Two Cowboys Punch Tickets to NCAA Championships

May 24, 2018 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track, Cowgirl Cross Country & Track

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Oklahoma State track and field's Blake Scott and Jacob Fincham-Dukes earned bids to Eugene, Oregon, on Thursday at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds.

Fincham-Dukes leapt to a mark of 7.76m/25-5.5 (+2.2), which was enough to send him to his second NCAA Outdoor Championships and earn fifth overall in the event. The England international is hunting his second outdoor All-America honor after taking ninth a year ago.

His qualification berths another chance to become the first Cowboy to receive first-team All-America status in the outdoor long jump.

In the second field event to qualify for the NCAA Championships on day one, Scott cleared a national-qualifying height of 5.15m/16-10.75 in the pole vault, taking ninth overall in the event.

The Aledo, Texas native is the first pole vaulter to make the NCAA Championships since school record holder Joe Dial did so in 1985. Dial would go on to take just the third NCAA individual pole vault title in program history.

It was Scott's second appearance at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds. Scott qualified with his best clearance in a Cowboy uniform at 5.28m/17-3.75 at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships in Waco, Texas, two weeks ago.

In the women's 1,500 meters, four Cowgirls ran across three heats, which resulted in Jenny Celis, Ariane Ballner, Molly Sughroue and Sinclaire Johnson all qualifying for Saturday's quarterfinals. In heat one, Celis kicked her way to third and an automatic-qualifying spot, while Ballner qualified on time (4:21.51) and took sixth in the heat.

Johnson led wire-to-wire in heat two, running on the rail and showing composure as a sophomore. Her time of 4:25.23 earned her an automatic qualifier, as she took first overall in the heat. Sughroue did similarly, as she cruised to third in 4:21.10, the fastest time by a Cowgirl on the day.

Later in the evening, one more Cowgirl advanced to Friday's quarterfinals. Kaylee Dodd took her 800 meter heat in 2:06.89 to earn the automatic bid in tomorrow's round of 24. Dodd is looking to improve on her ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championships in 2017.

Luis Martinez would end his storied career in the second to last OSU event of the night, the 10,000 meters. Martinez came in 27^th overall in 29:58.03 in a packed field of 48 that saw just 12 advance to Tracktown, USA.

To conclude day one, Gintare Zenkeviciute ran the women's 10,000 meters in 33:58.25, setting a massive personal best in the process. Her time ends her elongated career with the Cowgirls, as the fifth-year senior moves up to No. 9 in OSU all-time in the event in her final race.

Tomorrow, the men's and women's 3,000-meter steeplechase will feature Christian Liddell and Cheyenne Walden at 10:20 p.m. and 11 p.m. CT, respectively. All-American Kaylee Dodd will also compete at 8:45 p.m. CT in a heated 800-meter quarterfinals.

NCAA West Preliminary Rounds | Sacramento, California | May 24, 2018

OSU Results

Men

10,000 Meters
27. Luis Martinez – 29:58.03

Pole Vault
9. Blake Scott – 5.15m/16-10.75

Long Jump
5. Jacob Fincham-Dukes – 7.76m/25-5.5 (+2.2)

Women

800 Meters
8. Kaylee Dodd – 2:06.89Q
48. Abbie Hetherington – 2:19.19

1,500 Meters
5. Molly Sughroue – 4:21.10Q
6. Jenny Celis – 4:21.17Q
9. Ariane Ballner – 4:21.51q
22. Sinclaire Johnson – 4:25.23Q

10,000 Meters
28. Gintare Zenkeviciute - 33:58.25