Cowboys, Cowgirls Move on to NCAA Championships

May 30, 2015 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track, Cowgirl Cross Country & Track

Men's 4X100, Noelle, Erassa, Piliusina punch tickets to Oregon

AUSTIN, Texas -- Natalja Piliusina, Chad Noelle, Kirubel Erassa and the men's 4X100-meter relay team reserved spots in the NCAA Championships Saturday at the final day of the West Regional in Austin, Texas.

The men's 4X100-meter relay team ran a season best 39.64 to advance to the National Semifinal in Eugene, Ore. Sharod Selph, Tyler Jackson, Arlando Brewer-Johnson and John Teeters finished third in heat three to claim an automatic qualifying spot.

"It's a huge testament of their hard work and belief in the system," sprints coach Diego Flaquer said. "Sharod, Tyler and Arlando put John in a great situation to be efficient and they made believers out of people today."

The young relay team of two freshmen and two juniors is the first Cowboy 4X100 team to reach the NCAA Championships in 33 years.

"Competing on a national level builds character and experience," Flaquer said. "It solidifies us as a sprints program. John is the face of this program and he's a contender in the 100, which makes people pay attention to us, so it's an exciting time for Oklahoma State."

Both of OSU's 1,500-meter quarterfinalists are moving on to the National Semifinals after winning their respective heats.

Noelle automatically qualified after running the best time of the day in the men's 1,500-meter quarterfinal. The Big 12 champion overtook Boise State's David Elliott with 20 meters to go and crossed the finish line in 3:41.96 to earn a spot in his second NCAA Outdoor Championships.

"Chad is just on a roll right now," coach Dave Smith said. "He's been getting a little bit better every time out and today he ran a 53.1 on the final lap, which is just incredibly fast. He can run the whole way or kick in the last lap, so he definitely has the potential to win no matter what the circumstances are."

Piliusina returns to Eugene in the race that she won a national title in back in 2013 after running a 4:17.69 to win the second heat of the 1,500-meter quarterfinal. Piliusina took the lead during the bell lap and kept it, crossing the finish line with the eighth fastest time of the day.

"Today wasn't taxing for her and we knew she had the talent to advance," Smith said. "It was kind of stressful for me to watch because she got into a bit of a hole, but she has great finishing speed. I just want to see her run a good, clean race without any issues because at national races, sometimes closing speed can't save you. She's a veteran, though, so she'll be ready."

Erassa closed out the West Regional for the Cowboys in the 5,000-meter quarterfinal. The seven-time All-American finished third in the first heat, earning an automatic qualifying spot. His 14:12.15 was the No. 12 time of the day. This will be Erassa's third straight trip to the national championships in the 5,000-meter run. He took 18th place in 2014 and ninth in 2013 in the event.

"It was tough today for Kirubel," Smith said. "He's still feeling it from the conference meet, but he's got two weeks to rest up so he'll be fine for nationals."

In the women's shot put, Chase Ealey missed out on qualifying for her first NCAA Outdoor Championship by less than a foot. She threw a 15.47m/50-9.25 and finished 18th.

Viktoriia Sadokhina jumped a 12.40m/40-8.25 for her second attempt in the women's triple jump quarterfinal. Her jump gave her eighth place after two heats, but she finished 28th after the third and fourth heats produced 10 of the 12 semifinalists.

Overall, OSU sends seven individual athletes to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Savannah Camacho, Kaela Edwards, Ingeborg Loevnes and Piliusina will represent the Cowgirls and the Cowboys will run Teeters, Noelle, Erassa and the 4X100-meter relay team. The meet will begin June 10 at the University of Oregon on historic Hayward Field.

NCAA West Regional :: May 29, 2015 :: Austin, Texas

Women's

Shot Put
18. Chase Ealey -- 15.47m/50-9.25

1,500 Meter Quarterfinal
8. Natalja Piliusina -- 4:17.69Q

Triple Jump
28. Viktoriia Sadokhina -- 12.40m/40-8.25

Men's

1,500 Meter Quarterfinal
1. Chad Noelle -- 3:41.96Q

5,000 Meter Quarterfinal
12. Kirubel Erassa -- 14:12.15Q
--. Craig Nowak -- DNF

4X100 Meter Quarterfinal
8. Oklahoma State Team A -- 39.64Q
(S. Selph, T. Jackson
A. Brewer-Johnson, J. Teeters)