Jayhawks Prepare to Battle Tigers in Track and Field Dual
Jan. 13, 2010
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Kansas track and field will participate in its own version of the Border Showdown on Friday, Jan. 15, when it takes on Missouri in Hearnes Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks will look to avenge last year’s dual meet loss to Mizzou, where the Tigers edged KU with a score of 195-166 in Lawrence.
Last year’s meet marked the first time since 1976 that the two teams battled in a dual competition. The Tigers won the men’s title with a total score of 101-80, while also capturing the women’s crown by a slim eight-point margin (94-86). Missouri holds a 35-17 advantage in the all-time series versus KU.
Nine different Jayhawks, including returning athletes Amanda Miller, Elizabeth Beisner, Kelsey Grimm, Keith Hayes, Jordan Scott and Corey Fuller, won their respective events at the dual last season. Hayes came away with two individual victories in the 60-meter hurdles and 200-meter dash. KU also won both the men’s and women’s 60-meter dash, pole vault and triple jump events.
The Jayhawks have three athletes competing on Friday who have already hit NCAA provisional qualifying standards. Jordan Scott, who was recently named Big 12 Male Athlete of the Week, reached a provisional mark in the pole vault at the Bill Easton Classic on Jan. 8, when he cleared a height 5.20 meters (17-00.25 ft.). Hayes and freshman Mason Finley both met a provisional standard at the Jayhawks’ first home meet on Dec. 5. Hayes ran 7.91 in the 60-meter hurdles, while Finley threw 19.10 meters (62-08.88 ft.) in the shot put.
On the women’s side, the Jayhawks will have a strong vaulting team, as junior-transfers Jaci Perryman and Tara Turnball, as well as Abby Jones, Kate Colvin and Julia Cummings, are all slated to compete. Lauren Bonds (mile) and Amanda Miller (3, 000 meters) will lead the women’s middle distance squad, while sophomore Sasha Cunningham and freshmen Kathryn Lupton, Denesha Morris and Rebecca Neville will be strong competitors in the sprints and hurdle events for KU.
Field events will commence at 1:30 p.m., followed by the track events at 3 p.m., Friday in Columbia, Mo.
Live results of the meet will be availabe on http://flashresults.com/2010_Meets/indoor/MUvsKUDual/
