Ballner Earns First Conference Title on Final Day of Big 12 Championships

Friday, May 11

WACO, TX

Oklahoma State University

Big 12 Outdoor Championships

Ariane Ballner wins her first Big 12 individual title.

Ballner Earns First Conference Title on Final Day of Big 12 Championships

May 13, 2018 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track, Cowgirl Cross Country & Track

Final Results

WACO, Texas — Oklahoma State track and field's Ariane Ballner earned her first Big 12 title in the 1,500 meters in 4:28.89 on the last day of the Big 12 Outdoor Championships.

Ballner is just the sixth Cowgirl in school history to win a conference title in the event. This also marks the fourth-straight year a woman has won the 1,500-meter run, dating back to 2015.

"It was awesome," Ballner said. "Molly (Sughroue) and I wanted to go one-two and that's exactly what happened."

Teammate Sughroue crossed the line in 4:31.01, despite trouble two-thirds of the way into the race. She tripped and fell with 500 meters to go, but surged back in the final 100 meters to stand beside Ballner on the podium.

"That was such a fantastic race," women's middle distance coach Cody Halsey said. "It was awesome to see everybody come together and work as a team. This was a really fun conference meet."

The Big 12 Championships also produced a 4x400-meter relay school record. The women's quartet of Amira Coleman, Nicolette Dixon, Ambra Wesley and Stephanie Ferrante earned the fastest time in OSU history in 3:37.02. The previous record was set at the Mt. Sac Relays in 1997.

"It was awesome," volunteer sprints coach Rodney Burkes said. "It was because they did what they had to do for the next person and not themselves, and look what happened."

Shortly after, the men's 4x400-meter relay squad earned a regional-qualifying time in the final race of the three-day meet. The quartet crossed the line in 3:07.97 for its fastest time of the season and sixth place.

In the men's 1,500 meters, three Cowboys scored in the event. Ashenafi Hatte, Alec Haines and Garrett Calhoun earned nine points overall for the team, while Hatte was a half-second off the stadium record in the event.

Two freshmen also made an impact on the podium for the Cowboys, as Isai Rodriguez and Kevin Mulcaire scored for the Cowboys in their first outdoor season at OSU. Rodriguez took third in 14:35.22, while Mulcaire earned sixth in 14:46.35.

The women's middle-distance duo of Sinclaire Johnson and Kaylee Dodd scored seven points for the Cowgirls, running the two-fastest times by the Cowgirls in 2018 in the event. Johnson placed fifth in 2:04.73, while Dodd crossed in 2:05.32.

Texas transfer Blake Scott had his best series of 2018 in the pole vault, clearing 5.28m/17-3.75. His mark slots him in sole possession of fifth overall in OSU outdoor history.

Ireland native Emily Rogers continued her climb up the OSU record books on Sunday. Rogers cleared a personal record 1.72m/5-7.75 in the high jump to move up to a tie for fourth-best in school history, sharing the spotlight with former Cowgirl jumper Misty McMillian.

Also on the runway, triple jumper Ryan Roane leapt to her first conference finals. Roane soared 12.26m/40-2.75 for the best mark in the event by a Cowgirl in 2018, finishing ninth and narrowly missing out on her first All-Big 12 honor.

As a whole, the women's squad placed eighth with 43 points. The Cowboys concluded the meet in ninth with 50 team points.

For most of the Pokes, the outdoor season is over. But for those who qualified for regional action in Sacramento, competition resumes May 24-26.

Big 12 Outdoor Championships | May 13, 2018 | Waco, Texas

OSU Results

Men

400-Meter Hurdles
8. Calahan Newsome – 52.82

1,500 Meters
4. Ashenafi Hatte – 3:47.07
6. Alec Haines – 3:49.30
8. Garrett Calhoun – 3:53.99

5,000 Meters
3. Isai Rodriguez – 14:35.22
6. Kevin Mulcaire – 14:46.35
17. Bryce Quigley – 15:15.44
22. Jorge Perez – 15:22.34
--. Owen Krewson – DNF
--. Sylvester Barus – DNF

Pole Vault
7. Blake Scott – 5.28m/17-3.75

Discus
11. Torrey Hickel – 47.53m/155-11

4x100-Meter Relay
6. Oklahoma State Team A – 40.29
            Givens, Cotton,
            Jackson, Fincham-Dukes

4x400-Meter Relay
6. Oklahoma State Team A - 3:07.97
            Donyinah, Singleton,
            Green, Jackson

Women

800 Meters
5. Sinclaire Johnson – 2:04.73
6. Kaylee Dodd – 2:05.32

1,500 Meters
1. Ariane Ballner – 4:28.89
2. Molly Sughroue – 4:31.01

5,000 Meters
18. Taylor Somers – 17:54.60
24. Katherine Ruck – 18:27.58

High Jump
9. Emily Rogers – 1.72m/5-7.75

Triple Jump
9. Ryan Roane – 12.26m/40-2.75 (+3.4)

4x100-Meter Relay
6. Oklahoma State Team A – 46.16
            Harris, White,
            Lewis, Hart

4x400-Meter Relay
4. Oklahoma State Team A – 3:37.02
            Coleman, Dixon,
            Wesley Ferrante

Final Team Scores

Men
1. Texas Tech – 165 pts.
2. Texas – 117
T3. Kansas – 101
T3. Kansas State - 101
5. TCU – 76
6. Iowa State – 75
7. Oklahoma – 71
8. Baylor – 63
9. Oklahoma State – 50

Women
1. Kansas State – 135
2. Texas – 131
T3. Baylor – 109
T3. Kansas – 109
5. Oklahoma – 105
6. Texas Tech – 92
7. Iowa State – 65
8. Oklahoma State – 43
9. West Virginia – 17
10. TCU – 10