COLUMBIA, Mo. - As Mizzou Track & Field makes the turn into the final half of the regular outdoor season, they return home to host the 18th annual Tom Botts Invitational.  The two-day meet, starting Friday evening and lasting through Saturday afternoon (April 15-16) will also serve as the Senior Day for the 17 Tigers who are preparing to close their Mizzou careers.  Events at Audrey J. Walton Stadium will begin Friday at 4:30 p.m. with the men's hammer throw, and will continue into the evening with the women's hammer and the 3000m steeplechase, 1500m, 5000m, and 10k runs.

For a few Tigers, though, this weekend called for a trip to the west coast, as ten mid-distance and distance specialists departed Columbia to compete at the prestigious Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, California.  Seniors Dan Roe, Will Crocker and Sam Dickerson; juniors Kaitlyn Fischer, Teylar Adelsberger, Marc Dubrick and Ollie Lockley; sophomores Ellyn Atkinson and Karissa Schweizer; and freshman Jamie Kempfer will take on one of the most prestigious distance competitions in the country on Thursday and Friday evening (April 14-15).

TOM BOTTS INVITATIONAL INFORMATION
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Five teams will join the Tigers at the Audrey J. Walton Stadium during this weekend's Tom Botts Invitational, including Indiana State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa, SIU-Carbondale, and SLU.  

Saturday will also serve as Senior Day for the Tigers, and the 17 members of the Tigers' senior class will be recognized during a ceremony in front of the stands at 3:25 (before the 4x400m relays).

#MIZTF NOTES - TOM BOTTS INVITATIONAL

• Among the names to look out for during this weekend's Tom Botts Invitational is freshman Kahmari Montgomery, who will make his outdoor debut in the 400m dash.  The last time Montgomery took to the blocks in the event was at the NCAA Indoor Championship meet in March.  The freshman closed his first indoor season as a Tiger with the SEC title in the event and one of the top ten times in the world (45.78).
• Senior Markesh Woodson will back for his second 100m dash of the season.  His first came during last weekend's Spec Towns Invitational in Athens, Georgia, where he placed third in the elite section with the fifth-fastest time in NCAA yet this season, 10.20.
• The women's 400m dash is set to have quite the line-up of Tigers, including five past and present 4x400m relay school record holders - seniors Ayo Adewole and Erika Lark, juniors Sandrae Farquharson and LaQuisha Jackson, and freshman Maya Cody.
• In the women's pole vault, Alyssa Applebee is set to continue chasing a spot in the top two in Mizzou history.  The junior tied her PR, and the No. 3 bar in school history, during last week's competition, placing second overall with a final mark of 4.05m (13-3.50).  Joining her will be two fellow All-Time Top Ten members, freshmen Rayce Albino (No. 7) and Bri Gibbs (No. 10).

#MIZTF NOTES - MT. SAC RELAYS
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• Certainly one of the big storylines heading into the Mt. SAC weekend for the Tigers is junior Kaitlyn Fischer's season debut in the 10,000m run.  The school record holder for the 10k (33:12.37), Fischer has not raced in the event since the 2015 NCAA Championships West Preliminary Round.
• Junior Teylar Adelsberger will retake the track for the first time since her PR run in the 3000m steeplechase at the Florida Relays two weeks ago.  Her final crossing of 10:24.52 was the third-fastest time in school history.  She will face the invitational section in the event Friday evening.
• Other names to look for out of Mt. SAC include freshman Jamie Kempfer and sophomore Ellyn Atkinson, who will make their Tiger debuts in the 10,000m run; junior Ollie Lockley and senior Dan Roe in the men's 10,000m run; senior Will Crocker in the invitational section of the 1500m run, senior Sam Dickerson in the invitational section of the 3000m steeplechase; sophomore Karissa Schweizer in the invitational section of the 5000m run; and junior Marc Dubrick in the 5000m run.

For the latest on your Tigers, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter @MIZ_TrackField.