University of Missouri
SEC Championships
Rushin Claims All-SEC Finish
2/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
Senior Jill Rushin
Friday Results //Saturday Heat Sheets //Live Results //Live Stream (starting at 1:50 p.m. ET)
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Senior Jill Rushin found herself back on the podium for the fifth consecutive SEC Championship shot put competition on Friday, placing second in the field with a lifetime best mark of 17.61m (57-9.50). Rushin, who has finished in the top three for the conference in every shot put competition, indoor and outdoor, since the Tigers joined the league in 2013, was the team's first All-SEC finisher for day one of competition. Other highlights out of Lexington, Ky., include nine personal records, five new All-Time Top Ten marks, and three qualifiers into Saturday's final rounds.
"It was an awesome day. Everyone that lined up competed hard, did what they've been doing all year. Obviously, it's an unforgiving league so if you're off a little bit, you're off a lot," Head Coach Brett Halter said. "I'm pleased about where the team is heading into tomorrow. It'll be a fresh start and I'm really excited about what's in store."
FIELD EVENTS
Junior Ser Whitaker started things off for the Tigers on Friday morning, competing in four of his seven events during the two-day long heptahtlon. Whitaker ended the day with a new PR in the shot put (13.25m / 43-5.25), and barely missed on a best mark in the 60m dash (7.15). Whitaker will enter day two in eighth overall and will look to move up toward those coveted top three spots during the final three events - 60m hurdles, pole vault, and 1000m run.
Next up was a pair of PR performances from sophomore Alyssa Applebee and senior Mitch Hatten. Applebee, who earned a new pole vault PR at last weekend's Collegiate Challenge (4.06m / 13-3.75), bested that mark once again on Friday with her 4.03m (13-2.50) finish. Applebee placed eighth overall in the competition, getting knocked out after having two good looks at what could have been a new Missouri School Record.
Hatten also had a lifetime best performance in the high jump, placing sixth in a stacked field that saw five men over the seven-foot bar. Hatten, who started the season tying his PR at 2.08m (6-9.75), now ends the season with a new best, 2.10m (6-10.75).
In the throws ring, senior Brian Duncan and sophomore Ahren Bohanan got things rolling with the men's weight throw. Bohanan just missed on a new PR with his 18.57m (60-11.25) performance, while Duncan continued extending his record mark for the third consecutive meet. Duncan ended the competition in fifth with a top throw of 20.55m (67-5.25), moving up into the sixth position on the All-Time Top Ten list.
Rushin closed out the day's events in the field, hitting a personal best for the indoor shot put right off the bat with her toss of 17.36m (56-11.50) to open the competition. Only one competitor would succeed in besting that mark during the remainding five rounds, as LSU's Tori Bliss beat Rushin out for the conference title with a new SEC Indoor Record mark (18.31m / 60-1). Rushin closed the competition with another PR mark, topping even her outdoor shot put PR, measuring at 17.61m (57-9.50).
"I'm really happy getting that overall PR, but I know there's more in the tank," Rushin said. "It was just a really good competition. I'm feeling very confident heading into nationals."
Also having an exciting day in the shot put was senior Kearsten Peoples, who placed fourth in the competition with a season's best 17.03m (55-10.50). Peoples, who currently leads the NCAA in the weight throw with the seventh best mark in collegiate history (22.84m / 74-11.25), has been struggling with shot put this season. Friday's competition saw her back in good form, as she now moves into the top ten of the national rankings heading into the NCAA Championships in two weeks. First, though, is Saturday's weight throw competition, where Peoples will face off with defending national champion, and current No. 2 ranked thrower in the NCAA, Brea Garrett (Texas A&M).
"Jill and Kearsten really delivered big for the team tonight. We all know Kearsten has been struggling with the shot, but she really came through when the team needed it," Halter said. "I mean, they finished second and fourth and are in the top ten in the country. That just sheds some light on the quality of the league."
ON THE TRACK
The running events also saw some exciting performances, including a pair of finals qualifiers in the 60m dash by sophomore LaQuisha Jackson and junior Markesh Woodson. Jackson crossed in 7.34, only 0.03 seconds off of her current school record time, to place eighth heading into Saturday's final competition. Woodson will take to the blocks in fourth place after his 6.65 preliminary finish, tying his season's best time thus far.
Moving up to the mile, junior Will Crocker was back on the line after his second-fastest performance in Mizzou History at the Tyson Invitational on February 14. Crocker, whose 4:01.34 PR has him less than a second off of the 4:01.16, is sitting in 10th in the field after qualifying for Saturday's final with a 4:06.88 finish.
Ending the day was the lone final on the track - the men's and women's 3000m runs. Sophomore Teylar Adelsberger claimed the win in section 1 of the women's 3000m, good for 14th overall, with her PR time of 9:56.17. Leading the way for the women, though, was freshman Karissa Schweizer, who battled hard against some of the top distance runners in the country to place eighth overall.
Other PR performances from day one of the SEC Championships include - junior Ayo Adewole in the 400m dash (56.17) and freshman Jerrad Mason in the 400m dash (47.59).
Events will continue at Nutter Fieldhouse in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday morning with Ser Whitaker and the men's heptathlon 60m hurdles. Events will be streamed live on SEC Network + starting at 1:50 p.m. ET. For the latest on your Tigers, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter @MIZ_TrackField.
RESULTS
Heptathlon - 8. Ser Whitaker, 2908 points
60m Dash - 6. Whitaker, 7.15
Long Jump - 10. Whitaker, 6.70m (21-11.75)
Shot Put - 7. Whitaker, 13.25m (43-5.25)
High Jump - 8. Whitaker, 1.83m (6-0)
High Jump, Men - 6. Mitch Hatten, 2.10m (6-10.75)
Pole Vault, Women - 8. Alyssa Applebee, 4.03m (13-2.50) // 9. Katrine Haarklau, 3.88m (12-8.75)
Shot Put, Women - 2. Jill Rushin, 17.61m (57-9.50) #2 // 4. Kearsten Peoples, 17.03m (55-10.50)
Weight Throw, Men - 5. Brian Duncan, 20.55m (67-5.25) #6 // 15. Ahren Bohanan, 18.57m (60-11.25)
60m Dash, Women - 8. LaQuisha Jackson, 7.34q
60m Dash, Men - 4. Markesh Woodson, 6.65q // 18. Kwadarrius Smith, 6.86
60m Hurdles, Women - 14. Alyssa Felton, 8.58 #3
200m Dash, Women - 13. LaQuisha Jackson, 23.88
200m Dash, Men - 14. Kwadarrius Smith, 21.44
400m Dash, Women - 29. Ayo Adewole, 56.17 #10 // 34. Sandrae Farquharson, 56.66
400m Dash, Men - 19. Jerrad Mason, 47.59 #5
800m Run, Men - 26. Cain Winebrenner, 1:54.09
Mile Run, Men - 10. Will Crocker, 4:06.88q
3000m Run, Women - 8. Karissa Schweizer, 9:40.20 // 14. Teylar Adelsberger, 9:56.17 // 21. Megan Cunningham, 10:13.57
3000m Run, Men - 9. Dan Roe, 8:16.62 // 15. Marc Dubrick, 8:41.06 // 16. Sam Dickerson, 8:47.59
SATURDAY SCHEDULE (All times are ET)
Heptathlon - Ser Whitaker
10:00 a.m., 60m Hurdles
10:35 a.m., Pole Vault
11:50 a.m., 1000m Run
11:30 a.m. - Weight Throw, Women (Camille Hackamack // Kearsten Peoples)
11:30 a.m. - High Jump, Women (Morgan Whitson)
11:30 a.m. - Triple Jump, Women (Shammai Ilis // Danielle Williams)
2:20 p.m. - 60m Dash, Women (LaQuisha Jackson)
2:30 p.m. - 60m Dash, Men (Markesh Woodson)
2:55 p.m. - Mile Run, Men (Will Crocker)
3:00 p.m. - Triple Jump, Men (Tony Carodine // Jonathan Ilori // Thomas Taylor // John Warren)
3:25 p.m. - 5000m Run, Women (Courtney Brown // Kaitlyn Fischer)
4:45 p.m. - 5000m Run, Men (Jordan Cook // Dan Roe)
5:35 p.m. - DMR, Men
Players Mentioned
