Jessica Maroszek

Eugene, Ore. ? Kansas University junior Jessica Maroszek placed fourth in the discus Thursday, and KU’s women’s track and field team held onto the lead after two days of the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field.

KU also had one individual and one relay team advance to the finals.

Through five of 21 events, Kansas’ top-ranked women have 22 points. Arizona State is in second with 20 and Arizona a distant third with 11.

Maroszek entered as the No. 5 overall seed. A junior from Seymour, Wis., Maroszek had only two legal throws on the day, but both were over 180 feet. Her better mark was 55.78 meters (183 feet), the second-farthest of her career, in the third round. She added five points to the Jayhawks’ team total.

Maroszek’s placement tied her for the highest NCAA finish by a Jayhawk and garnered her first-team All-America honors for the second time in her career. With Maroszek’s finish, the KU throwers have now combined for 16 of the Jayhawks’ 22 points.

Sophomore Lindsay Vollmer began her Championship week Thursday as she participated in the day-one events of the heptathlon. The Hamilton, Mo., product kicked off the event on a high note as she ran to a lifetime best in the 100-meter hurdles — 13.56 seconds.

She tied her career best in the high jump (1.75 meters, or 5 feet, 83?4 inches), put the shot 11.97 meters (39-31?4) and set a personal record in the 200 in 24.27 seconds.

Though four of seven events, Vollmer is in third overall with 3,569 points. Day Two of the event is today.

In Thursday’s semifinals, KU’s Paris Daniels advanced to her second straight NCAA 200-meter final. Daniels left little doubt in her right to advance when she won her heat handily, crossing the finish in a wind-aided 23.56. The time made Daniels the second-fastest qualifier and earned her a trip to the event final slated for 4:43 p.m. Saturday.

Daniels returned to the track later in the day to help secure the women’s 4×400-meter relay team a spot in the event final. Daniels, Denesha Morris, Diamond Dixon and Taylor Washington qualified fifth overall. That final will be 5:43 p.m. Saturday.

The KU men’s 4×400 relay team was the first team outside the final. DeMario Johnson, Kyle Clemons, Michael Stigler and Kenneth McCuin finished in 3:05.63 to place third in their heat, one spot from a trip to the final.

The meet continues today.