AUSTIN, Texas – Mizzou Track & Field finished up competition at the Texas Relays and Bobcat Invitational on Saturday, posting top-10 finishes in 10 events, including a first place finish in the shot put at the Bobcat Invitational from redshirt sophomore Will Fife (Jefferson City, Mo.). Over three days of action at the two meets, the Tigers posted 19 top-10 event finishes, five personal records and three top-10 program marks.
"This was a big weekend performance from our team," said head coach Brett Halter. "Maybe the best opening weekend in our history as the assault on the record books continues for this crew. At the end of the indoor season, we all challenged each other to look in the mirror and find a way to get better. Our response to that challenge has been outstanding. We have a lot of work ahead of us as we continue to prepare the championship season."
Fife highlighted five top-10 finishes in field events for the Tigers at the Bobcat Invitational in San Marcos, Texas. The Tiger sophomore posted a personal record throw of 17.23m (56-6.4) to earn the first place finish. In the women's javelin, two Tigers earned top-10 finishes as redshirt senior Jennifer Berilla (Ballwin, Mo.) recorded a mark of 41.06m (134-8), while freshman Allie Webb (Platte City, Mo.) posted a mark of 33.66m (110-6) to finish eighth.
At the Texas Relays, senior Valerie Thames (Milwaukee, Wis.) finished her weekend by competing in two events, including her second individual final. Thames finished seventh in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.61 before running the anchor leg of Mizzou's 4x400m relay team which finished sixth in the invitational heat with a time of 3:47.96. Thames was joined by sophomore Maya Cody (St. Louis, Mo.), senior Sandrae Farquharson (St. Elizabeth, Jamaica) and senior Sydney Wells (Fort Smith, Ark.) on the relay squad.
In the long jump, freshman Ja'Mari Ward (Cahokia, Ill.), the 2016 USATF Junior National Outdoor Track & Field Championships Long Jump Champion, finished 10th with a jump of 7.44m (24-5). The jump was the first jumping event for Ward in the Black & Gold after he made his Tiger debut the day before in the 100m dash at the Bobcat Invitational.
Mizzou will next travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to compete in the Crimson Tide Invitational on April 7-8. The full squad is expected to make the trip down to the meet at Alabama.
For all the latest on Mizzou Track & Field, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (MIZ_TrackField).
Texas Relays Results
Track Events
100m Hurdles, Women – 7. Valerie Thames, 13.61
4x200m Relay, Men – 10. Kahmari Montgomery, Niager Mathis, Jonathan Holder, Jerrad Mason, 1:25.79
4x200m Relay, Women – 9. Maya Cody, Sandrae Farquharson, Tsai-Anne Joseph, Sydney Wells, 1:37.11
4x400m Relay, Women – 6. Maya Cody, Sandrae Farquharson, Sydney Wells, Valerie Thames, 3:47.96
Field Events
Long Jump, Men – 10. Ja'Mari Ward, 7.44m (24-5)
Discus, Women – 12. Gabi Jacobs, 48.25m (158-3)
Bobcat Invitational Results
Field Events
Triple Jump, Women – 7. Shammai Ilis, 11.97m (39-3.25)
Shot Put, Men – 1. Will Fife, 17.23m (56-6.5) PR
Shot Put, Women – 4. Emily Stauffer, 13.93m (45-8.5)
Javelin, Women – 2. Jennifer Berilla, 41.06m (134-8) // 8. Allie Webb, 33.66m (110-6)