The University of Missouri gave its track and field athletes a thrill when it opened the doors to reveal to its runners, jumpers, and throwers a renovated Hearnes Center Fieldhouse Track and Field Facility in August. Behind the doors wasn't just a new coat of white paint on the walls to brighten up the place but a new black and gold 200-meter, 6-lane banked track.
Along with the new Mondo surface oval was an 8-lane sprint straightaway, two elevated horizontal jumps runways, one elevated pole vault runway and pit, a high jump pit, and throwing rings. The track has a 21-meter radius and a 12-degree bank on the turns.
While the overhaul to the facility wasn't a surprise to the athletes, social media posts revealing the renovations came as shocking news to many outside the program as there hadn't been a mention of an update, and one can't be found online before the late August reveal.
However, a closer look shows the University partnered with Kansas City-based architecture firm Populous in July of 2023 "to configure a comprehensive facilities master plan that would impact every Mizzou sports program and feature sequential construction projects to address current facility needs." That plan was presented to the board of curators in November of 2023 and seems likely to have included the indoor track and field renovation.
Another clue a renovation was coming should have been the fact the Tigers' longtime elevated pole vault runway, made by former Monroe City High School and Mizzou All-American and now Battle High School coach Brian Hancock and his father, the late Dennis Hancock, was up for sale last year.
Mizzou won't waste any time in breaking the new digs in. They will host five consecutive meets, beginning with Saturday's Alexis Jarrett Invitational.
The meet's namesake is the first woman hired to coach three of eight new sports Mizzou was sponsoring after the passage of Title IX. Alexis Jarrett was the first-ever women's basketball, softball, and track coach at the University of Missouri for the 1974-75 school year. According to Mizzou Magazine, she coached basketball for one season, softball for two, and track for three before leaving to be closer to her ailing mother. Jarrett got the ball rolling for so many women who have put on the black and gold for Missouri in the last 50 years.
Mizzou has invited women of the first Missouri track and field teams to Saturday's meet to celebrate them along with Jarrett in the 50th year of the program for the women.
Alexis Jarret Invitational, Saturday, January 11
Show-Me Showdown, Friday, January 17
Bob Teel Invitational, Saturday, January, 25
Dr. Rick McGuire Invitational, Friday-Saturday, January 31-February 1
Missouri Invitational, Friday, February 7
The weight throw will kick off the field events at 9:00 a.m., while the running events will start after the national anthem at 2:55 p.m.
There is no cost for spectators, who can use the East entrance and park in Lot M, East and South of the Hearnes Center.
While area college athletes can be excited about a fantastic new venue to compete in, so can high school athletes. Hopefully, there will be a regular opportunity in upcoming indoor seasons to compete for high school athletes at the renovated Hearnes Center. However, there is one unique chance for some to compete this season. Come back to MileSplit as we give you all the unpublished details on that next week!