Oklahoma State University Athletics
OSU Track & Field Travels To South Bend & Manhattan
February 20, 2014 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
Feb. 20, 2014
STILLWATER -
Oklahoma State track and field will be split between two different meets this weekend, Feb. 21-22--The Alex Wilson Invitational, in South Bend, Ind., and the Kansas State Open, in Manhattan, Kan.
How to Follow the Meets
Online, fans can follow the action live on Twitter by following @run4okstate for updates. Final results will be published on www.okstate.com.
Meet Schedule
On Friday, the events in Manhattan begin at 5:00 p.m. No OSU athletes will compete at the K-State Open on Saturday. At the Alex Wilson Invite, competition begins on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Quoting Coach Dave Smith
On every 2013 NCAA-qualifying DMR coming from the Alex Wilson Invite:
“It was an incredible race. Texas had the No.1 DMR time in the nation going into this weekend last year, and didn't qualify for nationals because 14 DMR teams at this meet beat their time. This meet usually produces some great marks that shake up the qualification picture.”
On what it will take to replicate last year's performance:
“It always depends on the pace and the competition, but there are some great teams here. We are capable of running a qualifying time on Saturday. We have to remain composed throughout and execute perfectly, but we can get it done.”
On this weekend acting as a “last chance” weekend:
“It really changes things quite a bit. Now the conference meets are the final meets before Nationals. There is always added pressure as we move later in the season, but we have tended to perform well in this situation in the past. I'm confident we can do so again.”
Double Trouble
Tyreek Hill broke the Oklahoma State 60 meter record twice in his Cowboy debut, for the OSU men's track and field team at the Tyson Invitational, in Fayetteville, Ark.
Hill got the action started in the 60 meter prelims, running a school record 6.67 in his first race as a Cowboy. One hour later, in the semifinals, he broke his own record with a 6.65. In the finals, he ran a 6.65 again, finishing fourth.
Hill's time lands him at No. 18 in the NCAA in the event.
Full Speed Ahead
The sprint events have not been a major factor for OSU track and field in recent years, but newly-hired Sprints Coach Diego Flaquer is changing that.
Under Flaquer, the OSU men's 60 meter record has been broken three times and the women's has been challenged this season. John Teeters ran a 6.69 at the Husker Invite, breaking the 10 year-old school record of 6.70, and at the KSU Wildcat Invite, Britney Presley ran a 7.65, just missing the school record of 7.63.
At the Tyson Invitational, Tyreek Hill took his shot at the record in his OSU debut. He ran a 6.67 in the prelims to break it once, and then broke it again in the semis, with a 6.65.
Last Year At The Alex Wilson Invite
The Oklahoma State men's indoor distance medley relay team of Kirubel Erassa, Raul Botezan, Tyler Payton and Tom Farrell ran the relay in 9:28.38, breaking a school record and qualifying for nationals to lead OSU track and field at the Alex Wilson Invitational in South Bend, Ind.
Even though the Cowboys finished fourth in the event, their time beat the previous top time in the NCAA by more than three seconds, guaranteeing they would run the event at the NCAA championships in Fayetteville, Ark.
Fourteen DMR teams beat the nation's previous time in South Bend on Friday. The top 12 times qualified for the NCAA meet.
On the women's side in South Bend, Monika Juodeskaite ran the 5,000 meters in 16:19.79 to finish fifth in the event. That time was good enough to crack the top 50 in the nation, at no. 42.
Last Time Out
Tyreek Hill broke the Oklahoma State 60 meter record twice in his Cowboy debut, and Nick Miller broke his own school record in the weight throw for the OSU men's track and field team at the Tyson Invitational, in Fayetteville, Ark., on Friday.
Hill got the action started in the 60 meter prelims, running a school record 6.67 in his first race as a Cowboy. One hour later, in the semifinals, he broke his own record with a 6.65. In the finals, he ran a 6.65 again, finishing fourth. He was joined by his teammate and previous 60 meter record holder John Teeters in the final. Teeters finished in seventh, running a 6.72. OSU was the only school with two sprinters in the 60 meter final.
Hill's time landed him at No. 18 in the NCAA in the event.
The sprinters weren't the only ones breaking school records. Nick Miller broke his own school record in the weight throw, launching the weight 21.99m/72-1.75. Miller is ranked No. 6 in the NCAA in the weight.
Kirubel Erassa took ninth place in the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games, at The Armory, in New York, N.Y., to lead a busy day of competition for the Oklahoma State men's and women's track and field teams, on Saturday.
Erassa ran the mile in 4:02.54, taking ninth place in a field loaded with professional runners and past NCAA champions. Erassa was one of only three current collegiate athletes in the race.
Viktoriia Sadokhina won the women's triple jump to lead the OSU athletes competing at the Husky Classic, in Seattle, Wash. Sadokhina's jump, a mark of 12.86m/42-02.25, is the No. 2 triple jump in OSU history, and the No. 19 mark in the NCAA.
Monika Juodeskaite took eighth in the 3,000 meter invite, running a blistering 9:17.37, which is good enough for No. 19 in the nation in the event.
In the 800 meters, Kaela Edwards ran another great race, finishing in 2:05.66, just .07 off her personal best, and finished seventh. Clara Nichols ran a personal-best 2:06.60 to finish 12th. Her time is good enough for the No. 21 ranking in the nation, giving OSU three women in the NCAA's top 21 in the 800 meters.
Chad Noelle ran a sub-four minute mile to lead the OSU men at the Iowa State Classic, in Ames, Iowa. Noelle's time of 3:59.12 was a personal best, ranks No. 5 on OSU's all-time list, and No. 13 in the nation in the event. Noelle is the sixth OSU male in the last two seasons to run a sub-four minute mile.
In The Rankings
The Oklahoma State men's and women's track and field teams have a combined 14 individuals or relays ranked in the NCAA top 50.
On the men's side, Tyreek Hill (6.65) and John Teeters (6.69) are No. 18 and No. 23 in the NCAA, respectively, in the 60 meter dash. The trio who went 1-2-3 in the 3,000 meters at the Tyson Invite, Kirubel Erassa (7:54.05), Shane Moskowitz (7:57.79) and Chad Noelle (7:59.64), have the No. 9, No. 22 and No. 27 3,000 meter times in the nation.
Noelle is also ranked No. 14 in the mile, after running a 3:59.12 at the Iowa State Classic.
Nick Miller's school record-setting weight throw of 21.99m/71-11.75 from the Tyson Invite ranks sixth in the nation, and the distance medley relay's time of 9:39.00 holds the No. 18 spot in the NCAA.
On the women's side, the Cowgirls have six athletes ranked in the NCAA top 50 in their respective events. Savannah Camacho (2:05.41) and Kaela Edwards (2:05.59) still lead the way, holding the nation's No. 7 and No. 10 spots, respectively, in the 800 meters. Clara Nichols joined them in the 800 meter rankings, at No. 21, with her 2:06.60 at the Husky Classic.
Monika Juodeskaite (9:17.37) has the NCAA's No. 27 time in the 3,000 meters, and
Viktoriia Sadokhina (12.86m/42-2.25) is No. 19 in the nation in the triple jump, after winning the event at the Husky Classic. Chase Ealey is No. 34 in the shot put, after throwing a season-best mark of 15.78m/51-9.25 in Lincoln, at the Husker Invite.
A New Home
OSU track and field now has a new state-of-the-art facility to call home. The new complex was finished in the summer of 2013, and the teams have already started using it for practice. The complex is home to new locker rooms, a large team room and a large training room, among other brand new features for the teams to enjoy.
