CANYON, Texas— All three Colorado Mesa University Maverick heptathletes fared best in a discipline during the first day of the Jo Meaker Classic & Multi, which got underway with the first day of the women's heptathlon and men's decathlon on Thursday here at West Texas A&M University Track & Field Complex.

Freshman Atahlia Mills is in fifth place in the 15-woman field with 2,730 points while fellow Kaitlyn Pearson is ninth with 2,682.  Both are making their collegiate heptathlon debuts.

CMU  junior Katie Thomson, a returning Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference silver medalist, is in 12^th place with 2,490 points.

Mara Andritsch of the host Lady Buff program is leading by 131 points with 2,937 first day points.

Mills started her day with a winning and wind-aided time of 14.65 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles, matching her time from six days ago en route to victory in that event at the Maverick Invitational.

She then finished second behind Pearson in the 200 meters to close out the day.  Pearson led the field with a time of 25.35 seconds while Mills, running the same heat, was second in 25.43.

In between, Mills cleared 1.53 meters (5 feet, 0 ¼ inches) in the high jump, tied for fourth best in the field, before recording a shot put mark of 7.06 meters (23-2).

Pearson was fourth in the hurdles with a time of 14.95 seconds and cleared 1.47 meters (4-9.75) in the high jump, tied for sixth best.  She then finished 14^th in the shot put portion of the competition with a throw of 7.87 meters (25-10).

Thomson won the shot put with a heave of 11.49 meters (37-8.5).  She had times of 16.27  and 27.26 seconds in the hurdles and 200 meters, respectively.  She also cleared 1.38 meters (4-6.25) in the high jump, getting over the initial bar before going out at the second height.

Friday's portion of the meet will get underway at 10 a.m. CDT (9 a.m. Mountain) in the women's javelin throw while the heptathlon will resume at 1 p.m. CDT (Noon Mountain).