Oklahoma State University Athletics
OSU Track Heads To Big 12 Championships
May 09, 2012 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
May 9, 2012
STILLWATER, Okla. - The Oklahoma State track and field program will travel to Manhattan, Kan., to compete at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships on May 11-13 at the R.V. Christian Track Complex on the Kansas State campus.
On the men's side, OSU will have 19 athletes competing in seven different events, while the women will feature 14 athletes competing in 10 different events.
Last Year at the Big 12 Championships
OSU brought home two individual Big 12 Championships, as Tom Farrell ran a 3:43.95 to win the 1,500 meters and Natalja Piliusina won the 800 meters after clocking a 2:05.57. Joining Piliuina as an all-Big 12 performer for the Cowgirls was Clarissa Andrews, who placed seventh in the triple jump with a 43 foot, 1/4 inch effort. Raul Botezan and Johnathan Stublaski each earned all-Big 12 honors after placing seventh and eighth in the 1,500 meters, respectively. Botezan ran a 3:49.62, while Stublaski posted a 3:50.25. Taylor Buck also earned all-Big 12 recognition with a sixth-place finish in the high jump after jumping six feet, nine inches.
Chasing the Olympic Dream
Cowboy Tom Farrell ran a blistering 13:15.31 in the 5,000 meters at the Payton Jordan Invitational on April 29, earning him an Olympic "A" Standard, which gives him a strong chance to represent his native Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic Games. Cowgirl Natalja Piliusina ran a 4:09.51 in the 1,500 meters at the Payton Jordan, which is just .61 seconds off of the Olympic "B" standard. If she is able to shave off the fractions of a second, she would be able to represent her home country of Lithuania in the upcoming Olympics. Cowgirl Toni Young also impressed at the Payton Jordan Invitational, recording a mark of six feet, one half inch in the high jump. If she can post a jump of six feet, one inch, she is automatically qualified to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials at the end of June.
OSU in the Polls
After an incredible showing by OSU at the Payton Jordan Invitational on April 29, both the men's and women's teams made jumps in the national rankings. The Cowgirls jumped an astounding 32 spots to No. 34, while the men jumped ahead six spots to No. 36. The rankings for both teams did not change in the most recent poll released Tuesday, May 8.
Among the Nation's Elite
OSU track and field athletes own 16 marks that rank among the top 50 nationally, including six inside the top 10:
No. 1 Women's 1,500 Meters - Natalja Piliusina - 4:09.51 - Payton Jordan Inv.
No. 4 Women's High Jump - Toni Young - 1.84m/6-00.50 - Payton Jordan Inv.
No. 7 Women's 800 Meters - Natalja Piliusina - 2:04.01 - Stanford Inv.
No. 7 Men's 10,000 Meters - Girma Mecheso - 28:16.97 - Payton Jordan Inv.
No. 8 Men's Hammer Throw - Nick Miller - 67.06m/220-00 - John McDonnell Inv.
No. 10 Men's 5,000 Meters - Girma Mecheso - 13.34.83 - Stanford Inv.
From Hoops to High Jump
Oklahoma State women's basketball star Toni Young, who has career averages of 11.3 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game and 1.1 blocks per game and is in the top 10 in six career statistical categories, has joined the track team as a high jumper. In just her second outing with team, Young's jump of 6-00 1/2 set the OSU school record and currently ranks tied for fourth among collegiate athletes and 30th in the world.
Freshman Phenom
Freshman thrower Nick Miller has had an incredible run so far in his first season on campus. The Carlisle, United Kingdom, native increased his distance in the hammer throw in each of the first four meets he competed at during the outdoor season. He currently owns the school record with a 220-foot effort at the John McDonnell Invitational on April 20. That effort also ranks eighth nationally and fourth among junior (under 20) athletes. He has placed first in the hammer at each of the past four meets he's competed in.
Rewriting the Record Books
The 2012 outdoor track and field season has resulted in some of the best marks in Oklahoma State history. In just this season, the Cowboys and Cowgirls have claimed a total of 15 spots on the all-time top-10 performance lists, including five school records:
Outdoor School Records Set in 2012:
Men's 5,000 Meters - Tom Farrell - 13:15.31 - Payton Jordan Inv.
(Old Record: German Fernandez - 13:25.46 - 2009 USATF, Eugene)
Men's 10,000 Meters - Girma Mecheso - 28:16 97 - Payton Jordan Inv.
(Old Record: Colby Lowe - 28:45.91 - 2011 Stanford Invitational)
Men's Hammer Throw - Nick Miller - 67.06m/220-00 - John McDonnell Inv.
(Old Record: Nick Miller - 66.88 meters - 2012 John Jacobs Invitational)
Women's 1,500 Meters - Natalja Piliusina - 4:09.51 - Payton Jordan Inv.
(Old Record: Mihaela Susa - 4:13.08 - 2010 Mt. SAC Relays)
Women's High Jump - Toni Young - 1.84m, 6-00.50 - Payton Jordan Inv.
(Old Record: Michelle Crowson - 1.81m, 5-11.25 - 1987 Ralph Higgins Meet)
From Coach Dave Smith
"This is the championship part of the season and this is the time when racing and competing counts more than time or height or distance. I just want to see people get in, compete and fight for every place: do the best they can and try to win Big 12 Championships. We have a bunch of people poised to score, which is top eight. On the men's side, I'd like to see us get in the top half of the conference. We haven't done that since the (Lyndon) Johnson Administration, probably, so I'd like to that happen. For the women, I'd like to see us improve on where we were at (the Big 12 Indoor Championships). We have several women that can compete for titles, and hopefully we can come out with a few individual titles. If enough athletes can score some points here and there, we can have a really respectable showing."
