University of Missouri
NCAA Outdoor Championships - Regional
Jacobs and Thames Punch Tickets to NCAA Championships at West Preliminary
5/26/2017 7:58:00 PM | Track & Field
Jacobs sets the school record the discus, Thames to make second NCAA Championships appearance
AUSTIN, Texas – Mizzou Track & Field qualified two more student-athletes for the NCAA Championships on Friday at the NCAA West Preliminary, bringing its two-day total to five entries. Redshirt sophomore Gabi Jacobs (Bloomington, Ill.) punched her ticket to Eugene in historic fashion, setting the school record in the discus, while senior Valerie Thames (Milwaukee, Wis.) secured her spot in the 400m hurdles.
Following a foul on her first toss, Jacobs posted a throw of 58.23m (191-0) with her second throw to break Kearsten Peoples' 2014 mark of 57.31m (188-0). The Tiger sophomore entered the year with the third-best discus mark in program history and proceeded to reset her personal record four times over the course of the season, including an SEC Championship two weeks ago where she threw 56.58m (185-7.5). Jacobs will be making her first NCAA Championships appearance in Oregon.
Thames clinched her spot in Eugene by clocking the 12th-fastest time in the 400m hurdles quarterfinals at 59.09, the final qualifying spot. Prior to the race, Thames advanced to the 100m hurdles quarterfinals after finishing second in the fifth heat with a time of 13.28. She will be making her second NCAA Championships appearance in Eugene after earning All-America status a season ago by finishing 16th in the 100m hurdles.
In the women's 200m dash, senior LaQuisha Jackson (Chattanooga, Tenn.) advanced to the quarterfinals after finishing sixth in her heat and 21st overall with a time 23.43. Earlier in the day, Jackson just missed out on qualifying for Eugene after finishing 17th in the 400m dash quarterfinals with a time of 53.67.
Mizzou will finish up competition at the NCAA West Preliminary on Saturday, with field events beginning at 1 p.m. CT and track events at 6 p.m. CT. Two-time NCAA Champion and SEC Outdoor Champion in the 5000m run, junior Karissa Schweizer (Urbandale, Iowa) will toe the start line in the 5K at 8:05 p.m. CT.
For all the latest on Mizzou Track & Field, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (MIZ_TrackField).
Track Results
200m Dash, Women – 21. LaQuisha Jackson, 23.43q (W – 2.1)
400m Dash, Women – 17. LaQuisha Jackson, 53.67
100m Hurdles, Women – 13. Valerie Thames, 13.28Q
400m Hurdles, Women – 12. Valerie Thames, 59.09q
3000m Steeplechase, Men – 31. Sheldon Keence, 9:25.02
Field Events
High Jump, Women – 24. Karissa Roman, 1.74m (5-8.5)
Discus, Women – 5. Gabi Jacobs, 58.23m (191-0)q PR, SR
Players Mentioned
