The 2010 Missouri State track and field schedule has been finalized, comprising eight indoor and eight outdoor meets. The schedule features races at the prestigious Drake Relays and Indiana Relays.
For the third-straight year, the Bears open their indoor season with the Missouri Invitational, Jan. 8, in Columbia. Last season, the Bears won four events at the meet, while finishing second in three others. All told, MSU had 17 top-ten finishes.
The season continues with the EIU Mega Meet (Jan. 23), the Indiana Relays (Jan. 29-30), the Mule Relays in Warrensburg, Mo. (Feb. 5) and the Iowa State Classic (Feb. 12-13).
The Bears then head to Cedar Falls, Iowa to face conference foes in the Missouri Valley Conference Championships, Feb. 27-28. The Bears finished third out of eight squads in 2009.
They close their indoor season with the Notre Dame Alex Wilson Invitational (Mar. 5-6) and the Iowa State Last Chance (Mar. 6), before the NCAA National Championships begin Mar. 12, in Fayetteville, Ark.
The Bears will be back in Fayetteville, Mar. 27, for the outdoor season-opener, the Razorback Spring Invitational. From there, the team will stay busy with races in Cape Girardeau, Mo., (Joey Haines Invitational) on Apr. 2-3, and in Oxford, Miss., (Ole Miss Invitational) on Apr. 10.
The 101st Drake Relays (Apr. 22-23) will be the Bears' fifth event of the season. Last spring in Des Moines, Terry Phillips (Kansas City, Mo.) set a school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, 10:19.45, while finishing second.
The Missouri Valley Conference Championships will be run May 14-16, in Normal, Ill. Missouri State finished fourth in last season's championships.
For those runners who qualify, the NCAA West Regionals (May 27-29) will be run in Austin, Texas, with Eugene Ore. hosting the National Championships June 9-12. The USA National Champions will be in Des Moines, Iowa, June 23-27.
