Track and Field Readies for Dr. Rick McGuire Invitational
1/29/2026 3:01:00 PM | Track & Field
The Tigers look to host the two-day competition at Hearnes Center Fieldhouse.
Mizzou track and field continues the 2026 season campaign with the Dr. Rick McGuire Invitational on Jan. 30-31 at Hearnes Center Fieldhouse.
INSIDE THE FIELDHOUSE
Missouri welcomes Indiana State, Louisiana, North Dakota State, Illinois State, South Dakota, FIU, Drake, Saint Louis, SIUE, Washington (Mo.), Gonzaga and Toledo to Hearnes Center Fieldhouse for the event spanning two days.
Before the start of last year's indoor season, the facility's 200-meter track was refurbished with an eight-lane sprint straightaway, along with runways for pole vault and horizontal jumps. Since its opening in 1972, the venue has hosted multiple indoor track and field competitions, including the 1991 Big Eight Indoor Track & Field Championship.
MEET NAMESAKE: DR. RICK MCGUIRE
For nearly three decades, Dr. Rick McGuire served as the face of Mizzou track and field, earning recognition not only for his teams' success on the track but also for his lasting influence in sports psychology and positive coaching. His approach ultimately led to the creation of the nationally recognized Positive Coaching School at MU. He led the women's track and field program from 1983 to 2010 and the men's program from 1988 to 2010. During his time, McGuire coached 143 All-Americans, 100 conference champions, 29 USATF National Team selections, seven NCAA champions, five Olympians, three world champions, two Olympic silver medalists, and three collegiate record holders.
McGuire's athletes included standouts such as Christian Cantwell, a three-time world champion and Olympic silver medalist; Natasha Kaiser, a collegiate record holder, two-time Olympian, and Olympic silver medalist; Derrick Peterson, a collegiate record holder and Olympian; Hans Uldal, an Olympian; Chris Rohr, an All-American and Big 12 record holder; and Pam Page, an Olympian, among many others. A native of New York, McGuire was named Big 12 Conference Indoor Coach of the Year in 2000, the same year he was inducted into the Drake Relays Hall of Fame. Widely respected as a leader and ambassador for the sport, he served as president of the NCAA Division I Track and Field Coaches Association from 2006 to 2009. He also worked as a sport psychology consultant for numerous national teams between 1987 and 1996, including the U.S. Olympic team at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Throughout his career, McGuire placed a strong emphasis on academics, with his teams consistently earning national recognition for excellence in the classroom.
TIGERS ON THE TRACK
46 Tigers are set to compete across the two-day event, the largest group of the 2026 season to represent Mizzou. Sofia Wydra and Brianna Utecht are slated to compete in the pentathlon after Utecht claimed the program's No. 8 and 10 records for 60m hurdles and long jump, respectively, at the Show-Me Showdown.
Sophomore Marlena Tresnjo will contend in the high jump after clearing a personal best and tallying the seventh-best mark on the school charts.
Senior Robert Hines will take on the 60m and 200m, while graduate Dillon Leacock returns to compete in the 400m and 60m hurdles, after notching the program's fifth-best 60m result at the Show-Me Showdown.
Mizzou's distance runners enter the fieldhouse after an eventful cross country season. Allison Newman, Natalie Barnard, Lily Ginsberg and Maleah Eggers will run the mile. Morgan Yeomans will make her Black and Gold debut in the 800m, joining Charlotte Cullen in the event. Suzy Lecoutre, Monica Wanjiku, Kobi Walker, Mirriam Chepkirui and Elissa Barnard will pace the women in the 3000m.
On the men's side, River Hardman, Andrew Simard, Tyler Freiner and Drew Rogers will represent the Tigers in the mile. After taking the victory and breaking his own school record at last year's Southeastern Conference Indoor Championship, Rogers competes in the 3000m along with Elijah Limo, Finn Russell, Joshua Allison, Andrew Hauser, Carter Spradling and Joseph Bariola. Freshman Ethan Zuber and North Carolina transfer Ethan Hogan will make their Tiger debut in the event. Yordanos Zelinski will race in the 5000m for the first time this season.
A team of four Tigers prepares to run in the distance medley relay: Hardman, Leacock, Simard and Hogan.
After strong performances at the Show-Me Showdown, a pole vault squad consisting of Makenna Estes, Allison Geen, Anna Ferguson and Anna Vedral readies to face the Dr. Rick McGuire Invitational.
Delilah Pippen, Ames Burton, Petra Gombas, Reagan Kimrey and Kaitlyn Morningstar will represent the Black and Gold in the weight throw, with Tania Duncan making her season debut.
For the men's weight throw, Sam Innes, Garik Pozecki and Clayton Kamp will face the competition after Innes claimed the event title at the Show-Me Showdown. Kamp will join Sam Albert and Chase Crawford in shot put.
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Players Mentioned
