Missouri State senior Tracy Partain is in second place after Friday's first four events of the heptathlon at the NCAA Division I Track and Field Championship in Sacramento, Calif. She has totaled a score of 3,516 and trails the leader, Jacquelyn Johnson of Arizona State, by only 10 points. Washington State's Julie Pickler and Diana Pickler are tied for third place with 3,451 points.

Partain, a former Springfield Parkview High School athlete, started the heptathlon off with a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 13.69. She tied for fourth in the high jump, clearing a personal-best height of 5-08.75. In the third event, the shot put, Partain placed 13th with a throw of 38-02.00. In the final competition of the day, the 200-meter dash, Partain finished second in 24.43.

The final three events of the heptathlon, the long jump, javelin throw and 800-meter run, will take place on Saturday, June 10, with the first event, the long jump, scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

Partain won the heptathlon at the 2006 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Championship with a score of 5,756. Her score set a new MVC all-time record, MVC Championship meet record and a new Missouri State varsity record. Her total also ranked her third in the NCAA, second in the United States and 15th in the world heading into the NCAA Championship meet. Partain was unbeatable in the event at the Valley Championship, capturing first place in all seven contests. The multi-event specialist placed 10th in the pentathlon with 4,017 points at the 2006 NCAA Division I Indoor Championship, marking a new school record.