May 16, 2009

LUBBOCK, Texas - The strong start by the Tigers on day one of the Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships Friday put both teams in very favorable positions going into day two, as Mizzou's men and women's teams sit in second place after two days of competition, and six athletes making the finals of tomorrow's running events.

On the men's side, the Tigers sit second behind Nebraska with 36 points, while the women are tied with Iowa State with 25 points behind Nebraska's 35.

Senior Kaela Rorvig began the day in second place in the standings after day one, and achieved a personal best in the heptathlon finishing second overall improving her overall mark from over 5100 points to 5372 points, and will most likely make the national meet in Arkansas with her score. Lauren Begany also made the medal stand, finishing sixth with 4728 points, while Lindsey Bolt just missed making the top eight, finishing ninth with 4566 points.

Sophomore Lars Rise stayed in the middle of the pack most of the weekend, and that momentum carried him to an automatic mark in the event and a fourth place finish with 7617 points. Nick Adcock also earned all-big 12 honors, finishing eighth in the competition with 7059 points.

Missouri got seven more points on the day in the pole vault as both Brian Hancock and Steve Shimkus placed in the top eight as Hancock cleared 17 feet, 2 ¼ inches finishing third, while Shimkus cleared 16 feet, ¾ inches and finished eighth.

Junior high jumper Daniel Hunter cleared a season best when he leaped seven feet, ½ inch and it resulted in his first all-Big 12 honor, as he finished third earning six points for the Tigers.

In the women's discus, yesterday's champion in the women's hammer Krishna Lee finished sixth with a throw of 163 feet, seven inches, while the freshman Katie Vanarsdall earned her first all-big 12 honor finishing eighth with a toss of 158 feet, eight inches and earning a point for the women's team. Chris Rohr finished fifth in the men's discus, throwing 183 feet, seven inches coming off his first place finish in the hammer throw.

Four Tigers qualified for the finals of the 1500-meter run, with Brian Graybill and Tim Cornell on the men's side and Emily Baker and Ellen Ries on the women's side. Graybill won his heat in a time of 3:49.23 while Cornell finished in 3:48.18. Emily Baker and Ellen Ries both qualified in the second heat of their race, with Baker finishing second in a time of 4:35.48 and Ries fourth in 4:31.

Shannon Leinert blew away the competition in her heat of the women's 800-meter run, and in the process had the third best time in the event, finishing in 2:09.55. Blake Irwin wet up against some of the country's best in his heat of the 800-meter run, and is ranked fifth going into the finals tomorrow, clocking in at 1:49.80.

Leslie Farmer qualified for the finals of the 400-meter hurdles, finishing second in heat three in 1:01.55. Chris Davis will also run again tomorrow, finishing in 51.81 seconds which places him fifth going into tomorrow's finals.

The third and final day of the Big 12 Track Championships will get underway Sunday Morning at 11 a.m. with the javelin.