University of Hawai'i's Annett Wichmann won the shotput yesterday and was in eighth place after the first day of the heptathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the University of Arkansas' John McDonnell Field at Fayetteville, Ark.

Nia Ali of Southern California leads with 3,663 points after the first four events, followed by Minnesota's Liz Roehrig (3,651) and Michigan's Bettie Wade (3,601).

Wichmann, a senior from Jena, Germany, set a first-day school record with 3,397 points, 10 points better than her total at the 2007 NCAA Championships and 95 points better than last year's NCAA Championships, where she compiled a school record 5,670 points.

Wichmann opened yesterday's competition with a season-best time of 14.62 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles, placing 23rd overall.

She tied a personal best in one of her stronger events — the high jump — by clearing 5 foot 10 (1.78 meters) to tie for third and moving up to 10th place.

Wichmann moved up to fourth overall after putting the shot 45 feet, 2 1/4 inches (13.77 meters), her second best throw of the season. Wade was second with a 44-6 1/4.

In her final discipline of the day, Wichmann was 24th in the 200 in a seasonal-best 26.28 seconds.

The heptathlon concludes today with the long jump, javelin, and 800-meter run.

Wichmann, whose strongest event is the javelin, finished sixth at last year's NCAA Championships.

Also competing today are UH junior Amber Kaufman and senior Emily Sheppard. Both advanced to the high jump final Wednesday.

Kaufman is ranked second nationally.

UH's last track and field champion was Gwen Loud, who won the long jump in 1984.