Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears track and field
| Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears track and field | |
|---|---|
| University | Missouri State University |
| Head coach | Jordan Fife |
| Conference | C-USA |
| Location | Springfield, Missouri |
| Outdoor track | Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium |
| Nickname | Bears and Lady Bears |
The Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears track and field teams are the track and field programs that represents Missouri State University. The Bears and Lady Bears compete in NCAA Division I as a member of the Conference USA. The teams are based in Springfield, Missouri, at the Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium.[1]
The program is coached by Jordan Fife.[2] The track and field program officially encompasses multiple teams because the NCAA considers men's and women's indoor track and field and outdoor track and field as separate sports.[3]
The Bears men's teams were cut in 2006 following the outdoor track and field season, leaving only the women's teams since then.[4] The cuts were announced in December 2005 as part of an initiative to save US$350,000 to $500,000.[5][6]
Heptathlete Tracy Partain is the program's highest finisher at the NCAA championships, placing runner-up at the 2006 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.[7][8]
Postseason
AIAW
The Lady Bears have had five AIAW All-Americans finishing in the top six at the AIAW indoor or outdoor championships.[9]
| AIAW All-Americans | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Championships | Name | Event | Place |
| 1973 Outdoor | Marti Adams | 4 × 440 yards relay | 3rd |
| Vicki Malin | |||
| Mary Gunn | |||
| Mary Phyl Dwight | |||
| 1976 Outdoor | Carol Cook | Mile run | 6th |
| 1976 Outdoor | Carol Cook | Two miles | 5th |
NCAA
As of August 2025, a total of 2 men and 4 women have achieved individual first-team All-American status for the team at the Division I men's outdoor, women's outdoor, men's indoor, or women's indoor national championships (using the modern criteria of top-8 placing regardless of athlete nationality).[10][11]
| First team NCAA All-Americans | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Championships | Name | Event | Place | Ref. |
| Women's | 1992 Outdoor | Dedra Davis | Long jump | 5th | [12] |
| Women's | 1995 Outdoor | Melinda Sallins | 400 meters hurdles | 5th | [13] |
| Women's | 1996 Outdoor | Melinda Sallins | 400 meters hurdles | 8th | [13] |
| Women's | 1997 Indoor | Michelle Baptiste | Long jump | 7th | [14] |
| Women's | 1999 Indoor | Verneta Lesforis | 4 × 400 meters relay | 8th | [15][1] |
| Juliet Pommells | |||||
| Mashere Harrison | |||||
| Augustina Charles | |||||
| Women's | 1999 Outdoor | Juliet Pommells | 4 × 400 meters relay | 5th | [16] |
| Augustina Charles | |||||
| Trudi Garrett | |||||
| Verneta Lesforis | |||||
| Men's | 2000 Outdoor | Gregory Hughes | Triple jump | 6th | [17] |
| Men's | 2001 Outdoor | Gregory Hughes | Triple jump | 8th | [17] |
| Men's | 2002 Indoor | Justin Alberts | 4 × 400 meters relay | 7th | [18] |
| Ryan Smith | |||||
| Jamial Rolle | |||||
| Alexis Roberts | |||||
| Men's | 2006 Indoor | Fabian Florant | Triple jump | 6th | [19] |
| Women's | 2006 Outdoor | Tracy Partain | Heptathlon | 2nd | [20] |
See also
- Category:Missouri State Bears track and field athletes (2)
- Category:Missouri State Lady Bears track and field athletes (5)
References
- ^ a b "Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears Media Guide" (PDF). Missouri State University Athletics. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears Track and Field Coach". Missouri State University Athletics. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Here are the differences between the indoor and outdoor track seasons". ncaa.com. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Former Track Bears Represent Home Nations in Rio". missouristatebears.com.
- ^ "Missouri State dropping five sports at end of school year". The Kansas City Star. 17 December 2005. p. 36. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
- ^ "MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY December 16, 2005". missouristate.edu.
- ^ "A novice no more". Springfield News-Leader. 9 June 2006. p. 21. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ^ "Partain second at NCAAs". Springfield News-Leader. 11 June 2006. p. 33. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ^ Hubbard, Mike; Pfeifer, Jack. "The early years of Women's collegiate track" (PDF). Track and Field News. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
- ^ "USTFCCCA InfoZone: Meet History by Event: NCAA Division I Indoor Championships". USTFCCCA. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "USTFCCCA InfoZone: Meet History by Event: NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships". USTFCCCA. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Long jump at the NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
- ^ a b "400 meters hurdles at the NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
- ^ "Long jump at the NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
- ^ "4 × 400 meters relay at the NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
- ^ "4 × 400 meters relay at the NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA. Retrieved 28 December 2024. "Track and Field News NCAA Outdoor w4x4" (PDF). Track and Field News. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Triple jump at the NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
- ^ "4 × 400 meters relay at the NCAA Division I Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
- ^ "Triple jump at the NCAA Division I Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
- ^ "Heptathlon at the NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships". USTFCCCA. Retrieved 28 December 2024.