Oklahoma State University Athletics
OSU Track & Field Prepares For Indoor Slate
December 11, 2013 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
Dec. 11, 2013
STILLWATER -
Men's Track Preview
Key Points
-- Nick Miller returns, having finshed in the NCAA top 10 in both the indoor weight throw and outooor hammer throw in 2012.
-- OSU returns All-Americans Nick Miller, Kirubel Erassa, Tom Farrell, Tyler Payton and Shadrack Kipchirchir.
-- OSU has a brand-new multimillion dollar track and field facility, which will be used in the 2013 season.
It wasn't just a big year in cross country in 2012, OSU found success on the track as well. On the indoor track, the OSU men placed eighth at the NCAA Indoor Championships for their third-highest team finish in school history and the highest since 1984.
Looking from the perspective of individual success, seven different Cowboys combined for nine All-America honors. Sophomore Nick Miller became the first Oklahoma State thrower ever to win a Big 12 indoor title and the first OSU thrower ever to earn indoor All-America recognition and both Shadrack Kipchirchir and Miller set school records. Kipchirchir's 13:38.57 in the 5,000 meters topped Colby Lowe's previous school-best 13:45.01 from 2010 and Miller just breaks his own school records at this point.
Miller didn't just impress in the indoor season, he kept the momentum rolling to the outdoor season. Miller was the most consistent and dominant hammer thrower in 2012. He broke the 70-meter barrier more than the rest of the nation combined (five times), and had the top mark in the NCAA. He also broke his own school record four times on his way to finishing ninth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. OSU throws coach John Baumann said Miller isn't close to being done.
“I think he can improve on both marks and performances from last year,” Baumann said. “He has a great opportunity in front of him. He has a chance to better both his indoor and outdoor marks at the NCAA meet. For a guy who is already an All-American in each, that's pretty special.”
Returning with Miller are indoor and outdoor All-Americans Kirubel Erassa and Tom Farrell.
Erassa put together a huge indoor season, which culminated in him taking third place in the 3,000 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships. He was step for step with winner Lawi Lalang before having his jersey tugged on by an opponent, who was disqualified. Erassa took home another All-American honor when he placed ninth in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Erassa also led a 1-2-3 Cowboy finish in the 5,000 meters at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships.
Tom Farrell had a successful indoor season, which ended in a 14th-place finish in the 3,000 meters, and a sixth place finish in the distance medley relay at the NCAA Intdoor Championships. He is one of three Cowboy returners (Erassa, Shane Moskowitz) who were part of a quartet of Cowboys to run a sub-four minute mile at the Razorback Invite. Farrell just missed out on qualifying for the NCAA final in the outdoor 5,000 meters.
Overall, the Cowboys return six of their All-America honors this season.
The Cowboys are out to prove they are more than just a cross country school. There's no quicker way to do that than to earn a top-10 national finish in the indoor season, and collect multiple All-america honors in the outdoor season. Not only that, but the Cowboys have a brand new outdoor track and field facility.
With lots of returning talent and a new track on which to practice, the Cowboys are ready to prove themselves again.
Women's Track Preview
Key Points
--Reigning NCAA outdoor 1,500 meter champion
Natalja Piliusina is back to defend her title. She is also the Big 12 800 meter queen, winning that race at every conference meet since she stepped foot on campus (six championships in that event and counting).
--As a team, Oklahoma State placed fifth at the 2013 Big 12 Indoor Championships for its best finish at the conference meet. Seven of the eight athletes who scored at that meet are back this year. OSU's talented crop of newcomers - especially in the distance events - may help the Cowgirls to an even better finish at the conference meet this year.
Any conversation about the Oklahoma State women's track and field team in 2013-14 must begin with returning 2013 NCAA outdoor 1,500 meter champion Natalja Piliusina.
Piliusina stamped her name among the all-time great female athletes at OSU in any sport when she validated an already-excellent career by winning her first national title. On top of her 1,500 meter NCAA title, she has owned the title of Big 12 800 meter queen from the day she stepped foot in Stillwater, winning the 800 meter race at every Big 12 indoor and outdoor championship (six titles and counting).
After the 2013 collegiate season, she took eighth in the 800 meters at the World University Games in Kazan, Russia.
Needless to say, as one of only four individual NCAA champions in OSU women's track and field history, she is the highest-profile athlete on the 2013 roster.
That said, she is not the only one capable of putting up impressive marks.
Oklahoma State placed fifth at the 2013 Big 12 Indoor Championships for the best finish in program history at the conference meet and seven of the eight athletes who scored at that meet are back this year.
Senior Mihaela Bobos and junior Caileigh Glenn teamed with Piliusina to win the Big 12 indoor distance medley relay crown in 2011 and again in 2012, with senior Kate Kujawa also on the 2012 Big 12 champion squad.
Kujawa earned third-team All-America honors in the steeplechase in 2012 and is a two-time All-Big 12 performer in the indoor mile.
Sophomore Chase Ealey had a huge outdoor season, which culminated in a second place finish at the U.S. Junior National Championshipa and a bronze medal at the Pan-Am games. She also made a name for herself by earning All-Big 12 honors in both the outdoor shot put and the javelin. Her mark of 44.82 meters/147-0 in the javelin at the 2013 Big 12 Championships set a new school record and placed her fifth in the conference despite the fact that she hadn't thrown the javelin all year prior to that meet.
Other returning All-Big 12 performers are Bobos in the indoor 800 meters, Adela Hofmannova in the indoor 1,000 meters and outdoor 1,500 meters, Juodeskaite in the indoor 3,000 meters, the distance medley relay and the outdoor 5,000 meters, Clara Nichols in the indoor 600 yards and distance medley relay and Caitlin Way in the indoor weight throw and outdoor hammer throw.
With Samantha Nightengale out of redshirt and talented freshmen like Kristine Helle, Emily Helms and Gintare Zenkeviciute joining the fray in the running events, to go with freshman thrower Katie Kehl and freshman jumper Julia Schmaltz, the Cowgirls may have additional scorers who can help the team to an even better finish at the conference meet this year.
