Oklahoma State University Athletics
OSU Track Sends Seven to NCAA Championships
June 04, 2012 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
June 4, 2012
STILLWATER, Okla. - The Oklahoma State track and field program is sending seven athletes to compete at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which will be hosted by Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 6-9.
Representing the men will be Girma Mecheso in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters, German Fernandez in the 1,500 meters, Fabian Clarkson in the 3,000 meter steeplechase and Nick Miller in the hammer throw.
For the women, Natalja Piliusina will run the 1,500 meters, Kate Kujawa will run the 3,000 meter steeplechase and Toni Young will compete in the high jump.
The Competitors
Fabian Clarkson, 3,000 Meter Steeplechase - Ran an 8:46.72 in the 3,000 meter steeplechase to place second at the Big 12 Championships. That time ranked 16th in the NCAA during the regular season & is sixth all-time at OSU.
German Fernandez, 1,500 Meters - Big 12 runner-up ran a 3:43.70 in the 1,500 meters, which ranked No. 45 nationally during the regular season. Fernandez won the 1,500 meter national title as a true freshman in 2009.
Girma Mecheso, 5,000 Meters and 10,000 Meters - Owns the No. 7 time in the NCAA in the 10,000 meters after running a school record 28:16.97 at the Payton Jordan Invitational. Also owns the No. 9 time nationally in the 5,000 meters of 13:34.83, which he set at the Stanford Invitational.
Nick Miller, Hammer Throw - Set the school record in the hammer throw of 67.06 meters/220-00 at the John McDonnell Invitational. That mark ranks seventh nationally and fourth in the world for junior athletes. He won the Big 12 title in the hammer throw.
Kate Kujawa, 3,000 Meter Steeplechase - Ran a personal-best 10:25.01 in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the NCAA West Preliminary rounds. That time is fifth all-time in OSU history.
Natalja Piliusina, 1,500 Meters - Owns the top 1,500 meter time in the NCAA this season after she clocked a 4:09.51 at the Payton Jordan Invitational. She also claimed her fourth-straight Big 12 championship in the 800 meters.
Toni Young, High Jump - Set a school record in the high jump of 1.86 meters/6-01.25 at the Big 12 Championships, where she placed second. That effort is tied for fourth in the NCAA.
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. After posting a jump of six feet, one and 1/4 inches at the Big 12 Championships, Toni Young is just a quarter of an inch away from being automatically qualified to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials at the end of June.
OSU in the Polls
With the release of the final poll, the Cowboys enter the NCAA Outdoor Championships ranked No. 32, while the Cowgirls are ranked No. 36. 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.
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 set the school record, but has since broken it when she jumped six feet, one and 1/4 inches at the Big 12 Championships, where she placed second. That mark is currently tied for fourth in the NCAA.
Freshman Phenom
Freshman thrower Nick Miller has had an incredible run so far in his first season on campus. The Carlisle, United Kingdom, qualified to compete for an individual national championship in the hammer throw after placing fourth at the NCAA West Preliminary rounds. He won the individual Big 12 title in the hammer throw, which capped a string of five-straight victories. He also had a streak where he increased the distance of his throw four straight times, including setting the school record at 220 feet at the John McDonnell Invitational on April 20. That mark currently ranks No. 7 in the NCAA and ranks fourth in the world for junior (under 20) athletes.
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 19 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: Ralph Havenstrite - 47.52m/155-11 - 1915 Interclass Track Meet)
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 - 1.86m, 6-01.25 - Big 12 Championships
(Old Record: Michelle Crowson - 1.81m, 5-11.25 - 1987 Ralph Higgins Meet)
From Coach Dave Smith
"Like always, I'm hoping to go in and run our best races latest in the year. I'm hoping everybody has their best meet of the year at the national championships. So far, it's gone pretty well with people peaking at the end of the year and doing well at the end. We'll see more of that. We have some people that have a shot at some national titles. It would be good for them and good for our program if we win a few titles and have some people scoring points."
