Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Runners Set to Compete at Midwest Regional Meet
May 23, 2007 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
Three seniors - Joe Gray, Ryan Ripley and Michael Breshears - will join sophomore Ryan Vail and Daniel Watts in trying to secure a spot at the 2007 NCAA Championships in Sacramento, Calif.
Gray and Breshears each qualified in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Stanford Invitational. Gray, a native of Tacoma, Wash., finished with a time of 8:44.73, bettering his previous personal record by three seconds and moving him into third-place on OSU's all-time steeplechase list. Breshears, a native of Excelsior Springs, Mo., finished with a time of 8:59.61 to earn his second straight trip to the Regional meet.
Gray, who has been a model of consistency ever since he began his college career, will be competing in his fourth Regional meet, including his third since transferring from the University of Portland in 2004.
“Joe goes into this weekend with a great shot at making it to Nationals,” said Cowboy assistant track coach Dave Smith. “He has had a great career where he always seems to show up at the biggest races. He wasn't recruited too heavily out of high school, but he has continued to work his way up to the point where he has become an elite college runner.”
Vail also qualified at the Stanford Invitational. The Gresham, Ore., native finished with a personal best time of 13:52.16, moving him into fifth-place on the school's all-time list. This will be Vail's second straight trip to Regionals.
Watts later became the second Cowboy to qualify for Regionals in the 5,000-meter run at the Stanford Cardinal Invitational. The sophomore from March Cambridgeshire, England, finished with a personal best time of 14:00.81, shattering his previous record by 15 seconds and placing him ninth on OSU's all-time list.
Ripley qualified for his second career Regional meet at the Sooner Invitational. The Ocala, Fla., native finished with a time of 3:47.03 in the 1,500-meter run.
The meet, which will be held at Drake University's Drake Stadium, is set to begin Friday at 1 p.m with Vail and Watts kicking things off for the Cowboys in the 5,000-meter run at 7 p.m.
