Three Jayhawks Compete at Day One of NCAA Championships

Junior Sheldon Battle finished ninth in the weight throw Friday.

March 11, 2005

FAYATTEVILLE, Ark. -

Three student-athletes from the University of Kansas track and field teams competed at day one of the 2005 NCAA Indoor Championships, Friday at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayatteville, Ark.

Junior Sheldon Battle placed ninth in the weight throw with a toss of 68-01.50. Battle will return to action tomorrow in the shot put.

Junior Charisse Bacchus, who broke the Kansas record in the long jump the last two weeks, finished 10^th in the event with a mark of 20-00.50.

Senior Jeremy Mims also competed on day one in the preliminary rounds of the 800-meter run. Mims automatically qualified for the NCAA Indoor meet last weekend when he broke Jayhawk legend Jim Ryun's record in the event with a time of 1:47.04. Mims had the eighth best preliminary time today of 1:49.41 and will compete in the finals Saturday at 6:45 p.m.

For his efforts this season, Thursday night Mims was named the Most Outstanding Male Athlete in the Midwest by the United States Track Coaches Association.

"Jeremy (Mims) will refocus tonight and be ready for tomorrow," Kansas head coach Stanley Redwine said. "Sheldon (Battle) wanted to finish higher but had a few technical problems. He will come back and finish strong in the shot put tomorrow," Redwine added.

KU will have five competitors in action on Saturday. Battle will compete in the shot put and Mims will race in the finals of the 800-meter run. Senior Brooklyn Hann will compete in the triple jump, while the dynamic pole vaulting duo of senior Amy Linnen and freshman Ekaterina Sultanova will compete at 5:30 p.m.

"If our athletes go in and compete to their best abilities tomorrow, I know we will do well," Redwine added.

Friday's Results