Boulder, Colo. – Competition on the first day of the Big 12 Track and Field Championships featured a potent Aggie javelin squad that scored 23 points in one of three women’s finals held on the opening day at Potts Field.

The Texas A&M women, defending Big 12 champions, hold a 24-20 lead after day one over Kansas State. Nebraska is third with 18 points, followed by Iowa State (16), Missouri (12), Texas Tech (10), Oklahoma State (6), Kansas (6), Oklahoma (3), and Baylor (2).

Jessica Wingfield, a senior, claimed runner-up honors in the javelin for the second consecutive year with a mark of 161-8 (49.27).

“Today was really exciting,” Wingfield said. “I got most of my goals out here. I wanted to throw 50 meters (164-0), but I was right up on my season best of 162-0. It’s good to come out here with so many people in this event and get the team started off right.

Wingfield led a 2-3-4-5 finish by Texas A&M in the javelin behind the winning effort of 182-10 (55.73) by Nebraska’s Kayla Wilkinson, who bettered the meet record of 179-7 (54.75) set by A&M’s Katy Doyle in 2004.

“It was good to compete on the first day,” Wingfield added. “Last year we didn’t throw until the final day and had to wait around the hotel for four days. To compete on the first day and have the success we did as a group was really exciting.”

Aggie sophomore Hillary Pustka placed third with a toss 160-3 (48.84) as freshmen Laura Asimakis (157-8 / 48.07) and Emalie Humphreys (157-4 / 47.97) finished fourth and fifth. Humphreys set a career best mark, improving on her 155-10, and becomes the No. 11 performer on the A&M all-time list.

Sarah Balfour added the other point earned by the Aggies on Friday, placing eighth in the 10,000 meters with a time of 37:23.64. Iowa State’s Lisa Koll won the race in 35:59.28. Also running the final for Texas A&M were Elizabeth Slaughter (16th – 38:25.72) and Brenna Williamson (20th – 39:05.71).

Sarah Pierson completed the first day of the heptathlon with 3,003 points and is currently tied for fourth place. Nebraska athletes occupy the top three positions in the multi-event, with Megan Wheatley leading the field with 3,407 points. Pierson is tied with Kansas State’s Annika Schoenebeck.

Meanwhile, Trinity Otto experienced an up and down day with the decathlon. He completed the five events with a score of 3,892 and is currently in sixth place. Missouri’s Nick Adcock leads the field of 14 with a score of 4,164.

Otto’s day started off really well as he posted the top time in the 100 meters, clocking 10.65 for 940 points. In the long jump, though, two fouls preceded a third round mark of 20-8 (6.30) for 652 points.

Recovering in the shot put, Otto produced his best mark of the season as he reached a distance of 42-2 ¼ (12.86) for 659 points. Then in the high jump a clearance of 6-6 (1.98) established a personal best for Otto and 785 points. He closed out the day with a 49.12 clocking in the 400 meters for 856 points.

Just missing out on the finals of the women’s javelin were Hali Henderson (136-2 / 41.51) and Ilsa Rodriguez (129-3 / 39.40) as they placed ninth and 10th, respectively.

Deidre Tarver hit a career best distance on her first attempt in the hammer. A mark of 171-5 (52.26) opened her series. That mark makes her the No. 2 performer in A&M history. Two fouls followed as Tarver placed 11th in the field of 16 throwers.