Oklahoma State University Athletics
OSU Track and Field Travels To Norman
March 21, 2013 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
March 21, 2013
STILLWATER -
The Basics
The Oklahoma State track and field teams travel down I-35 to Norman, Okla., this weekend for the John Jacobs Invitational on March 22-23. Friday's hammer throw will be contested at 3 p.m. on Friday, with the rest of the events slated to start at 11 a.m. Saturday at the John Jacobs Track and Field Complex in Norman.
How to Follow the Meet
Fans can follow along on soonersports.com and @run4okstate on Twitter.
Quoting Coach Dave Smith
On building momentum early in the season:
"Every time you step out and compete, you want to be aggressive and go for wins and personal bests. When you have a low-key meet like last weekend, the times won't be as great and the distances won't be as long, but you still want to compete well against other teams. I think we did a good job of that last weekend. "
On going up against Big 12 competition early in the season:
"Whether you see them or not, you get the results. One think about track, is the clock and tape do not lie. So, you can keep tabs on your competition without being there. There are tactics and other subtle things you can pick up by racing against them early in the year, but actually seeing them probably isn't as important as it is in other sports."
On picking up quality marks early in the year:
"You hope you compete early in the year, and as the season goes on, your marks get better, and you hit a peak at the end of the season, around the Big 12 meet and the NCAA Championships."
Last Time Out
Nick Miller's school record in the hammer throw, and Taylor Stolt and Chase Ealey both hitting marks that rank in the top-10 in school history highlighted Oklahoma State's showing at the Tulsa Duels.
Oklahoma State secured event wins at the meet from Clara Nichols in the women's 800 meters, Caitlin Way in the women's hammer throw, Tyler Payton in the men's 400 meters, Taylor Monaghan in the men's 2,000 meter steeplechase and Miller in the men's hammer throw.
Nine OSU athletes hit personal bests as part of the weekend's action, highlighted by Stolt's 6.01m/19-8.5 in the long jump, which represented a significant improvement from her previous best mark of 5.75m/10-18.5. Stolt's jump Saturday was the best for a Cowgirl since 2009 and the ninth-best in school history.
On the men's side, Cody Kenny enjoyed the best all-around day of his career by hitting personal bests in the 100 meters, the 200 meters and the long jump.
Payton won Saturday's 400 meters in 48.16 to carry over the positive momentum he started by earning All-Big 12 honors during the indoor season in the 800 meters and as part of the OSU distance medley relay squad.
Cowboy Names To Know
The Oklahoma State men's track and field roster is headlined by nine athletes with a combined 28 All-America honors. The Cowboy standouts and their All-America showings:
Raul Botezan (2012 Indoor Mile, 2013 Indoor Distance Medley Relay)
Fabian Clarkson (2012 Outdoor Steeplechase)
Kirubel Erassa (2012 Indoor Mile, 2013 Indoor 3,000 meters, 2013 Indoor Distance Medley Relay)
Tom Farrell (2010 Cross Country, 2011 Outdoor 5,000 meters, 2011 Cross Country, 2012 Indoor 3,000 meters, 2012 Cross Country, 2013 Indoor Distance Medley Relay)
Shadrack Kipchirchir (2010 Cross Country, 2011 Outdoor 10,000 meters, 2012 Cross Country)
Joseph Manilafasha (2012 Cross Country)
Girma Mecheso (2008 Cross Country, 2009 Outdoor 10,000 meters, 2009 Cross Country, 2010 Cross Country, 2012 Indoor 5,000 meters, 2012 Outdoor 5,000 meters, 2012 Outdoor 10,000 meters, 2012 Cross Country, 2013 Indoor 5,000 meters)
Nick Miller (2012 Outdoor Hammer Throw, 2013 Indoor Weight Throw)
Tyler Payton (2013 Indoor Distance Medley Relay)
Cowgirl Names To Know
The unquestioned leader of the Oklahoma State women's track and field program is Natalja Piliusina, who has racked up six All-America honors during a career that will likely go down among the best ever for an OSU women's track and field athlete.
She is not, however, the only Cowgirl with All-America honor on her career résumé. The list:
Mihaela Bobos (2011 Indoor Distance Medley Relay)
Kate Kujawa (2012 Outdoor Steeplechase)
Natalja Piliusina (2011 Indoor Distance Medley Relay, 2011 Indoor Mile, 2011 Outdoor 800 Meters, 2012 Indoor 800 meters, 2012 Outdoor 1,500 meters, 2013 Indoor 800 Meters)
An Indoor Season For The Record Books
Both the men's and women's track and field programs made history during the 2013 indoor season, with the men taking eighth at the NCAA meet for their highest team finish since 1984 and the women taking fifth at the Big 12 Championships to match the highest team finish at the conference meet in program history.
The Champs Are Here
Men's thrower Nick Miller and women's runner Natalja Piliusina added to their respective lists of collegiate award during the 2013 indoor season, with Miller securing his first Big 12 Championship in the indoor weight throw and Piliusina bagging her third career Big 12 title in the indoor 800 meters.
Miller Breaking the Cowboy Mold
Oklahoma State has made its name in the distance events - not just recently, but for most of the program's history. Sophomore thrower Nick Miller has become the lead figure in bringing the Cowboys into the national discussion in something other than distance.
During his young career, Miller has already earned All-America recognition in the outdoor hammer throw and the indoor weight throw. He has also won Big 12 titles and owns the Oklahoma State school record in both events.
The Big 12 800 Meter Queen
Junior Natalja Piliusina has firmly established herself as the Big 12's most dominant force in the women's 800 meters. In fact, she has never lost that race at the conference meet, racking up conference crowns in the indoor 800 meters her freshman, sophomore and junior years and outdoor Big 12 titles her freshman and sophomore campaigns.
At The Top Of His Profession
Coach Dave Smith has built a monster at Oklahoma State in the men's distance events. Under Smith, the Cowboys won NCAA cross country team championships in 2009, 2010 and 2012 and have won each of the last five Big 12 men's cross country titles. He's been honored as national coach of the year by his peers three times and Big 12 coach of the year five times.
Smith has coached three NCAA individual champions. Leigh Daniel won the 1999 women's indoor 5K and 1999 outdoor 10K under his watch at Texas Tech and German Fernandez won the 2009 men's outdoor 1,500 meter national title under his guidance at Oklahoma State.
He has coached 62 All-Americans and 50 Big 12 individual champions.
What's Next
Oklahoma State will split up the squad for three events next weekend:
Texas Relays: March 28-30
Stanford Invitational: March 29-30
Arkansas Spring Invitational: March 30
