(Tennessee Athletics) -- Tennessee's sophomore decathlete Michael Ayers leads the Scott Hartman decathlon with 3,844 points after winning three of five events Wednesday at the Sea Ray Relays. Redshirt freshman Matthew Best finished the day in third place with 3,411 points.

Ayers has a 182-point lead on Pat Woods of Ohio State. The NCAA provisional qualifying point total is 6,900.

“Michael had a solid first day,” Tennessee head coach Bill Webb said. “His goal for this meet is to post an NCAA qualifying mark, and he’s going to need to have a good day tomorrow to do that, but he got off to a good start.”

Ayers opened the day with a lifetime-best clocking of 10.86 to win the 100m. He followed that performance with a leap of 6.77m (22-2-.5) in the long jump, again finishing ahead of the entire field.

In the third event of the day, he posted a shot put mark of 12.73m (41-9.25) to finish second. The high jump saw Ayers post the second-highest clearance in the group with a final height of 1.92m (6-3.5). He finished the day with a time of 50.09 in the 400m to win that event as well.

Best, who is competing in his first collegiate decathlon, opened the day with an 11.18 clocking in the 100m and a 6.47m (21-2.75) mark in the long jump, finishing fourth in both events. He fell to fifth in the shot put, posting a mark of 11.02m (36-2).

In his final two events, he tied a lifetime-best clearance at 1.89m (6-2.25) in the high jump to finish third in the group and clocked a time of 53.82 in the 400m to finish fourth.

The decathlon concludes with the 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1,500m competitions Thursday beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET. Individual events begin Friday at 12:15 p.m.

TENNESSEE RESULTS

Decathlon Day One

1. Michael Ayers Tennessee 3,8844
2. Pat Woods Ohio State 3,662
3. Matthew Best Tennessee 3,411

Decathlon: 100 Meter Dash

1. Ayers, Michael Tennessee 10.86 892
4. Best, Matthew Tennessee 11.18 821

Decathlon: Long Jump

1. Ayers, Michael Tennessee 6.77m 22-02.50 760
4. Best, Matthew Tennessee 6.47m 21-02.75 691

Decathlon: Shot Put

1. Woods, Pat Ohio State 13.35m 43-09.75 689
2. Ayers, Michael Tennessee 12.73m 41-09.25 651
5. Best, Matthew Tennessee 11.02m 36-02.00 547

Decathlon: High Jump

1. Woods, Pat Ohio State 2.01m 6-07.00 813
2. Ayers, Michael Tennessee 1.92m 6-03.50 731
3. Best, Matthew Tennessee 1.89m 6-02.25 705

Decathlon: 400 Meter Dash

1. Ayers, Michael Tennessee 50.09 810
4. Best, Matthew Tennessee 53.82 647