Manhattan ? If all goes according to form, Kansas University’s men’s track team will score more points on the opening day of the 2005 Big 12 Conference Outdoor Championships than it did all of last year.

KU junior Benson Chesang, who won the mile at the Kansas Relays and 5K at the Penn Relays, tonight will run the 10,000 meters on the opening day of the championships at Kansas State’s track.

The Jayhawk men, who placed eighth at the 2005 Indoor — KU’s women placed seventh — scored just four points at last year’s Outdoor, placing last. KU’s women placed 10th.

Several other KU athletes are hoping for top-three finishes. Sheldon Battle, who enters ranked first in the shot put and second in discus and hammer, will throw the hammer tonight. Jeremy Mims enters fourth in the 800, Paul Hefferon fifth in the 3,000 and Gavin Ball sixth in the shot.

On the women’s side, Amy Linnen is favored to win the pole vault, ranking with a leap of 13-111/4.

The Nebraska men and Texas women are the defending conference champions.