COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mizzou Track & Field is on the road this weekend, as they kick off the 2016 indoor season with the Border Battle against Illinois and Iowa. Thirty-four men and 32 women will get the season rolling for the black and gold in Champaign, Ill., on Saturday starting at 10 a.m. with the field events, followed by the start of the track events at 1 p.m.
RETURNING SCHOOL RECORDS
Included in the weekend's roster is a pair of Missouri school record holders in senior Markesh Woodson and LaQuisha Jackson. Both hold records for the 60m and 200m dashes, and have helped lead the way for the resurgence of the Mizzou sprints program throughout the past three years. Woodson first broke the 60m dash record his freshman year, cruising to a 6.60 finish to claim the program's first SEC title in 2013. He went on to bump that mark down a couple more notches at the 2015 SEC Championships, crossing in 6.58 for second place and an All-SEC honor. He also holds the indoor 200m dash record (21.13).
Jackson had a stellar debut year in the black and gold in 2015, coming out of the gate with her first of four record performances in the 60m dash. She closed the season with a final record time of 7.31 in the event, and paired it with the top time in school history in the 200m dash (23.58).
Woodson and Jackson are both slated to compete in the 60m dash, and Jackson will double-up with the 400m dash, where she holds the No. 2 time in school history (54.50).
TRIPLE JUMP DOMINANCE
Also looking to come out of the gate strong is the pair of triple jump specialists, senior Tony Carodine and sophomore John Warren. Both hold top-five marks in school history for the event, with Carodine currently sitting at No. 5 in the record books (15.70m // 51-6.25), and Warren at No. 3 (15.79m // 51-9.75). This is Warren's first competition in the black and gold since he clinched the national title at the 2015 USATF Junior Championships in the event with the No. 2 mark in school history for the outdoor triple jump (16.00m // 52-6), earning a spot on Team USA for the PanAmerican Junior Championships.
NEWCOMERS SET FOR MIZZOU DEBUT
A group of 21 freshmen are set to make their Tiger debut on the track, including several who have already clocked times in the black and gold during the cross country season. Included in that group is Patrick Kearns, Taylor Stephen, Ellyn Atkinson, Elly DeTurris, Kelli Jackson, Jamie Kempfer, Kate Smith, and Hannah Thomas.
Another 13 Tigers will see their first competition ever in the Mizzou uniform, including Avery Carter, Will Fife, Charles Graham, Jr., Matthew Ludwig, Kahmari Montgomery, Beresford Sweeney, Rayce Albino, Maya Cody, Taylor Cofield, Bri Gibbs, Gabi Jacobs, Karissa Roman, and Sarah Weidner.
Among the headlines from this group of newcomers are several who closed their high school careers with top-20 rankings in their respective events, including Charles Graham, Jr., (No. 2 in the 55m and 60m hurdles, No. 9 for the 110m hurdles), Kahmari Montgomery (No. 5 in the 400m dash, No. 12 in the 60m dash, No. 14 in the 100m dash, No. 17 in the 200m dash), Maya Cody (No. 11 in the 200m dash, No. 17 in the 100m dash), and Kelli Jackson (No. 14 in the 3200m run).
TIGER LINE-UP - TRACK EVENTS
60m Dash, Women - Lynnsey Brim // Maya Cody // Alyssa Felton // Shammai Ilis // LaQuisha Jackson // Jacqueline Obi // Danielle Williams
60m Dash, Men - Tony Carodine // Charles Graham, Jr. // Jonathan Holder // Jerrad Mason // Niager Mathis // Kahmari Montgomery // Ser Whitaker // Markesh Woodson
200m Dash, Women - Alyssa Felton // Jacqueline Obi
200m Dash, Men - Charles Graham, Jr.
400m Dash, Women - Ayo Adewole // Maya Cody // LaQuisha Jackson // Erika Lark // Sydney Wells
400m Dash, Men - Jonathan Holder // Niager Mathis
600m Run, Women - Sandrae Farquharson // Valeska Halamicek // Valerie Thames
600m Run, Men - Ben Goodman // Jerrad Mason // Kahmari Montgomery // Mark Sheridan // Cain Winebrenner
800m Run, Women - Bailey Hession // Karissa Schweizer // Kate Smith
800m Run, Men - Will Crocker // Kenny Cushing // Sam Dickerson // Luca Russo
Mile Run, Women - Teylar Adelsberger // Becca Batliner // Elly DeTurris // Hannah Thomas
Mile Run, Men - Chandler Dye // Brian Hernan // Dan Roe // Taylor Stephen
3000m Run, Women - Ellyn Atkinson // Kayla Friesen // Kelli Jackson // Jamie Kempfer // Nicole Mello
3000m Run, Men - Jordan Cook // Tim Johnson // Patrick Kearns // Sheldon Keence // Ollie Lockley // Tyler Schneider // Drew White
60m Hurdles, Women - Alyssa Felton // Valerie Thames
60m Hurdles, Men - Charles Graham, Jr.
TIGER LINE-UP - FIELD EVENTS
High Jump, Women - Karissa Roman
Pole Vault, Women - Rayce Albino // Alyssa Applebee // Taylor Cofield // Bri Gibbs
Pole Vault, Men - Matthew Ludwig
Long Jump, Men - Tony Carodine // John Warren
Triple Jump, Men - Tony Carodine // John Warren
Shot Put, Women - Gabi Jacobs // Sarah Weidner
Shot Put, Men - Avery Carter // Will Fife // Nick Sublett // Ser Whitaker
Weight Throw, Women - Gabi Jacobs // Sarah Weidner
Weight Throw, Men - Tanner Buschmann // Avery Carter // Sean Harrell // Nick Sublett
HEAR FROM COACH HALTER...
"This will be a terrific test for our team to begin the season against two very strong Big Ten programs. We have had another strong fall of training, and we are looking forward to getting the season underway."
Events at the UI Armory will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday with the women's weight throw. For the latest on your Tigers, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter @MIZ_TrackField.