Oklahoma State University Athletics
Game Notes: Cross Country Hosts Cowboy Jamboree
September 27, 2012 | Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
Sept. 27, 2012
STILLWATER -
2012 Cowboy Jamboree
September 29, 2012 | OSU Cross Country Course | Stillwater, Okla.
The Basics
The Oklahoma State cross country teams return to action after a three-week hiatus Saturday when they compete in the annual Cowboy Jamboree at the OSU Cross Country Course in Stillwater. The women's junior college and college 5,000-meter race begins at 8:00 a.m. while the men's junior college and college 8,000m race begins at 8:35 a.m. The women's university 5,000m race begins at 9:00 a.m. and the men's 8,000m race will follow at 9:45 a.m.
The No. 2 Cowboys will suit up 15 runners for the 8,000m race. They will go head-to-head with 21 teams, including No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 20 Tulsa. This will be senior Girma Mecheso's final Cowboy Jamboree.
The No. 23 Cowgirls will run 12 women in the 5,000m race against 18 teams. This will be the final time that senior Jackie Campos will compete in front of her home crowd.
OSU Competitors
Men- 8,000m race begins at 9:45 a.m.
Fabian Clarkson - Sophomore
Kevin Colón - Redshirt sophomore
Kirubel Erassa - Sophomore
Brian Gohlke - Redshirt freshman
Shadrack Kipchirchir - Junior
Joseph Manilafasha - Junior
Girma Mecheso - Senior
Taylor Monaghan - Redshirt Junior
Shane Moskowitz - Redshirt Sophomore
David Osborn - Redshirt sophomore
Neal Smith - Sophomore
Nick Thorp - Redshirt sophomore
Justin Vilhauer - Redshirt freshman
Zach Wills - Redshirt freshman
Bryan Wilson - Junior
Women-5,000m race begins at 9:15 a.m.
Paige Barnes - Freshman
Jackie Campos - Senior
Caileigh Glenn - Sophomore
Ruth-Anne Hadjis - Junior
Victoria Hanna - Junior
Adela Hofmannova - Freshman
Monika Juodeskaite - Sophomore
Kate Kujawa - Senior
Monica Lake - Freshman
Taylor Light - Sophomore
Samantha Nightingale - Freshman
Chelsey Phoebus - Redshirt freshman
Competing Schools
University Men - 9:45 a.m.
Abilene Christian
Cameron
Colorado Mines
Friends
Harding
Iowa Central CC
Missouri Southern
North Texas
Nova Southeastern
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Baptist
Oklahoma Christian
Oklahoma State
Oral Roberts
Stephen F. Austin
TAMU-Commerce
Texas Christian
UTEP
Wayland Baptist
Western State
Wichita State
College Men - 8:35 a.m.
Allen County CC
Arkansas-Fort Smith
Bacone
Colby CC
Cowley County CC
Dallas Baptist
East Central
Evangel
Friends
Incarnate Word
Iowa Central
Kansas Wesleyan
Langston
Lubbock Christian
McMurry
Northwestern Oklahoma
Oklahoma Christian
Our Lady of Lake
Preston High School
Rogers State
Southern Arkansas
Southern Nazarene
Southwestern (Kan.)
Southwestern Christian
St. Gregory's
St. Mary's
Texas Wesleyan
West Texas A&M
University Women - 9:00 a.m.
Abilene Christian
Colorado Mines
Dallas Baptist
Harding
Missouri Southern
Missouri State
North Texa
Nova Southeastern
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Oral Roberts
Southeastern Oklahoma
Stephen F. Austin
TAMU-Commerce
UTEP
Western State
Wichita State
College Women - 8:00 a.m.
Allen County CC
Arkansas-Fort Smith
Bacone
Central Oklahoma
Colby CC
Crowley County CC
East Central
Eastern New Mexico
Evangel
Friends
Incarnate Word
Iowa Central CC
Kansas Wesleyan
Langston
Lubbock Christian
McMurry
Northwestern Oklahoma
Oklahoma Baptist
Oklahoma Christian
Our Lady of the Lake
Rogers State
Southern Arkansas
Southern Nazarene
Southwestern (Kan.)
Oklahoma
St. Gregory's
Texas Wesleyan
Wayland Baptist
West Texas A&M
Last Time Out
Both teams are coming off strong performances at the Hurricane Festival in Tulsa, Okla., on Sept. 1. The Cowboys took the top seven spots and finished the dual meet portion, 4-0. Redshirt junior Taylor Monaghan finished in first-place overall with a time of 20:35. Meanwhile, the Cowgirls finished the dual portion 5-0, and junior Victoria Hanna placed fourth overall with a time of 11:19.
OSU in the Polls
The Cowboys open the 2012 campaign ranked No. 2 in the U.S.
Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll directly behind
Wisconsin. The Pokes are No. 1 in the Midwest Region, edging out Oklahoma for the top spot. Meanwhile, the Cowgirls moved up to No. 23 nationally this week and No. 2 in the Midwest Region, behind Iowa State.
From Coach Dave Smith
On the Cowboy Jamboree and what it means to both teams:
"This is our first chance to really go out and run hard as a team and get a look at where we are as a team. We're going to go out there and push the pace early and control the race as much as possible. I'm excited for it. In my mind, this is when the cross country season starts. From here on in, the races come quicker. This is the exciting part of the season because we're competing and looking forward to every weekend. For us, the season really starts on Saturday."
On the men's team:
"This is the first time anyone in the top seven will actually run, so I'm excited to see where they are. We're not going to run everybody, but we're going to run most of the team. Hopefully, we'll win this meet. We've won it several years in a row now so we're looking to keep that string alive."
On the women's team:
"We ran a race at Tulsa earlier in the year, but it's short distance, so this is first chance to run a 5k and really go out and run hard and run the whole team. We're going to rest one or two women but everyone else will run."
Three Straight?
Both teams enter Saturday trying to win the Jamboree for the third-straight year. The Cowboys will attempt to take home first-place for the fifth time in the last six years.
Team Finish
The Cowboys have won the Cowboy Jamboree 17 times since the start of the competition and 11 times since 1957, when the current race format was implemented.
The Cowgirls have won the Jamboree seven times since the women began competing in 1977.
Olympic Level
In the last 15 years, 10 athletes - seven men and three women - who have run in the Jamboree have gone on to compete in the Olympics. Of those athletes, only Sally Kipyego from Kenya earned a medal, receiving silver in the 10,000m at the 2012 London Olympics.
Individual Champions
An OSU woman has been the individual champion nine times since 1977. Meanwhile, a Cowboy has been named individual champion 14 times since 1937.
