Audrey J. Walton Track/Soccer Field/Stadium - Track & Field

Considered one of the finest track and soccer facilities in the Midwest, the Audrey J. Walton Track-Soccer Stadium earned the reputation before the building completion in the summer of 1996.

Made possible by Walton's one-million dollar donation in 1996 and dedicated at the Big 12 Conference Track and Field Championships in May of 1998, Walton Stadium is one of the most innovative complexes in the nation, spurring builders of future track complexes to take note.

Built to IAAF specifications and utilizing a Martin ISS-1000 embedded surface, the complex consists of a 400-meter track with eight 48-inch lanes; runways for the long jump, triple jump and pole vault; a large high jump apron with a javelin runway; and multiple rings for the shot put and discus.

Walton Stadium possesses all the amenities that comprise today's top dual-sports facilities in the nation. Sitting on the west side of the track, the stadium serves the track and soccer teams on one side and softball on the other. The softball field was turned to place home plate in the northwest corner, backing it up to the track/soccer venue. This allows all service facilities to play double duty. For example, the entry plaza services both facilities meaning the restrooms, concession stands and ticket booths were not duplicated. There is also a full-size press box to accommodate the media for track, soccer and softball.

In 2005 for the second-annual Audrey Walton Combined Events, Missouri hosted in Walton Stadium the first women's decathlon held in North America. Former K-State heptathlete Austra Skujyte broke the IAAF's newly-ratified World record in the event, scoring 8,358 points.

As the University of Missouri continues to expand its efforts to accommodate its roughly 450 student-athletes, the track and field and soccer teams are both recent beneficiaries. Long awaited by Missouri coaches, athletes and fans, the track complex opened in 1997 and was host of the 1998, 2000, and most recently, the 2002 Big 12 Track and Field Outdoor Championships. In addition, the track facilities will host the 2007 NCAA Mideast Regional with 90 teams descending on Columbia.

One of only a few of its kind in the nation, the stadium was featured in an article in the May 1998 Athletic Business magazine.

Current Audrey J. Walton Stadium records

First Meet: March 28, 1997, high school quadrangular featuring Rock Bridge, Hickman, Mexico, and Fulton Mexico swept the girls and boys team titles.

First Race: High School Girls 4x800-meter relay Rock Bridge's Katie Bihr, Angela Bartels, Erin Graham, and Angie Stobie won in 10:43.02.

First Collegiate Meet: March 29, 1997, Missouri Intercollegiate Meet with CMSU, Florissant Valley, Lindenwood, Lincoln (Mo.), Maryville, Missouri Valley, Park University, and Southwest Baptist as guests was Missouri's first outdoor home meet since 1981.

First Scored Meet: April 12, 1997, inaugural Tom Botts Invitational women: Missouri 82, Minnesota 69, Kansas 39 men: Kansas 74, Penn State 63½, Missouri 62½ dual scoring was used as well.

Elevation: 714 feet

First Track Records:
(bests from Missouri Intercollegiate Meet on March 29, 1997)
WOMEN
100-meter dash: Nicole Britts, Missouri, 13.01
200-meter dash: Jill Aholt, Missouri, 25.96, w: 1.0
400-meter dash: Jessi Saiter, Missouri, 63.93
800-meter run: Rebecca Davis, Missouri, 2:09.27
1500-meter run: Charlene Neptune, unattached, 4:44.11
3000-meter run: Jessica Haremza, Missouri, 9:42.76
100-meter hurdles: Micquell Wallace, 15.45, w: 0.9
400-meter hurdles: Elizabeth Johnston, Missouri, 66.06
4x100-meter relay: Lincoln, 46.19
4x400-meter relay: Missouri, 3:49.73
High jump: Amy Duncan, Missouri, 1.60m, 5-3
Long jump: Jill Aholt, Missouri, 5.43m, 17-9¾
Triple jump: Lindsey Miller, Missouri, 11.36m, 37-3¼
Shot put: Rachel Abbott, Missouri, 12.17m, 39-11¼
Discus: Heather White, Missouri, 44.48m, 145-11
Hammer throw: Heather White, Missouri, 46.24m, 151-8 (was school record)
Javelin throw: Dawn Havel, Park College, 36.66m, 120-3

MEN
100-meter dash: Clayton Baker, Missouri, 10.84, w: 0.9
200-meter dash: Thomas Woods, Missouri, 21.65, w: -0.7
400-meter dash: Javon Dixon, Flo. Valley, 48.20
800-meter run: Derrick Peterson, Missouri, 1:52.18
1500-meter run: John Jackson, Park College, 3:54.97
5000-meter run: Ray Hughes, Missouri, 14:37.50
110-meter hurdles: Andrew Johnson, Missouri Valley, 14.78, w: 1.9
400-meter hurdles: Anderw Johnson, Missouri Valley, 54.49
3000-meter stepplechase: Nate Stroot, CMSU, 9:42.24
4x100-meter relay: Lincoln, 41.27
4x400-meter relay: Missouri, 3:14.13
High jump: Jay Meystedt, Missouri, 2.03m, 6-8
Pole vault: Justin Calame, Missouri, 4.72m, 15-6
Long jump: Leon Hart, Missouri Valley, 7.16m, 23-6
Triple jump: Laevar Anderson, Flo. Valley, 14.92m, 52-2¾
Shot put: Dave Rodley, unattached, 17.73m, 58-2
Discus throw: Dave Rodley, unattached, 54.12m, 177-7
Hammer throw: Judd Price, Missouri, 42.84m, 140-7
Javelin throw: Darin File, Missouri, 61.70m, 202-5

(from Tom Botts Invitational, April 12, 1997)
WOMEN
5000-meter run: Kristen Allen, Missouri, 17:11.62


(from Tom Botts Invitational, April 11, 1998)
WOMEN
3000-meter steeplechase: Katie Meyer, Missouri, 10:51.82
Pole vault: Kim Stewart, Nebraska, 3.05m, 10-0

(from Big 12 Championships, May 15-17, 1998)
WOMEN
10,000-meter run: Jennifer Gruia, Colorado, 35:42.72
Heptathlon: Candy Mason, Kansas, 5571

MEN
10,000-meter run: Saul Lempirikany, Iowa State, 29:39.53
Decathlon: Aaron Hendrichs, Nebraska, 7390

(from Audrey Walton Combined Events, April 15, 2005)
WOMEN
Decathlon: Austra Skujyte, Nike, 8358 (set World record)