June 8, 2011

DES MOINES, Iowa - Senior Mike Morrison posted a score of 4,138 points on the opening day of the NCAA Track & Field Championships, setting three outdoor lifetime bests along the way, and stands in fourth place with five more events to go in the decathlon.

Senior Steve Sodaro was the only other Bears to see action Wednesday, and he finished 23rd in the semifinals of the 3000-meter steeplechase in 9:13.38.

Morrison opened his day by scoring 938 points with a time of 10.66 seconds in the 100 meters. With his heat aided by a +2.8 meters per second tailwind, he finished fourth among the 24 competitors in the field. Morrison's effort was just 0.01 second off his PR of 10.65 run at the Texas Relays in April.

In the day's second event, Morrison set a two-inch PR in the long jump, going 24-8.25 on his third and final attempt. He stood in seventh place after two jumps, with a best of 23-6.34 before leaping more than a foot farther on his last try. The result was worth 940 points.

Morrison placed 13th in the shot put, but his mark of 42-8.00 was an outdoor PR, trailing on a 43-4.50 effort he did indoors. His previous outdoor best this season was 40-8.25. However, Morrison struggled in the high jump, clearing only 6-1.50, well below his PR of 6-6.25 and fell from second to sixth place in the cumulative standings.

But in the final event of the day, Morrison rebounded to win his heat of the 400 meters in a time of 48.06, which was third-fastest overall and PR by nearly six-tenths of a second.

Even with his setback in the high jump, Morrison's first-day total of 4,138 points is his highest ever through five events, topping the 4,100 points he scored en route to winning the Texas Relays decathlon with a PR 7,921 points in early April.

Miller Moss of Clemson holds the halfway lead with 4,271 points, followed by Curtis Beach (Duke, 4,206), Michael Ayers (Georgia, 4,169) and Morrison. Twelve of the 24 decathletes in the field scored at least 4,000 points on day 1, compared to just five last year. Morrison stood in fifth place through five events in 2010 with 4,011 points before moving up to second at the end of the 10 events (7,801).

The meet continues through Saturday and will feature three other Bears in the competition. Thursday's events include Morrison's second day of the decathlon, junior Ray Stewart in the heats of the men's 110-meter hurdles and senior Kristen Meister in the women's high jump final. In addition, senior Tracey Stewart will be in the field for the women's triple jump Friday.

NCAA Track & Field Championships
Friday, June 8, 2011 - Des Moines, Iowa

Complete Results

California Results

3000-meter steeplechase (semifinal) - 23. Steve Sodaro 9:13.38

Decathlon (points earned in parentheses
100 meters - 4. Mike Morrison 10.66 (938)

Long Jump - 2. Mike Morrison 24-8.25 (7.52m) (940)

Shot Put - 13. Mike Morrison 42-8.00 (13.00m) (667)

High Jump - 19. Mike Morrison 6-1.50 (1.87m) (687)

400 meters - 3. Mike Morrison 48.06 (906)

Day 1 leaders - 1. Miller Moss, Clemson 4271; 2. Curtis Beach, Duke 4206; 3. Michael Ayers, Georgia 4169; 4. Mike Morrison, California 4138; 5. Gray Horn, Florida 4123