Oklahoma State University Athletics
Ndibilo Has Big Day for Cowgirls at Track Championships
May 18, 2002 | Track O
May 18, 2002
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Oklahoma State's men's and women's track and field teams continued in the second day of the Big 12 Championships at Audrey J. Walton Track Stadium in Columbia, Mo.
The Cowgirls landed three in the finals of the 1,500-meter run. Freshman Valentina Medina finished second in her heat and automatically qualified for the finals tomorrow. Junior Alexandra Lindquist finished third in the same heat and qualified by having one of the next four fastest times. Senior Siri Alfheim also made the finals by having one of those four times. The finals will be tomorrow at 2:35 p.m.
Freshman Melissa Ndibilo became the first Cowgirl to score by finishing third in the long jump with a personal best distance of 19 feet, 06.75 inches. Ndibilo qualified for the finals with a jump of 18-05 and used her second jump of the finals to put her in third place.
"This feels good. I have been ready to jump far. I am just glad it happened today, " Ndibilo said.
"She should have been jumping this far all along. She is a 19 foot long jumper and not an 18 foot jumper," senior long jumper Stephani Duff said.
"We have just witnessed the changing of the guard. Ndibilo came in as our third best long jumper. She stepped up to the challenge. Third place for a freshman at this meet is a phenomenal feat," assistant coach Clint Whitaker said.
"I knew after her first jump she would do well. She had that look of determination that said she was ready to perform her best for Oklahoma State," assistant coach Kim Whitaker said.
Duff was in the competition and landed a jump of 18-03. She finished ninth in last year's meet at Texas A&M with a jump of 19-06. Freshman Paula Ogunbanjo tied Duff for 11th place with a jump of 18-03. Austra Skujyte of Kansas State won the event with a jump of 20-02.25.
Sophomore Matt Thomson had the misfortune of running in the fastest heat in the 800-meter run. His time of one minute, 51.08 seconds was the sixth fastest time in the prelims, but failed to qualify him for the finals.
Ndibilo's points moved the Cowgirls into eighth place in the team score, while the Cowboys remained in sixth place.
The championships will conclude tomorrow after the 4x400 relay.
