April 18, 2007
COLUMBIA, Mo.--Let the games begin! Only a little more than five weeks remain until the University of Missouri hosts the NCAA Track & Field Mideast Regional Championships at Audrey J. Walton Stadium in Columbia on May 25 and 26 and today the official schedule of events has been released. Both days of competition begin at 11 a.m., with the men's and women's hammer throw on respective days. Track events begin in the late afternoon with all preliminaries and the 5000-meter run finals on Friday. Saturday will be a full program of fast-action track finals beginning at 4 p.m.
The Mideast region is one of four track and field NCAA regions and is made from the Division I universities in the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Missouri is the only school in the Big 12 Conference that competes in the Mideast Region. The Mideast Region houses many of the schools from the ultra-competitive SEC and Big Ten Conferences.
An estimated 900 athletes will qualify and participate in the meet in hopes of gaining entry into the NCAA Outdoor Championships, scheduled to be held in Sacramento, Calif., in 2007.
"I felt thrilled and honored that the NCAA awarded this regional to us," said Head Coach Dr. Rick McGuire when the bid was announced last year. "We're really proud of the Audrey J. Walton Track facility, and we love to host championship meets. Coaches and teams love to come to Columbia. We provide them a great environment. There are only four of these in a year, and we're very pleased to be hosting an NCAA Regional Championship."
Missouri will host the NCAA Track & Field regional for the first time in school history. Audrey J. Walton Stadium was the site of the 1998, 2000, and 2002 Big 12 Track & Field Championships as well as NCAA First and Second Round women's soccer matches in 1999 and 2003.
Audrey J. Walton Stadium has underwent renovations in the last several months which has included a track resurfacing and construction of a World-class throws field that includes the World's-largest hammer cage and three-optimally directional discus rings.
Missouri is one of four regional sites along with: Midwest - Des Moines, Iowa, Drake Univ.; West - Eugene, Ore., Univ. of Oregon; East - Gainsville, Fla., Univ. of Florida.
NCAA Events hosted by Missouri
March 2009 Wrestling NCAA Championships (in St. Louis)
March 2008 Wrestling NCAA Championships (in St. Louis)
May 2007 Track & Field NCAA Mideast Regional
March 2006 Diving NCAA Zones
December 2005 Volleyball NCAA First/Second Rounds
May 2005 Softball NCAA Regional
March 2005 Wrestling NCAA Championships (in St. Louis)
December 2004 Volleyball NCAA First/Second Rounds
March 2004 Wrestling NCAA Championships (in St. Louis)
November 2003 Soccer NCAA First/Second Rounds
April 2003 Gymnastics NCAA South Central Regional
November 1999 Soccer NCAA First/Second Rounds
November 1990 Cross Country NCAA District VI
March 1986 W. Basketball NCAA First/Second Rounds
November 1982 Cross Country NCAA District VI
Hosts Sites of the NCAA Mideast Track & Field Regional
2003 Ohio State, Columbus, Ohio
2004 LSU, Baton Rouge, La.
2005 Indiana, Bloomington, Ind.
2006 Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
2007 Missouri, Columbia, Mo.
2008 Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ark.