After a three hours and 15 minute weather delay, the first day of competition was completed this evening at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Ark.  Missouri State sophomore Terry Phillips ran a time of 10:29.16 to finish 20th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championship.

Phillips’ time is her third fastest time of the season and the fourth fastest all-time at Missouri State.  Her 20th-place finish is the best-ever by a Missouri State runner in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Division I Championship.  Last season, Jamie Vest finished 26th in the steeplechase at the national meet.

Phillips caps off a phenomenal season in which she set the Missouri State school record in the steeplechase at 10:19.45.  She earned the automatic bid to the Championship meet on the strength of her fifth-place finish at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championship.  She earned All-MVC honors during the indoor season in the mile run and 5,000-meter run, in the 3,000-meter steeplechase for the outdoor season and for her cross country performance.  She was also named All-Midwest Region in cross country last fall.  She was named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete team with a 4.00 GPA in Biochemistry and received the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week honor for the week of April 6-12.

The 2009 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championship continues through June 13 at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Ark.