Edwards Runs Top-10 All-Time Mark

Friday, February 10

Seattle

Oklahoma State University

Husky Classic

Josh Thompson's 3:56.89 is the second-fastest mile time in OSU history

February 11, 2017 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track, Cowgirl Cross Country & Track

Thompson Leads Cowboys in Seattle

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State senior Kaela Edwards clocked a 4:28.75 in the Women's Wanamaker Mile for the seventh-fastest time in NCAA history Saturday at the Millrose Games in New York to headline a huge day for OSU.

The defending NCAA women's mile champion finished sixth in a field of mostly professionals and was the highest finishing collegiate runner with her personal best 4:28.75.

"It was really fun to run at that level and hold my own against all of those pros," Edwards said. "I had some bigger goals going into the race, but a four second PR and a time that's top-10 in collegiate history is pretty good. Competing in something like this is only going to make me better, and it was great to be a part of that."

The time improves her school record by four seconds and leads the NCAA this season by nearly a second, ahead of Elinor Purrier who finished eighth in the same race.

"It was awesome," coach Dave Smith said. "4:28 is really fast and it was kind of a weird race. The rabbit was supposed to go out in 64 and we had planned for her to kind of stay back because that might have been a little quick for her, but the rabbit ended up going 67.

"In the right race, I think she could have gotten closer to that record," Smith said. "She went out in 2:16 and closed in about 2:11 and that's hard to do in a race like that."

It was her second collegiate all-time top-10 mark of the year as she set the women's 1,000-meter record of 2:40.79 back in January.

Across the country in Seattle, three Cowboys clocked sub-four minute miles with senior All-American Josh Thompson leading the charge with a personal best 3:56.89.

Thompson finished third overall behind Olympic silver medalist Evan Jager and 2008 Olympian Lopez Lomong, but was the top collegiate finisher in the event and moved to second on the school's all-time record list.

He jumps into the top-five in the NCAA with the time in his first open mile of the season.

English international Matthew Fayers and senior All-American Craig Nowak also crossed the line in under four minutes with Nowak winning heat five in 3:59.98 for his first ever sub-four minute mile.

"We keep saying we want one new guy to break four every year, and this year it was Craig's turn," Smith said. "He was in the B race and they went out in 2:03, so he had a lot to do in that last 400, but he got it done - just barely - but he got it done. It was awesome and he's now in that elite club of sub-four minute milers."

Fayers finished sixth overall in the competition with a personal best 3:58.53, which keeps him at eighth in school history. He was the fourth-best collegian in the race and climbs into the top-15 in the NCAA in 2017.

"This was a big breakthrough for [Fayers]," Smith said. "It might not have been a huge PR, but I think it's good for his mindset and I think he's got a faster one in him this year."

OSU joins Syracuse, Michigan and Colorado as the only programs to produce three sub-four minute miles this season.

Cowgirl sophomore Kaytlyn Larson ran a seven-second personal best in the mile, finishing the race in 4:47.19 and finishing 28th in the event at Dempsey Indoor.

Molly Sughroue was the highest-finishing Cowgirl in the mile, running a 4:44.13 and finishing 18th. Jennifer Celis finished 20th in 4:44.47.

All three Cowgirl milers put themselves near the top of the conference in the mile with two weeks to go until the Big 12 Championships in Ames, Iowa.

Abbie Hetherington topped her indoor 800-meter personal best by two seconds with a 2:07.72. She took 10th in the competition and was the third-best collegian in the group. The time moves her from 10th to third in the conference and 31st in the NCAA.

On the men's side, Tre'Tez Kinnaird's 1:50.77 got him fifth in heat six and moved him into the Big 12's top-10.

Last year, Kinnaird won the Big 12 indoor 800-meter title and took third at the outdoor conference championships in the 800.

Big 12 Cross Country Runner of the Year Hassan Abdi out-kicked a stacked 3,000-meter heat and smashed his personal best by 18 seconds with an 8:00.84.

The men's and women's 4X400-meter relay teams both had top-10 times in school history at the Tyson Invitational in Arkansas.

The Cowboy quartet's 3:11.87 was the sixth-fastest time in school history and the Cowgirls' time of 3:43.24 was the third-best indoor time by an OSU women's relay team.

Amira Coleman's second-leg split of 55.21 would have been the third-fastest time by a Cowgirl in an open 400, and Ambra Wesley split 55.42 a day after clocking a personal best in the 400 of 56.50.

The men's team won their heat against the likes of Missouri, Kentucky and Colorado, and the Cowboys' time was the fastest regular season 4X400-meter relay mark since 1984.

Also in Arkansas, Katie Kehl had a season best throw of 14.28m/46-10.25 feet in the shot put, and Malik Givens clocked the fourth-fastest 200-meter dash in OSU history with his 21.80 that earned him 24th in the loaded field at the Tyson Invitational.

OSU's next scheduled events will be the team's last of the regular season before the squad heads to Ames for the conference championships Feb. 24.

Millrose Games | Feb. 11, 2017 | New York

Women's

NYRR Wanamaker Mile
6. Kaela Edwards – 4:28.75

Tyson Invitational | Feb. 11, 2017 | Fayetteville, Ark.

Women's

200 Meters
37. Lexie Lewis – 25.05
39. Kira White – 25.16
43. Summor Fields – 26.01

3,000 Meters
4. Gintare Zenkeviciute – 10:06.55
5. Natalie Baker – 10:10.73

Shot Put
10. Ieva Zarankaite – 14.44m/47-4.5
12. Jocelen Ruth – 12.66m/41-6.5
16. Katie Kehl – 14.28m/46-10.25

4X400-Meter Relay
11. Oklahoma State Team A – 3:43.24

Men's

200 Meters
24. Malik Givens – 21.80
33. Tyler Jackson – 22.14
--. Anthony Grogan Jr. – DQ

3,000 Meters
3. Brigham Hedges – 8:31.34

4X400 Meter Relay
9. Oklahoma State Team A – 3:11.87

Husky Classic | Feb. 11, 2017 | Seattle, Wash.

Women's

800 Meters
10. Abbie Hetherington - 2:07.72
15. Kaylee Dodd – 2:08.26
16. Chelsea Jarvis – 2:08.79
22. Ariane Ballner - 2:10.42
26. Sinclaire Johnson - 2:11.15
46. Haley Geissler – 2:15.42

Mile
18. Molly Sughroue – 4:44.13
20. Jennifer Celis – 4:44.47
28. Kaytlyn Larson – 4:47.19

3,000 Meters
11. Aurora Dybedokken – 9:25.23
15. Anna Boyert – 9:40.62

4X400-Meter Relay
8. Oklahoma State Team A – 3:53.60
12. Oklahoma State Team B – 3:59.28

Men's

800 Meters
14. Tre'Tez Kinnaird – 1:50.77
19. Bradley Johnson – 1:51.80
33. Ryan Wheatley – 1:52.88
37. Heinrich van Niekerk – 1:53.33

Mile
3. Josh Thompson – 3:56.89
6. Matthew Fayers – 3:58.53
9. Craig Nowak – 3:59.98
63. Sukhi Khosla – 4:12.43

3,000 Meters
13. Hassan Abdi – 8:00.84
25. Sylvester Barus – 8:07.96
43. Ryan Smeeton – 8:12.99
67. Anthoney Armstrong – 8:22.65
69. Elliot Bowker – 8:24.02
82. Christian Liddell – 8:28.05
101. Noah Gade – 8:45.31

4X400 Meter Relay
7. Oklahoma State Team A – 3:21.20