Jan. 11, 2008
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Tiger Two indoor school records fell Friday as the University of Missouri began their much-anticipated 2008 indoor track and field season at the 22nd Annual Missouri Invitational inside the Hearnes Fieldhouse. Entering his sophomore season, pole vaulter Brian Hancock (Monroe City, Mo. / Monroe City HS) looked to improve on his two All-Big 12 performances during his freshman campaign. In front of the home crowd, Hancock cleared the bar at 17 feet, 1 inch (5.21m) on his first attempt, eclipsing a 16-year-old indoor school record while earning an NCAA provisional-qualifying mark in the process. Hancock narrowly missed on all three attempts at 17-4¼ (5.30m).
Early in the meet, decathlete Nick Adcock (Kansas City, Mo. / Oak Park HS) set the indoor school record in the 60-meter hurdles. In his preliminary heat, the sophomore ran an 8.17, besting Hans Uldal's 8.24 showing at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships last March. Later in the finals, Adcock finished second while Uldal, competing unattached, finished third.
For the fourth time in her decorated career, senior Elisha Hunt (Linn, Mo. / Linn HS) won the Missouri Invitational weight throw. Hunt recorded a NCAA-provisional mark in tying her own Hearnes Fieldhouse record with her hurl of 66-4½ (20.23m). She was one of four Tigers who finished in the top five.
Junior Chris Rohr (Lee's Summit, Mo. / Lee's Summit North HS) led a strong group of Tiger throwers in the men's weight throw. Rohr's hurl of 67-7 (20.60m) won the event and bested seniors Jason Morris (St. Louis, Mo. / Priory HS) and Tyler Dailey (Joplin, Mo. / Joplin HS). Rohr, Morris and Dailey all earned their first NCAA-marks of the season.
Senior Shernelle Nicholls (St. Andrew Parrish, Barbados / Missouri Baptist) won the women's shot put with her opening toss of 51-7¼ (15.73m) while junior Krishna Lee (Kansas City, Mo. / O'Hara HS) took second. Nicholls and Lee both achieved NCAA-provisional marks. In addition, the Tigers grabbed six of the top eight spots in the men's shot put.
Senior Trisa Nickoley (Tecumseh, Kan. / Shawnee Heights HS) ran away with the women's 800-meters in a time of 2:09.69. Nickoley, who won repeated as champion, fell .29 seconds shy of a NCAA-provisional mark, but started this season three seconds faster than last.
Two Missouri true freshmen--Chris Davis (Riverdale, Ga. / Riverdale HS) and Ryan Blackwell (Fenton, Mo. / Westminster Christian Academy)--began their careers with a 1-2 finish in the men's 600-yard run. Fellow freshman Rick Scheff (Atlanta, Ga. / St. Pius X HS) took the lead on the final turn to win the 800-meter run with a time of 1:59.89.
Senior Kasey Kimball (Eureka, Mo. / Eureka HS) and sophomore Emily Baker (Wildwood, Mo. / Lafayette HS) led from the beginning and took the top two spots in the mile run with times of 5:00.44 and 5:05.98, respectively.
In the women's 3000-meter run, Tiger freshman Kinsey Farren (Dallas, Texas / Bishop Lynch HS) won her first track event as a Tiger. Leading comfortably throughout the 15 laps, Farren's time of 10:06.11 topped senior Kate Greer (Marshalltown, Iowa / Marshalltown HS) and junior Carolyn Rauen (Cincinnati, Ohio / Turpin HS).
In the men's 3000-meter run, Tim Cornell (Columbia, Mo. / Hickman HS) used a strong last mile to catch and pass Oral Roberts' Jonah Lagat for the victory with a time of 8:33.00. Running unattached, Missouri freshman Phil King (Columbia, Mo. / Rock Bridge HS) took the fourth spot in a crowded field.
Junior JaNay Woolridge (Jessup, Md. / Long Reach HS) bested senior Kaela Rorvig (Columbia, Mo. / Hickman HS) for second place in a virtual dead heat of the women's 60-meter hurdles. Woolridge later won the long jump with a 19-2¾ (5.86m) performance; Rorvig's leap of 19-1½ (5.82m) was good for second place.
Freshman Layne Moore (Emporia, Kan. / Emporia HS) got her Tiger track career started with a second place finish in the women's 600-yard run. Sophomore Nwaneri Blossom (Kansas City, Mo. / Lee's Summit West HS) finished in a close third.
The Missouri men and women had little trouble winning their distance medley relays with times of 10:33.32 and 12:08.46, respectively.
Recent graduate Neville Miller--now a meteorologist at Columbia ABC affiliate, KMIZ, and representing the New York Athletic Club--set new Fieldhouse and Missouri Invitational records in the men's 1000-meter run. Miller's 2:23.34 bested the previous Fieldhouse record held by Miller's coach, Jared Wilmes.
Former Tiger Amanda Bales, now competing for the New York Athletic Club, won the women's 1000-meter run with a 2:51.02. Missouri junior Ellen Ries (Ryan, Iowa / North Linn HS) finished second.
Next up for the Tigers is a trip to Lawrence, Kan., Jan. 19 to take part in the Kansas Invitational.
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