Sophomore LaQuisha Jackson
NEW YORK CITY, NY - The Tigers are taking a lot of momentum into day two of the Armory Track Invitational, as they closed the first day of competition on Friday (January 30) with yet another school record performance from junior LaQuisha Jackson, event wins by senior Jill Rushin and the men's distance medley, a pair of top-three finishes from sophomores Alyssa Applebee and Kaitlyn Fischer, and five new personal records (PR's).
TRACK EVENTS
Jackson remains undefeated in the 60-meter dash this season, earning five consecutive school record marks as she continues to step up her performances with every competition. She made her Tiger debut at the Border Battle in Iowa City, Ia., earlier in January, running 7.44, then returned home for the Missouri Invitational where she cut that down to 7.43 in the prelims and 7.42 in the finals. She started the weekend off on Friday morning with a huge PR of 7.33 in the preliminary heat before clocking 7.31 in the semi-final to close the day. This puts her at No. 5 and No. 10 in the current SEC and NCAA rankings, respectively.
Junior Markesh Woodson, who tied his school record time of 6.60 at the Armory last year, will join her in the 60m dash finals on Saturday, as he qualified out of the semi-finals in fifth with a time of 6.68.
Both semi-final qualifiers in the 60m hurdles walked away from Friday's competition with new PRs and All-Time Top Ten positions. Junior Alyssa Felton continues to climb up the All-Time Top Ten list as she timed through with a PR of 8.63 in the prelims (8.64 in the semi-finals), placing 15th overall. She came into the weekend at No. 6 on the list, and now sits in the No. 5 spot. On the men's side, junior Ser Whitaker dropped his best down to 8.21, taking over the No. 3 spot in the Mizzou record books.
Sophomore Kaitlyn Fischer kicked off the weekend's distance events with the 5000m run, fighting hard in the top three of the field throughout the first heat of the race. She closed in second for heat one, third overall, with a new PR of 16:48.00, cutting three-seconds off of previous best from 2014. She currently sits at No. 7 on the All-Time Top Ten list for the event.
The day ended with as much excitement as its start, with the men's distance medley relay coming through with an exciting win in 10:00.42. Donning the black and gold for the day's final event was junior Sam Dickerson (1200m leg), freshman Kwadarrius Smith (400m leg), junior Will Crocker (800m leg), and sophomore T.J. Carey (1600m leg). This was the first DMR of the season for the Tigers.
FIELD EVENTS
Also coming away with a big indoor PR was senior Jill Rushin, who won the women's shot put with a final mark of 17.07m (56-0). This bests her previous top throw of 16.90m (55-5.50), held since the 2014 Missouri Collegiate Challenge. Although Rushin will remain in the No. 2 spot on the Mizzou All-Time Top Ten list, this will put her in good position in the national rankings. Today's performance puts her at No. 2 and No. 4 in the current SEC and NCAA rankings, respectively.
In the pole vault, sophomore Alyssa Applebee had a season's best, placing second in the first flight of the women's pole vault with a final height of 3.85m (12-7.50). She currently sits at No. 3 on the All-Time Top Ten list for the event with her PR mark of 3.97m (13-0.25).
SATURDAY PREVIEW
Live Results | Live Feed
Events will continue tomorrow at the Armory New Balance Track & Field Center, starting at 8:55 a.m ET with the women's 3000m run, featuring junior Courtney Brown and freshman Megan Cunningham. A live video feed of the day's action will be streamed on USATF.TV, and NBCSN will broadcast the meet live from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m ET.
Highlighting the final day's events are the 60m dash finals, which will feature Mizzou school record holders LaQuisha Jackson and Markesh Woodson. Jackson will double-back for the 200m dash, an event that will also feature freshman Kwadarrius Smith. This is Smith's first meet back after he broke into the Mizzou record books at the season-opening Border Battle, where he timed the eighth-fastest 60m dash performance (6.86).
Other track events to keep an eye on will be the women's 3000m run, which will feature freshman Karissa Schweizer, who timed through the mile in 4:46.75 last week for the No. 9 spot in Mizzou history. Schweizer was the SEC Cross Country Freshman of the Year, and the lone Tiger to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships in November. A fellow-SEC Freshman of the Year, current sophomore T.J. Carey, will also lace up on Saturday for the men's 3000m run.
In the field events, senior Kearsten Peoples will return after competing on Friday, taking to the ring in the women's weight throw.
On the runway, three of the current top ten triple jumpers in Mizzou history will have their second go of the season in the event, after opening last weekend in Kentucky. Included in this list is freshman John Warren, who landed at No. 7 in the Mizzou record books in his first triple jump competition as a Tiger, marking in at 15.37m (50-5.25). He will be joined by sophomore Thomas Taylor, and juniors Jonathan Ilori and Tony Carodine, who currently sit at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, on the list.
For the latest on your Tigers, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter @MIZ_TrackField.
TIGER RESULTS - FRIDAY
60m Dash, Women - 1. LaQuisha Jackson, 7.31q (7.33p) SR | 39. Alyssa Felton, 7.81
60m Dash, Men - 6. Markesh Woodson, 6.68q
400m Dash, Women - 17. Ayo Adewole, 56.42
400m Dash, Men - 8. Jerrad Mason, 48.52
1000m Run, Men - 22. Ben Goodman, 2:29.46 | 31. Cain Winebrenner, 2:32.18
5000m Run, Women - 3. Kaitlyn Fischer, 16:48.00
5000m Run, Men - 6. Dan Roe, 14:36.40
60m Hurdles, Women - 15. Alyssa Felton, 8.64 (8.63p) #5
60m Hurdles, Men - 19. Ser Whitaker, 8.21 (8.31p) #3 | 25. Kyle Smith, 8.32
Distance Medley, Men - 1. (Dickerson, Smith, Crocker, Carey), 10:00.42
Long Jump, Men - 35. Ser Whitaker, 6.69m (21-11.50)
High Jump, Women - 8. Morgan Whitson, 1.73m (5-8)
High Jump, Men - 13. Mitch Hatten, 2.04m (6-8.25)
Pole Vault, Women - 2. Alyssa Applebee, 3.85m (12-7.50) | 9. Maggie Givens, 3.50m (11-5.75)
Shot Put, Women - 1. Jill Rushin, 17.07m (56-0) | 6. Kearsten Peoples, 15.08m (49-5.75)
TIGER LINE-UP: SATURDAY
All times are in ET
8:55 a.m - 3000m Run, Women (Courtney Brown | Megan Cunningham)
9:15 a.m - Weight Throw, Women (Kearsten Peoples)
9:15 a.m - Triple Jump, Women (Danielle Williams)
9:15 a.m - 3000m Run, Men (Chandler Dye)
9:20 a.m - Triple Jump, Men (Tony Carodine | Jonathan Ilori | Thomas Taylor | John Warren)
9:25 a.m - Mile Run, Women (Teylar Adelsberger | Madison Waymire)
9:50 a.m - Mile Run, Men (Will Crocker | Sam Dickerson)
10:15 a.m - 200m Dash, Women (LaQuisha Jackson)
11:30 a.m - 200m Dash, Men (Kwadarrius Smith)
1:00 p.m - Weight Throw, Men (Ahren Bohanan | Brian Duncan)
2:58 p.m - Mile Run, Women (Liz Reida)
3:28 p.m - 3000m Run, Men (T.J. Carey)
3:59 p.m - 60m Dash Final, Women (LaQuisha Jackson)
4:03 p.m - 60m Dash Final, Men (Markesh Woodson)
4:18 p.m - 3000m Run, Women (Karissa Schweizer)