Indoor Preview: Throws & Multis

December 07, 2016 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track, Cowgirl Cross Country & Track

With Oklahoma State coming off of one of its best track and field seasons in school history, and the promise of a new indoor season right around the corner, expectations and hopes are high in Stillwater.

New throws and multis coach Josh Langley said that he hopes the Cowboys' biggest boost this season comes from Cole Verble in the heptathlon.

"Cole was just outside of scoring last year, and from what I've seen after just a short time with him, there are indicators showing that he's going to score this year," Langley said.

Verble finished ninth at the Big 12 Indoor Championships with a career-best 4,663 points last season as a sophomore.

"His speed has improved, his hurdling has improved and I think his hurdling has been probably the biggest thing we've seen that needed improvement," Langley said.

True freshman Devre Newby out of Woodward, Oklahoma, will be the Cowgirls' pentathlete this season.

Although Triana Browne-Hearrell represented OSU in the outdoor heptathlon in 2016, no Cowgirl has competed at the Big 12 Championships in the pentathlon since Jordan Highsmith in 2013.

"Devre has been a pleasant surprise," Langley said. "She is dedicated, she's a hard worker, she has that mentality you look for in a multievent-athlete. She's shown some improvements throughout the fall, and hopefully she can find a way to make a contribution at the Big 12 level."

Although OSU graduated the most decorated throwers in OSU history a season ago in NCAA runner-up Chase Ealey and NCAA champion and Olympian Nick Miller, the throws program still has all-conference performers looking to make that jump to the national stage.

Ealey's contributions for the Cowgirls were far beyond her performances in the circle as she was the leader of the throwers group. With her departure, it falls on Katie Kehl, Ieva Zarankaite and the young Cowgirl group to contribute the points Ealey accounted for.

"Ieva has had a lot of improvements in her shot put, and she's really excited about where she is right now," Langley said. "Outdoors has kind of always been her thing with the discus, but she's been able to throw the weight and shot indoor for us, so there's a chance for her to put up points for us in those events."

Zarankaite has three all-conference honors in the discus and javelin throws, is No. 6 in OSU history in the indoor shot put, and she was just four inches short of scoring at the conference indoor meet a season ago.

Kehl has put her name on three Cowgirl top-10 lists in her three seasons in Stillwater.

"Katie has had a pretty good fall for us," Langley said. "She's made huge strides in her shot put and she's got the ability to hopefully sneak us a few points in that event."

One of the surprises of Langley's short time on the coaching staff has been true freshman Jocelen Ruth from the Keystone State, he said.

"Jocelen is one of the more explosive throwers I've ever coached," Langley said. "She could be a pretty big contributor at the Big 12 level one day and hopefully beyond. She'll continue to improve her technique, improve her strength and she's got the mentality that you love to coach."

With those three, plus an eager Baylor Nelson, Langley said he likes the Cowgirls' chances to shake things up in the Big 12.

"Baylor's put together some great throws in practice that are already well beyond her PR from last year," Langley said. "With her improvements and the rest of the women, hopefully they can make some noise in the conference."

True freshmen Zachary Andrews and Torrey Hickel came into the program with experience in the hammer and discus throws, as well as the shot put, but will redshirt the indoor season to get more acclimated to the collegiate-level.

All-Big 12 javelin thrower Wesley Hallof will also sit out the indoor season on account of the lack of a javelin at indoor competitions.

It takes the whole team to top one of the deepest conferences in the NCAA – the Cowboys did it last year, and the Cowgirls finished second - and with Langley's contingent of athletes eager to make waves and pick up where two of the greats left off, OSU hopes to keep battling at the top of the Big 12 in 2017.