Oklahoma State University Athletics

Cowboys Headed to Big 12 Championships
May 13, 2009 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
STILLWATER, Okla. – The Oklahoma State men's track and field team is set to compete in the 2009 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships this weekend at Texas Tech's Terry and Linda Fuller Track in Lubbock, Texas.
Oklahoma State is sending its top performers to the meet, including eight athletes who have hit NCAA regional qualifying marks this season.
Among those athletes is the junior world record holder in the indoor mile; freshman standout German Fernandez. Fernandez, who won the mile and 3,000 meters individual titles at the 2008 Big 12 Indoor Championships, will compete in the 1,500 meters for the first time in his collegiate career, as well as the 5,000 meters, where he hit a school record and regional qualifying time of 13:31.78 earlier this season.
John Kosgei, who claimed the 5,000 meters individual title at the 2008 Big 12 Indoor Championships, will join Fernandez in both events. Kosgei will also be running the 1,500 meters for the first time this season. He is also a regional qualifier in 5,000 meters, running a time of 13:49.65 at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational.
The 5,000 meters should be a strong event for Oklahoma State, for six of the Cowboys competing have hit regional qualifying time this year. In addition to Fernandez and Kosgei, senior standout Ryan Vail, Colby Lowe, Sean Fleming and Matt Barnes-Smith have all beaten the 14:12.00 mark this season.
Another Cowboy runner to keep an eye on is David Chirchir, who looks to be competitive in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, where he placed sixth at the 2008 Big 12 Outdoor Championships. Chirchir has easily qualified for the regional in the event, finishing in 8:55.13 at the Stanford Invitational. He will also compete in the 5,000 meters for the first time this season.
The fourth event Oklahoma State is scheduled to compete in is the 10,000 meters, where Vail, Barnes-Smith, Alejandro Ruiz and Clay Mayes are set to run. Ruiz, the only one of these athletes who has competed in the event this year, hit an NCAA championship provisional qualifying mark earlier this season.
The meet is scheduled to begin with the decathlon at 11 a.m. Friday and conclude with the team championship presentations at 9:45 p.m. Sunday. The Cowboys' events are scheduled as follows:
Friday
10,000-Meter Run Final: 9 p.m.
Saturday
1,500-Meter Run Prelim: 6:20 p.m.
Sunday
3,000-Meter Steeplechase Final: 6:05 p.m.
1,500-Meter Run Final: 6:30 p.m.
5,000-Meter Run Final: 9:05 p.m.
2009 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships
1,500-Meter Run
German Fernandez
John Kosgei
Brad McNiff
Tucker Weems
Brian Gosnell
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
David Chirchir
Alejandro Ruiz
5,000-Meter Run
Ryan Vail
John Kosgei
David Chirchir
Matt Barnes-Smith
Brad McNiff
Clay Mayes
Tucker Weems
Marshall Summa
Ryan Lusk
Brian Gosnell
10,000-Meter Run
Ryan Vail
Alejandro Ruiz
Matt Barnes-Smith
Clay Mayes