above, Big 12: 8^th, ME Region: 22^nd

* TJ - 14.21m, 46-7½, MU-KU-KSU Tri

Jimmie Jones (So., Detroit, Mich.)

* Indoor All-American (DMR)

* Big 12 Champion (DMR)

* USATF Jr. All-American (2004, 800m)

* Five-Time All-Big 12

* AAU Junior Olympic Runner-Up (2003)

Personal Bests

* 400m - 48.84, Mo Relays `04

* 800m - 1:50.20i, Cyclone Last Chance `04

Season Bests

* 400m - 48.85, MU Tri

* 800m - 1:50.98, Billy Hayes, Big 12: 13^th

Big 12 Indoor

1^st, DMR, 400m leg

5^th, 600yd, 1:10.35

8^th, 4x400, lead leg

Marcus Mayes (So., Sand Springs, Okla.)

* Indoor All-American (DMR)

* World Jr, Qualifier (2004, 800m)

* USATF Jr. All-American (2004, 800m)

* Four-Time All-Big 12

Personal Bests

* 800m - 1:49.01i, Iowa Classic `05

Season Bests

* 800m - 1:50.23, Botts, Big 12: 10^th, ME Region: 15^th

Big 12 Indoor

3^rd, 800m, 1:49.61

8^th, 4x400, anchor leg

Rem Moll [mall] (RSJr., Tulsa, Okla.)

* USATF Jr. All-American (2002, 800m)

* Two-Time All-Big 12

Personal Bests

* 800m - 1:50.44, Cyclone Last Chance `03

* 1500m - 3:48.92, Billy Hayes `05

Season Bests

* 800m - 1:52.95, Mo Relays

* 1500m - above

Jason Morris (RSFr., St. Louis, Mo.)

* NCAA Regionally qualified (HT)

Personal and Season Bests

* DT - 49.94m, 163-10, Iowa Twilight

* HT - 56.60m, 186-8, Botts, Big 12: 12^th, ME Region: 22^nd

Bobby Musil [muscle] (So., DuBois, Neb.)

* Two-time Regional Qualifier

* 2003 Track & Field News High School All-American

Personal and Season Bests

* DT - 54.11m, 177-6, Botts, Big 12: 5^th, ME Region: 9^th

* HT - 54.81m, 179-10, Iowa Twilight

Tipper O'Brien (So., Kirkwood, Mo.)

* Big 12 Athlete of the Week (May 10, 2005)

* Big 12 Champion (DMR)

* Two-Time All-Big 12

Personal and Season Bests

* 800m - 1:52.56, Botts

* 1500m - 3:44.14, Billy Hayes, Big 12: 6^th, ME Region, 10^th, NCAA: 30^th

Big 12 Indoor

1^st, DMR, lead-off 1200m leg

7^th, Mile, 4:10.40

Chris Rohr (Fr., Lee's Summit, Mo.)

* USATF Jr. All-American (2004)

* USA Today & Track & Field News High School All-American (2004)

* adidas High School Outdoor National Champion (2004, DT)

Personal and Season Bests

* DT - 50.83m, 166-9, UMKC, Big 12: 5^th, ME Region: 9^th

Tim Ross (Jr., Alto, Mich.)

* 3000 and 5000 indoor school record holder

* NCAA Cross Country Championship qualifier

* Six-Time All-Big 12

Personal Bests

* 5000m - 14:09.25i, Iowa State Classic `05

* 10k - 29:32.41, Mt. SAC `05

Season Bests

* 5000m - 14:14.00, Drake Relays, ME Region: 28^th

* 10k - above, Big 12: 7^th

Big 12 Indoor

7^th, 5000m, 14:14.21

Jesse Sims (Sr., Paola, Kan.)

* 2003 Indoor All-American (HJ)

* Four-Time All-Big 12

Personal Bests

* HJ - 2.20m, 7-2½, last time: Botts `03

Big 12 Indoor

HJ, 7^th, 2.10m, 6-10¾

Bjorn Sommerfeldt (So., Krokstadelva, Norway)

* Two-time All-Big 12

* Fourth All-Time At Mizzou (decathlon)

Personal & Season Bests

* DEC - 7,336, Walton Combined Events '05, Big 12: 6^th, NCAA: 11^th

(Look at combined event breakdown for individual even bests)

Big 12 Indoor

4^th, HEPT, 5,308

Ben Stafford (So., Leawood, Kan.)

Personal & Seasonal Bests

* JAV - 57.72m, 189-4, Tulsa Duals

2004 Outdoor

10^th, JAV, 54.64m, 179-3

Hans Uldal (Ardenal, Norway)

* 2004 Olympian

* Two-time All-American

* Three-Time All-Big 12

* Missouri School Record Holder

* Automatic NCAA Championship qualifier ('05)

Personal Bests

* DEC - 7,733, Norwegian Nat'l Championships `04

(Look at combined event breakdown for individual even bests)

Season Bests

* DEC - 7,731, Walton Combined Events, Big 12: 2^nd, NCAA: 2^nd, World: 5^th

Big 12 Indoor

DNF, Hept.

NCAA Indoor

6^th, HEPT, 5,546

2004 Big 12 Outdoor

2^nd, DEC, 7,329

2004 NCAA Outdoor

5^th, DEC, 7,661

Conrad Woolsey (Sr., Excelsior Springs, Mo.)

* Three-Time Division I All-American

* NCAA Division II Indoor Shot Put Champion (2002, NW Missouri St.)

* U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier (2004)

* Big 12 Indoor Champion (2005)

* Drake Relays Champion (2005)

* Four-Time All-Big 12

Personal Bests

* SP - 19.22i, 63-3¾, Big 12 Indoor `05

Season Bests

* SP - 18.64, 61-2, Drake Relays, Big 12: 4^th, ME Region: 4^th, NCAA: 22^nd

Big 12 Indoor

1^st, SP, 19.22, 63-3¾

NCAA Indoor

8^th, SP, 19.21, 63-3¼

2004 Big 12 Outdoor

4^th, SP, 18.18m, 59-7¼

7^th, DISC, 53.71m, 176-2

2004 Midwest Region

5^th, SP, 18.53m, 60-9½

2004 NCAA Outdoor

7^th, 19.09m, 62-7¾

***WOMEN***

Amanda Bales (Jr., Bettendorf, Iowa)

* 2003 NCAA Cross Country All-American

* 11-time Big 12

* Two-Time Big 12 Champion (DMR, 2004, 2005)

* 2005 NCAA Regionally qualified (1500, 5000)

Personal Bests

* 1500 - 4:20.53, Pepsi Invite '05 (4/9)

* 5000 - 16:24.21, Stanford Invite '05 (3/25)

Season Bests

* 1500 - above, Big 12: 2^nd, ME Region: 2^nd, NCAA: 10^th

* 5000 - above, Big 12: 4^th, ME Region: 6^th

Big 12 Indoor

1^st, DMR, anchor leg (2^nd-year in-a-row)

3^rd, Mile, 4:49.55

2004 Big 12 Outdoor

5^th, 1500m, 4:25.15-q, 4:29.74-f

6^th, 5000m, 16:46.92

2004 Mideast Region

5^th, 5000m, 16:26.71

2004 NCAA Outdoor

13^th, 5000m, 16:59.27

Jennifer Bennett (Sr., Ashland, Mo.)

* 2003 Big 12 Outdoor Champion

* 2003 Indoor All-American

* Five-Time All-Big 12

Personal Bests

* PV - 4.15i, 13-7¼, NCAA Indoor `03

4.12, 13-6¼, NCAA Regional `03

Season Bests

* PV - 3.95, 12-11½, Botts, Big 12: 6^th, ME Region: 7^th

Jenny Bybee (Sr., Springfield, Mo.)

* Two-Time NCAA Qualifier

* Four-Time All-Big 12

Personal Bests

* HJ - 1.80, 5-10¾, Ward Haylett `03

Season Bests

* HJ - 1.70, 5-7, Mo Relays, Big 12: t12th

2004 Big 12 Outdoor

5^th, HJ, 1.68, 5-6

2004 NCAA Regional

4^th, HJ, 1.76, 5-9¼ (won jump-off to advance to NCAAs)

2004 NCAA Outdoor

16^th, HJ, 1.78, 5-9¼

Kristin Hansen (Jr., Milford, Iowa)

* Big 12 Champion (DMR)

* Cross Country All-Region

Personal Bests

* 1500 - 4:28.20, Tom Botts `05

* 5000 - 17:06.22, Stanford `05

Season Bests

* 1500 - above, Big 12: 9^th

Big 12 Indoor

1^st, DMR, lead-off leg

Elisha Hunt (Fr., Linn, Mo.)

* All-Big 12

Persona & Season Bests

* SP - 13.53m, 44-4¾, Pepsi Team Invite, Big 12: 12^th

* HT - 48.58m, 159-4, Mo Relays, Big 12: 15^th

Valerie Lauver (Jr., Allen, Texas)

* Automatically qualified for NCAA Outdoor (10k)

* Regionally qualified in 5000m

* Five-Time All-Big 12

Personal & Seasons Bests

* 5000 - 16:49.43, Drake Relays '05, Big 12: 17^th, ME Region: 24^th

* 10k - 34:07.04, Stanford '05, Big 12: 6^th, NCAA: 27^th

Lindsey Markworth (Sr., Lexington, Mo.)

* Four-Time All-Big 12

* Regionally qualified (SP, DISC)

Personal & Season Bests

* SP - 15.07m, 49-5½, Tulsa Duals '05, Big 12: 5^th, ME Region: 10^th

* DISC - 50.07m, 164-3, Iowa Twilight '05, Big 12: 9^th, ME Region: 11^th

Big 12 Indoor

4^th, SP, 15.03m, 49-3¾

2004 Big 12 Outdoor

8^th, SP, 14.48, 47-6¼

8^th, DISC, 46.89, 153-10

Trisa Nickoley [tree-sa nick-o-lee] (Fr., Tecumseh, Kan.)

* Two-Time Big 12 Champion

* 2005 Big 12 Indoor Freshman of the Meet

* World Junior Qualifier (2004)

* 17-time Kansas High School State Champion

Personal Bests

* 800 - 2:06.67, KU Relays '04 (high school)

Season Bests

* 800 - 2:07.45i, Iowa State Classic

2:08.05, Pepsi Invite, Big 12: 7^th, ME Region: 9^th

Big 12 Indoor

1^st, DMR, 800m leg

1^st, 800m, 2:09.31

Ashley Patten (Jr., Clarkston, Mich.)

* Two-Time All-American (indoor 800m)

* Two-Time Big 12 Champion (indoor 800m)

* USATF Junior National Champion (2003)

Personal Bests

* 800 - 2:05.43, Stanford Invite `04

Season Bests

* 800 - 2:05.70i, NCAA Indoor (qual)

2:06.02, Pepsi Invite, Big 12: 2^nd, ME Region: 3^rd, NCAA: 11^th

Big 12 Indoor

1^st, 1000m, 2:45.96 (meet record)

NCAA Indoor

8^th, 800m, 2:11.90-f, 2:05.70-q

2004 Big 12 Outdoor

3^rd, 800m, 2:08.63

Jill Petersen (Sr., O'Fallon, Mo.)

* Big 12 Champion (2004, DMR)

* Seven-Time All-Big 12

Personal & Seasonal Bests

* Steeple - 10:34.46, Drake Relays '05, Big 12: 8^th, ME Region: 7th

* 5000 - 16:32.66, Stanford '05, Big 12: 8^th, ME Region: 12^th

Big 12 Indoor

7^th, 5000, 16:57.92

Elisabeth Robe (Fr., Waukesha, Wisc.)

* All-Big 12

Personal Bests

* SP - 14.52i, 47-7¼, Big 12 Indoor `05

* DISC - 44.59, 146-3, Iowa Twilight `05

Season Bests

* SP - 14.21, 46-7½, Big 12: 8^th

Big 12 Indoor

7^th, SP, 14.52m, 47-7¾

Melanie Uher (So., Wilber, Neb.)

* All-Big 12

* Two-Time Regional Qualifier

* USATF Junior All-American (2004)

Personal & Season Bests

* DISC - 50.33m, 165-1, Pepsi Invite, Big 12: 8^th, ME Region: 9th

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Tyler Dailey

Nate Englin

Jason Morris

Tipper O'Brien

Chris Rohr

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