Missouri
Yellow Jacket Invitational
Track and Field Opens Outdoor Season With Day One of Yellow Jacket Invitational
3/20/2026 10:00:00 PM | Track & Field
The Tigers achieved nine personal bests on the first day of competition in Atlanta.
ATLANTA, Ga. – Mizzou track and field kicked off the 2026 outdoor campaign with the first day of the Yellow Jacket Invitational, hosted by Georgia Tech, on Friday at George C. Griffin Track and Field complex.
TOP TIGERS
Senior Skylar Ciccolini was the highlight of the day, claiming the victory in women's javelin with a personal best of 57.45m (188-6), besting her previous No. 3 all-time record for MU.
RECAP
Four of the top five javelin finishers belonged to the Black and Gold. National champion Valentina Barrios entered the new season with a second place result, marking 55.06m (180-8). Morgan Cannon and Marysa Flieg followed in fourth and fifth with respective throws of 47.87m (157-0) and 46.98m (154-1).
The women's hammer throw squad came out strong, with all five Tigers placing within the top-ten margin. Senior Petra Gombas led the group in third, throwing 56.81m (186-4). Reagan Kimrey and Kaitlyn Morningstar went four-five, respectively, with results of 53.98m (177-1) and 52.31m (171-7). Delilah Pippen and Tañia Duncan joined Morningstar in tallying personal bests. Pippen notched seventh with a 49.83m (163-6) and Duncan earned 10th after throwing 46.69m (153-2).
Junior Garik Pozecki opened the outdoor campaign with a personal record of 61.72m (202-6) in hammer throw to take sixth place. Clayton Kamp followed in 10th with a 54.60m (179-1).
In the men's shot put, Missouri's group of three filled out the top-five on the leaderboard. Chase Crawford finished second with a 17.26m (56-7 ½) and Sam Albert took third with a personal best of 16.62 (54-6 ½). Kamp ended his second event of the day in fifth, throwing 15.64m (51-3 ¾).
In her outdoor debut as a Tiger, Brianna Utecht took third in women's long jump with a 5.57m (18-3 ¼) and sixth in the 100m hurdles with a 14.06. Freshman Sofia Wydra joined Utecht in the latter, crossing the finish line in 15.71 to place 20th.
Houston transfer Dillon Leacock secured fourth in the men's 110m hurdles with a 14.54, his first time ever racing in the event.
Senior Brianna Lee scored a personal record of 4:31.21 in the women's 1500m, good for 11th place. Natalie Barnard took 23rd in 4:38.39, her event debut. Elissa Barnard started the outdoor season with a personal best of 4:44.47 to finish 34th.
On the men's side, three Tigers earned top-ten results for the 1500m. Andrew Hauser clocked a 3:50.52 to establish seventh, with North Carolina transfer Ethan Hogan running a personal best of 3:50.61 for eighth. River Hardman followed in ninth with a 3:50.76.
FRIDAY RESULTS
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FRIDAY, MARCH 20 – YELLOW JACKET INVITATIONAL Atlanta, Ga. |
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FIELD EVENTS |
Place-Athlete-Mark | Notes (PR = personal record / FR = facility record) |
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Hammer Throw (M)
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6th – Garik Pozecki – 61.72m/202-6 | PR 10th – Clayton Kamp – 54.60m/179-1 |
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Hammer Throw (W)
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3rd – Petra Gombas – 56.81m/186-4 4th – Reagan Kimrey – 53.98m/177-1 5th – Kaitlyn Morningstar – 52.31m/171-7 | PR 7th – Delilah Pippen – 49.83m/163-6 | PR 10th – Tañia Duncan – 46.69m/153-2 | PR |
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Shot Put (M)
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2nd – Chase Crawford – 17.26m/56-7 ½ 3rd – Sam Albert – 16.62m/54-6 ½ | PR 5th – Clayton Kamp – 15.64m/51-3 ¾ |
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Long Jump (W)
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3rd – Brianna Utecht – 5.57m/18-3 ¼ |
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Javelin Throw (W)
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1st – Skylar Ciccolini – 57.45m/188-6 | PR | 3rd all-time at Missouri 2nd – Valentina Barrios – 55.06m/180-8 4th – Morgan Cannon – 47.87m/157-0 5th – Marysa Flieg – 46.98m/154-1 6th – Val Galligan – 46.76m/153-5 7th – Lexi Craig – 44.34m/145-6 10th – Taylor Ciccolini – 41.18m/135-1 13th – Nora Hark – 37.48m/122-11 |
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RUNNING EVENTS |
Place-Athlete-Mark | Notes (PR = personal record / FR = facility record) |
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110m Hurdles (M) |
4th – Dillon Leacock – 14.54 |
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100m Hurdles (W) |
6th – Brianna Utecht – 14.06 20th – Sofia Wydra – 15.71 |
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1500m Run (M)
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7th – Andrew Hauser – 3:50.52 8th – Ethan Hogan – 3:50.61 | PR 9th – River Hardman – 3:50.76 12th – Yordanos Zelinski – 3:53.43 15th – Joseph Bariola – 3:54.87 19th – Andrew Simard – 3:55.82 |
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1500m Run (W) |
11th – Brianna Lee – 4:31.21 | PR 23rd – Naralie Barnard – 4:38.39 34th – Elissa Barnard – 4:44.47 | PR |
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5000m Run (M) |
11th – Yordanos Zelinski – 14:57.17 20th – Joseph Bariola – 15:14.30 24th – Ethan Hogan – 15:22.53 |
UP NEXT
The Tigers close out the final day of the Yellow Jacket Invitational Saturday, with events beginning at 11 a.m.
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Players Mentioned
