Track & Field Hosts 'Border Dual' Friday
1/13/2010 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
Jan. 13, 2010
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Meet Info: Missouri vs. Kansas - Border Dual
Date: Friday, January 15
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia, Mo.
Arena: Hearnes Center Field House
Live Stats: www.MUTigers.com
Live Blog: www.MUTigers.com
Series Information: Dating back to the previous meetings between the Tiger and Jayhawk men, Mizzou holds a 35-17 lead in the all-time series while the Tiger women have claimed the only head-to-head meeting between the two teams.
What You Need to Know
• Friday will mark the second-straight meeting between Mizzou and Kansas in what is being called the `Border Dual.' The event offers a traditional dual format between the two Big 12 North rivals, one that is much more fan-friendly than that of a typical modern-day track meet.
• Mizzou's men and women swept the Jayhawks in the first-ever `Border Dual' in 2009. Last year's meet was the first dual between the two programs since 1976. Mizzou's men hold a 35-17 lead in the all-time series with KU while the Tiger women have claimed the first-ever meeting between the two programs last season.
• Four Tigers along with the women's distance medley relay team sit atop the Big 12 performance lists in their respective events after the first week of competition. In addition, eight other Tigers are ranked second in their respective events, establishing a large presence atop the Big 12 for the Tigers after one week of competition.
This Friday
The Tigers will return to the track with bragging rights on the line as they host the arch rival Kansas Jayhawks in the annual MU-KU `Border Dual' on Friday inside the Hearnes Center Field House. The field events will start at 1:30 p.m. while the track events will get underway at 3 p.m. The meet will mark the Tigers' second-consecutive competition at home as they hosted the Missouri Invitational last week.
The MU-KU `Border Dual'
2010 marks the second straight year that the Tigers and Jayhawks will participate in the `Border Dual.' The event was started last season and marked the first time since 1976 that the Tigers and Jayhawks met in a head-to-head competition. It was also the first time in both program's history that the women have competed against each other in a dual setting. Last year, the Tigers swept the rivals to the west as the men took home a 101-80 win while the women earned a 94-86 victory. Dating back to the previous meetings between the Tiger and Jayhawk men, Mizzou holds a 35-17 lead in the all-time series while the Tiger women have claimed the only head-to-head meeting between the two teams.
Last Time Out
Mizzou claimed 11 event titles at the 24th annual Missouri Invitational last Friday (Jan. 8). The Tiger middle distance runners highlighted what was great day for the Mizzou. Defending Big 12 800m Champion Shannon Leinert turned in the top performance of the day as she claimed the 600-yard run title with a Big 12-best 1:21.90. Rick Scheff also claimed the men's 600-yard run title with a time of 1:13.42 to complete the event sweep for the Tigers at the meet. His time, just like Leinert's, is a Big 12-best in the event this season. The Tigers also saw plenty of success in the relays as both the Tiger men and women swept the 4x400m relays. The women also claimed the DMR title.
Tops in the Big 12
Following the first week of competition, four Tigers along with the women's distance medley relay team are ranked first on the Big 12 performance lists. Shannon Leinert and Rick Scheff both sit atop the 600-yard run charts as mentioned earlier. Senior captain Angela Potrykus turned in a mile time of 5:05.83 at the Missouri Invite, which is tops in the league. She also ran as a part of the distance medley relay team that clocked in at 12:12.78, also a Big 12-best. True freshman Katie Evans sits atop the Big 12 in the women's shot put after tossing 14.60m (47-10 3/4) in her first collegiate competition.
Eight More Rank Second-Best
As if the five Big 12-leading marks were not enough for Mizzou, eight other Tigers rank second in their respective events following the first weekend of competition. Starting on the men's side, returning All-Big 12 honoree Chris Davis ranks second in the league in the 800m run after clocking in at 1:55.11, just ahead of teammate Tyrell Everett, who owns the league's third-best time in the event at 1:55.65. Davis is not the only distance runner for the Tiger men to boast a No. 2 ranking as both Blake Irwin and Michael Barrows fall into that category. Irwin ran a mile time of 4:16.60 while Barrows turned in a time of 8:34.48 in the 3,000m run, which places both second in the league in those events. Both Andy Oaker and Chris Holly highlight the men's throwers on the Big 12 performance lists. Oaker holds the league's second-best shot put mark at 17.61m (57-9 1/2) while Holly's weight throw of 17.15m (56-3 1/4) has him ranked second as well.
A trio of mid-distance runners highlight the list of second-place marks for the Tiger women. Layne Moore hold the Big 12's second-best 800m time at 2:18.90 while Esther Vermue owns the league's second-best 1,000m time at 2:54.89. Leslie Farmer also ranks second in the 600-yard run at 1:24.02.
Dazzling Throws Debuts
Heading into the 2010 season, the Tigers knew that several newcomers would need to step up in the throws events, and did they ever in their first weekend of competition. True freshman Katie Evans may have turned in the top performance of any collegiate athlete at the meet as she tossed 14.60m (47-10 3/4) in the shot put, ranking as the top collegiate athlete in the event. In fact, that mark is tops in the Big 12 right now and earned her second-place in the event behind only former Tiger shot put All-American Krishna Lee in the event.
The men also saw a pair of newcomers - Chris Holly and Corey Jones - turn in solid performances as well. Holly tossed 17.15m (56-3 1/4) in the weight throw, a mark that ranks second in the Big 12 after the first week of competition. Jones also shined in his first collegiate meet, throwing the shot 16.39m (53-9 1/4), a mark that is third in the Big 12 after week one.
Sixth-Year Star
Senior Michael Barrows was recently awarded a sixth year of indoor collegiate eligibility by the NCAA. After battling nagging injuries for much of his career, Barrows had a solid outdoor campaign in 2009 and looks to carry that success into his sixth and final year with the program during the 2010 indoor slate. Barrows looks to be as in good of shape as he has ever been during his six seasons as he turned in the Big 12's second-best 3,000m run mark at 8:34.48 at the Missouri Invitational.
Success in Three Events
Three-time All-American Nick Adcock started his season off well at the Missouri Invitational, dominating three events. Adcock won the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.10, just 0.01 off of his personal-best time in the event, and also helped the men's 4x400m relay team to an event title at the meet. Not only did he excel on the track, but the combined event star also was also the second-placing collegiate in the high jump, turning in a leap of 1.96m (6-5), a mark that ranks seventh in the Big 12 this season. His 60m hurdles time is also third-best in the Big 12 so far.
Long Strides for Lana
Senior captain Lana Mims was the women's version of Adcock in the first week of action as she too saw success in three events across the board last Friday. Mims claimed the 200m dash title at the Missouri Invite with a time of 25.22, which ranks her third among Big 12 student-athletes. She also helped the women's 4x400m relay team to a first-place nod with a time of 3:50.97, which is the league's third-fastest time this season. She also took second overall in the long jump after leaping 5.69m (18-8), the fifth-best Big 12 mark of 2010.
Andy is the Anchor
Senior Andy Oaker may be the Tigers' most experienced thrower on the men's side in 2010 and he showed why at the Missouri Invitational last Friday. Oaker won the men's shot put with a personal-best toss of 17.61m (57-9 1/2), a mark that ranks him second in the Big 12 this season. Oaker also placed sixth in the weight throw with a toss of 16.42m (53-10 1/2). With marks like those in week one, Oaker looks primed to anchor a young and talented throws group in 2010.
Chasing Shannon - and the Tigers at 800m
Last season, Shannon Leinert continued the Tiger women's dominance in the 800m run under women's distance coach Rebecca Wilmes. Leineert claimed both the Big 12 indoor and outdoor titles in 2009, giving Mizzou six 800m championships since the 2004 season, which is half of the possible titles that could have been won in that span. Leinert returns as the favorite to take home both crowns again this season.
Despite having a pair of Big 12 titles, Leinert fell just shy of All-America honors last season and looks to add one of those to her ledger in 2010. If she were to do so, she would be the Tiger women's ninth All-American at 800m since Wilmes began coaching the Tigers in 2000.
Eight of Nine Return
In all, the men's distance corps qualified nine runners for the NCAA Mideast Regional last season, eight of which return for another season with the Tigers in 2010. The only runner to qualify for the regional championships and not return to this season's roster is Brian Graybill, who is now a volunteer assistant coach with the Tigers. The returners are Blake Irwin, Rick Scheff, Aaron Dixon, Tim Cornell, Dan Quigley, Michael Barrows and Chris Davis. That group will also get a boost from transfer Ricky West who was an 800m standout for Seton Hall last season.
Vaulted Success
Tiger pole vaulter Brian Hancock also looks for another fine season as Mizzou's top pole vaulter for the men. A three-time All-American, Hancock looks to make it five this season and also has his sights set on a Big 12 title. Hancock broke the school record in the pole vault after clearing 5.37m (17-7 1/4) at the Arkansas Last Chance Meet, qualifying him for nationals where he finished as an All-American.
Hancock finished third overall at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships in 2009, just missing the top height on three attempts. Both the Big 12's No. 1 and No. 2 finishers from last season return in 2010, but as a senior, Hancock should challenge for a Big 12 title.
Tiger Academic Success
The Mizzou track and field/cross country program was honored by the US Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for its academic success over the past calendar year. Both the men's and women's cross country teams were honored as All-Academic teams as fall grades have been announced. The women's cross country team earned a term grade-point-average of 3.467, earning the 44th-straight All-Academic honor for the Mizzou track and field/cross country program, doing so in every semester since the inception of the award 16 seasons ago. Mizzou is the only program in the nation to have accomplished that feat. The Tiger men's cross country team finished the fall semester with a term GPA of 3.06, earning the All-Academic award as well.
Two members of the women's cross country team - Shannon Leinert and Kaitie Vanatta - earned a perfect 4.00 GPA during the fall 2009 semester, while Phillip King brought home a perfect GPA for the men's team.
The success during the fall semester for the program did not stop with the cross country student-athletes. In all, the women's track and field team compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.289 and four others - Cortni Ervin, Leslie Farmer, Laura Greenfield and Katie Vanarsdall - all joined Leinert and Vanatta with perfect GPAs. The term GPA of 3.289 means that the women's program will garner its 45th-straight All-Academic team honor from the USTFCCCA when those are announced after the outdoor track and field season.
In all, 18 of the 40 women's track and field team members finished with a GPA better than 3.50 and 30 of the 40 women's track and field student-athletes finished with a GPA better than 3.00.
Adcock at the Thorpe Cup
Mizzou track and field junior Nick Adcock placed fifth overall amongst a field of 14 elite decathletes as part of the Thorpe Cup competition in Marburg, Germany. The competitors at the meet included multiple Olympians and former national champions.
Adcock represented the United States at the Thorpe Cup, a combined events dual meet between the United States and Germany. He set a season-best mark in the pole vault and a career-best in the discus. His overall score of 7,646 points is his best of the 2009 season and is just 11 points shy of his personal-record total.
After a solid first day, Adcock moved up the rankings of the international elites with a spectacular showing on day two. He opened the day with one of his strongest events, the 110m hurdles. Adcock's time of 14.45 was the second-fastest of the competition. His clearance of 4.55m (14-11) in the pole vault was his best of the season. In the discus, his toss of 38.83m (127-4 ¾) eclipsed his previous career-best of 37.42m (122-9 ¼).
Cantwell Claims IAAF World Title
Former Tiger track and field standout Christian Cantwell won the shot put World Championship at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Berlin, Germany, after tossing 22.03m (72-3 ½) in his fifth attempt on Aug. 15, 2009. His mark was a new season-best, shattering his previous mark of 21.81m (71-7), set at the Aviva London Grand Prix. The event title is the first-ever Outdoor IAAF World Championship for Cantwell, adding to his two Indoor IAAF World Championships, claimed in 2004 and 2008.
As the first competitor to throw in the event, Cantwell opened the competition with a throw of 21.54m (70-8), the best of any athlete during the first round of throws. That mark stood as the best in the competition until the fifth round of throws when 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Tomasz Majewski launched a world best toss of 21.68m (71-1 ½), putting the pressure on Cantwell.
Being the competitor that he is, Cantwell rose to the occasion and left no doubt about who was the top competitor in the event, and in the world as he crushed Majewski's mark in the fifth round. Cantwell delivered his throw of 22.03m (72-3 1/2) to round out the competition, leaving everyone else in his rearview. No competitor threw better than 21.91m (71-10 ¾) in each of the final round of throws, solidifying Cantwell's spot on top of the leaderboard.
"I have won medals in the past, but not this one," Cantwell commented after the competition. "To win it in that fashion is even more exciting. I hope the crowd enjoyed it as much as we did. The level of the competition was very high with six athletes at 21.00m, so to win a competition like this, that makes me feel better. During the competition, I felt like I was rushing my throw, so I told myself to just slow down," Cantwell added. "I knew that when it left my hand that (the winning throw) was a good one."
Cantwell defeated, among 10 others, Majewski - who was the 2008 Olympic gold Medalist - in the event. Cantwell's mark was also the best in the world last season and just shy of his personal-best mark.
Follow Mizzou Track & Field's Blog!
The 2010 Mizzou track and field season will not only offer some of the most exciting competition, but it will also provide some of the best ways for fans to follow their team. MUTigers.com has developed a blog in order to keep fans in the loop about everything regarding Mizzou athletics. Each sport will have its own official blog so fans can stay current with each program. The track and field blog can be found here: http://www.mutigers.com/blog/track-field/.
The blog will feature live updates from each home meet and will also allow fans who cannot attend to interact with things going on at the meet. In its trial run at last week's Missouri Invitational, the live blog saw 175 hits from loyal Mizzou track and field fans, making it a huge success. Be sure to check the blog for live updates this Friday as the Tigers battle the Jayhawks in the `Border Dual.'
Next Up
The Mizzou track and field program will hit the road for the first time during the 2010 indoor season as it heads to Big 12 North rival Nebraska for the Adidas Classic. The meet will mark the start of a stretch in which the Tigers will spend four-straight weekends on the road, culminating with the prestigious Iowa State Classic. Mizzou will also compete at the Meyo Invitational and the Bill Bergan Invitational in that span before returning home for the Mizzou Collegiate Challenge and the All-Comers meet during the weekend of Feb. 19.
