March 28, 2013
Schedule of Events - Arkansas | Schedule of Events - Stanford
Columbia, Mo. - Fingers are crossed for better weather this weekend as the Tigers prepare for their second set of competitions for the outdoor season. While the majority of the team is making one final trek down to Arkansas for the Razorback Spring Invitational, a small group of distance men will be competing out west at the Stanford Invitational.
Seniors Dan Quigley and Max Storms, and sophomore Merid Seleshi will make the trip out to Stanford to compete in one of the most competitive mid-distance and distance meets in the nation for the outdoor season. The three Tigers will hit the track on Friday with Quigley and Seleshi in the 5,000m run and Storms in the 10,000m run. California holds good memories for both Quigley and Storms, as they broke school records in their respective events last year at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, CA. Quigley ran to a 13:55.46 5,000m record, and Storms hit 29:15.61 in the 10,000m run.
Heading down to Arkansas will be a squad of 24 women and 25 men, including three of the members of the NCAA Indoor National Championship squad: freshman Markesh Woodson, sophomore Kearsten Peoples, and senior Malcolm Pennix. All three earned All-American honors on their last trip to Fayetteville, with Woodson making first team for the 60m dash, and Peoples and Pennix both making second team for the shot put and long jump, respectively.
The hammer throw will kick off the weekend on Friday evening, and will feature Peoples, MU Relays event winners junior Bethany Pfeiffer and sophomore Brian Duncan. Duncan's performance from last weekend places him at no. 9 in the early national rankings, while Pfeiffer's places her at no. 3. Both are in good position for qualification into the First Round of the NCAA Championships in May.
Running events begin Saturday, with sophomore Courtney Wood returning to the track in the 3,000m steeplechase after her win at the MU Relays, followed by the 4x100m relays which feature the two freshmen school record holders from the indoor season:Chelsie Stevens and Markesh Woodson. Stevens will be oined by sophomore Sha'Rone Greenlaw and juniors Lauren Flaker and Cara Forte on the women's side, and Pennix, freshman Tony Carodine, and sophomore Tre Chambers will hit the track with Woodson. Both Stevens and Woodson are also slated to compete in the 100m and 200m dash.
Peoples will also be back in action on Saturday, competing in both the discus and, her main event, the shot put. She currently holds both the indoor and outdoor school records in the shot put, earning a top outdoor mark of 18.22m (59-9.5) at the US Olympic Trials last summer. Joining her in the shot put will be indoor SEC Runner-Up, sophomore Jill Rushin.
Senior Blake Irwin will also be back on the track Saturday, competing in his main event: the 800m run. Irwin was a 2010 NCAA Championships qualifier in the event, and made it to the NCAA First Round last year.
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