Senior Kearsten Peoples
COLUMBIA, Mo. - After only a week of sitting in the No. 2 spot on the NCAA rankings for the weight throw, senior Kearsten Peoples reclaimed her position as national-leader, throwing down with the No. 7 mark in collegiate history at Friday's Missouri Collegiate Challenge. Peoples, who led the nation earlier this season, won the event by over 15 feet, landing at 22.84m (74-11.25).
The Tigers close the regular season with quite the list of performances, highlighted by 14 personal records, six new All-Time Top Ten marks, four Collegiate Challenge Records, two Hearnes Center Fieldhouse Records, and a new Missouri School Record in the weight throw by Peoples.
"I'm pleased with where the team is right now," Head Coach Brett Halter said. "It's exciting to see what the vertical jumpers are doing with Alyssa Applebee, Morgan Whitson, and Mitch Hatten. The horizontals with Danielle Williams getting back into the mix, and the triple jump guys look amazing. They're all ready to roll."
FIELD EVENTS
This is the third consecutive weekend that Peoples has thrown over 70-feet in the weight throw, after she first broke through at the Armory Track Invitational (Jan. 31) in New York City with a winning effort of 22.15m (72-8). She followed that performance up with a second-place finish at last weekend's Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., falling to Texas A&M's Brea Garrett, who took over the top slot in the NCAA. Peoples now retakes that leading position heading into the SEC Championships, besting her previous top mark by over two feet with her fourth attempt of 22.84m (74-11.25), a mark that would have won the NCAA Indoor Championships last year.
"I'm feeling so confident heading into SEC's. I've been working really hard and have seen those marks in practice, so being able to land one that felt just decent, I know I have more in me," Peoples said. "It's going to be an awesome competition next week [against Brea Garrett], and I'm really excited."
"Kearsten had a terrific series in the weight throw," Halter said. "She executed really well and I'm happy for her. She's been working really hard, and I think there's quite a bit more still in the tank. Right now, moving into the Championship season, it's all about competing, and she does that well."
Also earning a new PR in the weight throw was senior Camille Hackamack, who threw over her previous best in four of her sixt attempts. She ended the competition in third overall with a top toss of 17.68m (58-0.25).
On the men's side, senior Brian Duncan had his second consecutive PR weekend as he won the competition with the No. 7 mark on the All-Time list, 20.33m (66-8).
Peoples also defended her home ring in the shot put, winning the event with a toss of 16.65m (54-7.25), a season's best and good for top 15 in the current NCAA rankings.
The day started, though, with the women's high jump and pole vault, where senior Morgan Whitson and sophomore Alyssa Applebee tallied the day's first PR performances. Both won their respective competitions, with Whitson finishing with a new high jump meet record, and No. 5 All-Time mark, of 1.78m (5-10). Applebee also moved up on the All-Time list for the pole vault, taking over the No. 2 position with her new best bar of 4.06m (13-3.75).
On the runway for the men's pole vault, freshman Luke Darrough marked in a new personal best, placing fourth in the competition with a top jump of 4.58m (15-0.25).
The men and women triple jumpers also closed with a pair of PR's, starting with freshman John Warren who moved up into the No. 3 spot on the All-Time Top Ten list with his winning mark of 15.79m (51-9.75). On the women's side, sophomore Danielle Williams continued her come-back season with a new PR, placing second in the triple jump with a mark of 11.90m (39-0). Williams, who already sat in the No. 9 spot on the All-Time Top Ten after her freshman year, now moves up into the No. 6 spot, tied with Shawnte Middlebrook's mark from 2011.
SPRINTS
The sprints group defended their home track well, coming away with a pair of Collegiate Challenge Records and a new Hearnes Center Fieldhouse Record in the 60m dash by sophomore LaQuisha Jackson. Jackson remains undefeated on her home track as she timed through in 7.33 in the 60m dash, taking down the 7.38 meet and facility record held by Semoy Hackett.
On the men's side, junior Markesh Woodson also timed through with a new meet record, coming through in 6.67 to win the 60m dash. Coming in third was freshman Kwadarrius Smith, who moved up into the No. 6 spot on the All-Time Top Ten list with his new PR of 6.81.
MID-DISTANCE // DISTANCE
The mid-distance and distance groups came away with a number of event wins on Friday, starting with the men's 600m run where sophomore Cain Winebrenner just missed his PR with a 1:21.87. In the mile, sophomore Marc Dubrick and freshman Madison Waymire both earned first-place finishes for the men's and women's races, respectively. Dubrick's 4:14.37 crossing was good for a new PR in the event, besting his previous top time of 4:16.81. Closing out the individual events was the 3000m run, where juniors Courtney Wood and Chandler Dye both crossed with winning efforts.
"We're obviously ready for Championship season," Halter said. "The team has stayed engaged in the process, stayed the course, and here we are a week out from the SEC Championships and this team is ready across the board. We're heading into next week full steam ahead and exactly where we should be."
Next up for the Tigers will be the SEC Championships in Lexington, Ky., on Friday, February 27, and Saturday, February 28. For the latest on Mizzou Track & Field, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter @MIZ_TrackField.
RESULTS
High Jump, Women - 1. Morgan Whitson, 1.78m (5-10) #5 MR
High Jump, Men - 2. Mitch Hatten, 2.08m (6-9.75)
Pole Vault, Women - 1. Alyssa Applebee, 4.06m (13-3.75) #2 | 2. Maggie Givens, 3.81m (12-6) | 3. Katrine Haarklau, 3.66m (12-0)
Pole Vault, Men - 4. Luke Darrough, 4.58m (15-0.25) | 7. Parker Brush, 4.28m (14-0.25)
Long Jump, Women - 5. Keyoni Mbroh, 5.09m (16-8.50) | 10. Lynnsey Brim, 4.18m (13-8.75)
Triple Jump, Women - 2. Danielle Williams, 11.90m (39-0) #6 | 4. Shammai Ilis, 11.62m (38-1.50)
Triple Jump, Men - 1. John Warren, 15.79m (51-9.75) #3 | 2. Jonathan Ilori, 15.48m (50-9) | 3. Tony Carodine, 15.36m (50-4.75)
Shot Put, Women - 1. Kearsten Peoples, 16.65m (54-7.25)
Shot Put, Men - 4. Nick Sublett, 14.76m (48-5.25)
Weight Throw, Women - 1. Kearsten Peoples, 22.84m (74-11.25) SR MR FR | 3. Camille Hackamack, 17.68m (58-0.25)
Weight Throw, Men - 1. Brian Duncan, 20.33m (66-8) #7 | 3. Ahren Bohanan, 18.51m (60-8.75) | 8. Nick Sublett, 16.27m (53-4.50) | 13. Sean Harrell, 13.76m (45-1.75)
60m Dash, Women - 1. LaQuisha Jackson, 7.33 FR MR | 3. Chelsie Stevens, 7.69 | 5. Alyssa Felton, 7.77
60m Dash, Men - 1. Markesh Woodson, 6.67 MR | 3. Kwadarrius Smith, 6.81 #6 | 5. Jerrad Mason, 7.01
60m Hurdles, Women - 8. Alyssa Felton, 8.84p
60m Hurdles, Men - 2. Ser Whitaker, 8.45 (8.33p)
400m Dash, Women - 1. Ayo Adewole, 56.45 | 8. Sydney Wells, 1:00.45 | 11. Erika Lark, 1:01.19
600m Run, Women - 4. Valeska Halamicek, 1:38.44
600m Run, Men - 1. Cain Winebrenner, 1:21.87 | 2. Ben Goodman, 1:23.70
800m Run, Women - 3. Libby Luciani, 2:21.63
800m Run, Men - 3. Mark Sheridan, 1:58.13
Mile Run, Women - 1. Madison Waymire, 5:03.95 | 3. Becca Batliner, 5:18.26
Mile Run, Men - 1. Marc Dubrick, 4:14.37 | 5. Sheldon Keence, 4:22.64 | 11. Brian Hernan, 4:37.80
3000m Run, Women - 1. Courtney Wood, 10:20.39 | 2. Bailey Hession, 10:23.92 | 3. Sam Garrett, 10:30.63
3000m Run, Men - 1. Chandler Dye, 8:41.20 | 7. Tim Johnson, 9:06.86