Multiple Mizzou Track & Field athletes have been with the University for four plus years, but a few stood out in their careers the most in my eyes.
Sam Innes
Innes is an absolute star on and off the track. After watching him at several indoor home meets this year, I was struck by the positive energy and encouragement he consistently brought to his teammates.
Beyond his ability to support his team, Innes’s career rose to the top in 2025 when he set the school record in the weight throw at 22.98m at the Bob Teel
Invitational. He also won at the Cougar Classic, Virginia Challenge and was No.13 at the NCAA Championships.
This year, his talent has not gone unnoticed. Innes claimed a top three weight throw in program’s history during the Missouri Invitational and Show-Me Showdown. Innes also won the weight throw event at the Dr. Rick McGuire Invitational and placed No.10 overall at the Tyson Invitational.
“I’ve definitely become more confident, but I feel like I got these marks I need to hit in my head, so I reach for those and it should be fun to try and get those,” Innes said.
Drew Rogers
From Rogers’ stellar cross country career to his time with track & field, he has always been a consistent team leader, warmly praising his peers. On the field, one of his career highs for indoor track occurred when he set the school record in the 3000m at the Tyson Invitational with a record-breaking time of 7:56.00.
“[Elijah Limo] is the hardest worker on the team and no one has more heart than that kid,” Rogers said at the 2025 Pre-National Invitational. “He’s a beast and I love training with him because he pushes me every day and it’s a healthy competition, we’re always happy for each other, we’re pushing long runs together.”
Soon after, he set the school’s 5000m record at the SEC Championships and won the SEC title in the 3000m, breaking his record by 2.39 seconds with a time of 7:53.61 in 2025. This year, Rogers claimed a new school record in the 3000m at 7:49.00, continuing off his past year’s success.
Allison Newman
Allison Newman’s indoor and outdoor track & field career has been full of surprises. Last year during her indoor season, she won the mile at the Bob Teel Invitational in a personal best time and the ninth best mile time in school history.
On top of that, Newman took No.10 at the SEC Championships during the distant medley race with her teammates in 2025. So far this season, Newman has continued to show-off her talent, placing second in the mile at the Dr. Rick McGuire Invitational and second in her heat at the Valentine Invitational.
“It’s been almost a long time, almost five years,” Newman said. “There’s been a lot of team changes, but I think the biggest thing I’ve enjoyed is just seeing how much everyone can grow.”
Valentina Barrios
With the indoor season nearing its finale, Barrios is ready to step into the spotlight. Last year, Barrios dominated the javelin season with multiple victories, including tiles at the Battle on the Bayou, Cougar Classic and Virginia Challenge.
She secured a school record throw of 58.20m and captured the program’s first ever national title in the javelin at the NCAA Championships with a personal best of 62.00m, the fifth best mark in women’s collegiate history.
Internationally, she represented Columbia and claimed gold at the U23 Pan American Games in Luque, Paraguay, and qualified for the World Athletics Championships. She placed No.11 in the world and was the second-youngest athlete on the field.
Anna Vedral
Vedral’s pole vaulting journey has been a site for sore eyes. Last year, she won the pole vault at the Alexis Jarret Invitational and placed second at the Show-Me Showdown.
This year, she won the Alexis Jarret Invitational, Show-Me Showdown and placed second at the Missouri Invitational. Vedral transferred from the University of Kansas during the 2025 season and has been a star ever since.
“So it’s my fifth year, so I’m done after this and me and coach Bryce sat down and we talked about it, and I told him, ‘It’s my last year, so I just want to go as aggressive as I can. I’d rather go down failing, but knowing, I tried everything I could, so I told him to be extra aggressive this year.’ We’ve definitely done that,” Vedral said.
Robert Hines
Hines put together an outstanding indoor campaign last year, highlighted by a personal best of 6.74 seconds to win the 60m at the Show-Me Showdown. This marked the fourth-fastest time in program history.
At the same meet, he clocked a personal best in the 200m and finished third. This year, Hines came back with speed and won his first 60m race of the season and the 60m dash at the Missouri Invitational.
“Part of me is ready, ready to be done, but part of me knows, once I’m finished, like, that’s it. I can’t go back,” Hines said. “Yeah, so I don’t know. I’m just trying to stay in the moment and be grateful and thank God for where I’m at.”
Other Standout Athletes
Other athletes not mentioned are Dillon Leacock, a dynamic sprinter and hurdler, along with weight throwers Ames Burton, Tania Duncan and Petra Gombas, all of whom have put together fantastic careers. In addition, several of our women’s javelin throwers are set to make a strong impact as the outdoor season begins.
Garik Pozecki etched his name into the record books this season with a top-10 program mark at the Missouri Invitational, while Yordanos Zelinski captured the men’s mile title at the same meet. Zelinski also proved himself, earning a No. 20 ranking in the mile at the Tyson Invitational.
With the indoor season coming to an end, it felt right to give them a proper farewell before the outdoor season began.
On a happy note, the Tigers will race in the SEC Championships Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 26-28 at College Station, Texas.
