COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri women’s track and field team is ranked No. 15 in the nation in the first poll of the outdoor season, the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Association announced on Tuesday.
This marks the first time since the 2023 season that the women were ranked or in the top 15. The No. 15 ranking is the team’s highest in the week one poll in history and marks the third time the Tigers have appeared in the first outdoor rankings since the USTFCCCA poll began tracking weekly rankings in 2008.
The Tigers’ first two weekends of competition were highlighted by freshman Monica Wanjiku. Within her first collegiate race, Wanjiku set the third-fastest 10,000m time in the nation. Her result is also the best in the Southeastern Conference in the event by over two minutes and 20 seconds. She stands second in school history and as the second-fastest freshmen in the event nationally, finishing in 32:21.97.
Valentina Barrios collected her third win in javelin as a Missouri Tiger at the Battle on the Bayou meet. The junior took first in the event with a throw of 52.93m. The result marked the third-best throw in the second week of the outdoor season nationally and the best in the conference. She stands eighth in the country and fourth in the SEC in women’s javelin.
On the first day at the Battle on the Bayou, four Tigers posted personal bests, including Reagan Kimrey (51.48m, 168-10) and Kaitlyn Morningstar (50.25m, 164-10) in the hammer throw. Claudina Diaz led the way on the second day, earning first place in the women’s high jump, with Kristi Perez-Snyman finishing just behind her. In the women’s discus, Ames Burton secured second place with a personal-best throw of 54.72m (179-06), while Kimrey (46.08m, 151-02) and Tañia Duncan (44.27m, 145-03) also set new individual records.
At the Raleigh Relays, Rahel Broemmel and Wanjiku delivered historic performances, with Broemmel finishing ninth in the 5,000m (15:50.11), the third-fastest time in school history. Kobi Walker also set a career-best in the 5,000m (16:32.06). At the Battle on the Bayou, McKenna Revord hit a new best in the 1,500m (4:31.07), rounding out a strong weekend for the Tigers across both meets.
The Tigers continue their third week of outdoor competition in Oxford at the Joe Walker Invite on Friday and…
CLICK HERE to Read the Full Original Article at University of Missouri Athletics…