Missouri
Tyson Invitational
@MIZ_TrackField Set to Face Top-Ranked Field
2/11/2016 9:55:00 AM | Track & Field
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Tigers are down in Fayetteville, Ark., this weekend for one of the most competitive meets of the regular season, taking on the two-day Tyson Invitational on Friday (February 12) and Saturday (February 13). Boasting a field with 28 of the top-30 ranked men's and women's teams in the NCAA, the Tyson Invite marks the final big competition of the regular season for the Tigers, as they approach the SEC Championships later this month.
ABOUT THE MEET...
Meet Schedule // Live Results
The Tyson Invitational is familiar territory for the Tigers, as this weekend marks the fourth consecutive year that Mizzou has been featured in the meet's line-up. This growing history with the meet has certainly produced some exciting results over the past few years, including two 60m dash school record performances from Markesh Woodson in 2013 and 2014, a school record in the shot put from Kearsten Peoples in 2014, a new 200m dash record for LaQuisha Jackson in 2015, along with a string of All-Time Top Ten marks and NCAA qualification performances.
Events at the Randal Tyson Track Center will be streamed online on the SEC Network+ on Friday (February 12) from 5 to 7 p.m. CT, and on Saturday (February 13) from 2:30 to 5 p.m. CT.
SEC Network+: Friday // Saturday
THE RANKED FIELD (M // W):
| Alabama (No. 15 // -- ) Arkansas (No. 8 // No. 1) Baylor ( -- // No. 17) Clemson ( -- // No. 25) Florida (No. 1 // No. 4) Kansas State (No. 25 // No. 6) Kentucky ( -- // No. 12) LSU (No. 4 // No. 21) Miami ( -- // No. 15) | NC State (No. 19 // No. 9) Nebraska (No. 16 // -- ) Oklahoma State (No. 24 // No. 22) Southern California (No. 17 // No. 7) TCU (No. 9 // -- ) Tennessee (No. 7 // No. 14) Texas (No. 5 // No. 5) Texas A&M (No. 2 // No. 18) Texas Tech (No. 14 // -- ) |
TIGERS TAKE ON IOWA STATE
While the majority of team heads south, sophomore Karissa Schweizer and junior Teylar Adelsberger will be northbound, as they head to Ames, Ia., to match up against one of the elite mid-distance and distance fields in the country at the Iowa State Classic.
Schweizer, who currently leads the SEC in the 3000m run and ranks at No. 13 in the NCAA, will shift into the mile for Saturday's competition. She ranks third in the event for the conference with her PR time from earlier this season, 4:42.15.
Adelsberger, on the other hand, will move up into the 3000m on Friday after her PR mile performance last weekend (4:55.19). She has already hit a new PR time in the event, clocking 9:37.20 during the Rod McCravy Memorial Meet last month.
TIGERS TO WATCH
A number of headliners will be back in action this weekend for what has, historically, been a key meet in building momentum as the Tigers prepare for the championship portion of the season. Kicking off that list is senior Markesh Woodson, who has seen a lot of success on the Tyson track over the past few years, including four school record performances and an SEC title. Woodson enters the weekend ranked 14th in the NCAA for the 60m dash (6.66), fifth in the SEC, and will look to improve upon that position as eyes begin to turn toward NCAA Championship qualification. He will be featured in both the 60m and 200m dashes on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
Junior LaQuisha Jackson has also timed a school record during the Tyson Invitational, after she clocked through with a 200m dash PR (23.58) in 2015. She will take to the blocks in Friday's 60m dash competition and Saturday's 200m dash.
Joining Jackson in the 200m dash will be freshman Maya Cody, who is looking to continue her string of All-Time Top Ten performances in the sprints. She currently holds the No. 2 time in Mizzou history for the 60m dash, No. 3 in the 200m dash, and No. 6 in the 400m dash. Cody will double-up in the 400m dash on Friday and the 200m dash on Saturday.
Also set to be featured in the open 400m are three of the four members of the women's 4x400m relay who narrowly missed a new school record mark at last weekend's Husker Invitational. Senior Ayo Adewole, senior Sandrae Farquharson, junior Valerie Thames, as well as LaQuisha Jackson, placed first in the event last weekend in 3:40.27, just off of the current record of 3:40.20.
In the men's 400m dash, freshman Kahmari Montgomery will aim to continue improving upon his school record 400m dash performance (47.33) from the Rod McCravy Memorial Meet last month. The first-year Tiger ran just off that time last weekend at the Husker Invitational (47.71) before returning to split a sub-47 during the men's 4x400m. He is currently ranked tenth in the SEC for the event.
In the distance events, freshman Jamie Kempfer will look to continue her undefeated season, as she comes off a series of three winning performances during her first indoor season as a Tiger. She earned herself a slot on the All-Time Top Ten list for the 5000m last weekend with her 17:00.21 crossing, the tenth-fastest time in school history and No. 5 in the current SEC rankings.
In the field events, freshman Matthew Ludwig will aim to regain his momentum after a pair of no-heights in the pole vault. Ludwig has set himself up for quite the freshman season, already holding the No. 2 mark in school history at 5.30m (17-4.50). He currently ranks 16th in the NCAA, fourth in the SEC, for the event.
Sophomore John Warren is another name to look out for in the field events, currently ranked 23rd in the NCAA for the triple jump. The returning USATF Junior Champion in the event from 2015, Warren jumped just off his 15.79m (51-9.75) PR a few weeks ago, marking in at 15.73m (51-7.25), the fifth-best mark so far in the SEC.
HEAR FROM COACH HALTER
"We are looking forward to another weekend of national-caliber track and field. The team is in good shape and looking forward to the challenge and competition that the Tyson Invitational will offer."
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFICATION
As the season turns into its final stretch, attention is now directed toward the national rankings and qualification into the NCAA Championships. Qualification into the championship meet is based off the national rankings as of March 2. The top 16-ranked individual athletes in each event will be accepted into the competition, and the top 12-ranked relay teams.
#MIZTF LINE-UP: FRIDAY
| TIME | EVENT | ATHLETE |
| 1:00 p.m. | Mile Run - Women | Bailey Hession |
| 1:10 p.m. | Mile Run - Men | Jordan Cook // Will Crocker // Sam Dickerson // Luca Russo |
| 1:15 p.m. | 400m Dash - Women | Ayo Adewole // Maya Cody // Sandrae Farquharson // Valerie Thames |
| 2:00 p.m. | Pole Vault - Men | Matthew Ludwig |
| 2:00 p.m. | 400m Dash - Men | Jerrad Mason // Kahmari Montgomery |
| 2:40 p.m. | 60m Hurdles, prelim - Women | Alyssa Felton // Valerie Thames |
| 3:00 p.m. | 60m Hurdles, prelim - Men | Charles Graham, Jr. |
| 3:15 p.m. | 60m Dash, prelim - Women | LaQuisha Jackson |
| 3:40 p.m. | 60m Dash, prelim - Men | Jonathan Holder // Markesh Woodson |
| 4:10 p.m. | 800m Run - Women | Valeska Halamicek // Liz Reida |
| 4:25 p.m. | 800m Run - Men | Kenny Cushing // Thomas George // Mark Sheridan // Cain Winebrenner |
#MIZTF LINE-UP: SATURDAY
| TIME | EVENT | ATHLETE |
| 11:00 a.m. | Pole Vault - Women | Alyssa Applebee |
| 12:00 p.m. | High Jump - Women | Karissa Roman |
| 12:00 p.m. | Triple Jump - Women | Danielle Williams |
| 12:00 p.m. | Triple Jump - Men | Tony Carodine // John Warren |
| 12:00 p.m. | 3000m Run - Women | Ellyn Atkinson // Jamie Kempfer |
| 12:15 p.m. | 3000m Run - Men | Patrick Kearns // Ollie Lockley // Dan Roe // Tyler Schneider |
| 12:30 p.m. | 200m Dash - Women | Maya Cody // LaQuisha Jackson |
| 1:00 p.m. | Shot Put - Women | Gabi Jacobs |
| 1:15 p.m. | 200m Dash - Men | Jerrad Mason // Niager Mathis // Kahmari Montgomery // Markesh Woodson |
| 3:00 p.m. | Shot Put - Men | Avery Carter // Will Fife |
| 3:00 p.m. | 5000m Run - Women | Nicole Mello |
| 3:20 p.m. | 5000m Run - Men | Ollie Lockley // Dan Roe // Drew White |
For the latest on Mizzou Track & Field, including meet updates from throughout the weekend, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter @MIZ_TrackField.
Players Mentioned
