DMR Grabs First-Team All-America Honors on First Day of Indoor Nationals

Friday, March 11

Birmingham, Alabama

All Day

Oklahoma State University

NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship

DMR Grabs First-Team All-America Honors on First Day of Indoor Nationals

March 11, 2022 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Oklahoma State men's and women's track & field kicked off the first day of the NCAA Indoor Championships on Friday in Birmingham, Ala.

Maddie Meiner started off the day for the Cowgirls in the Pentathlon. Meiner set new personal records in the first two events of the day (60 Meter Hurdles and High Jump) and reached as high as sixth in the Pentathlon after three events. Meiner collected indoor Second Team All-America honors for the first time in her career after finishing second place at the Big 12 Championships two weeks ago.

Up next for OSU was two-time Big 12 Champion Alex Maier in the men's 5,000 Meter run. Maier also collected second-team All-America honors with his performance, finishing with a time of 14:02.71.

The highlight of the night for the Cowboys came in the men's Distance Medley Relay. After shattering the school record earlier this season, the DMR squad of Fouad Messaoudi, DJ McArthur, Juan Diego Castro and Ryan Schoppe placed fifth overall with a time of 9:28.11.

Schoppe ran the anchor mile leg in 3:54.86, which was the second-fastest split of the race and briefly took the lead near the end of the race before finishing fifth.

"I think our kids competed really well," Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Dave Smith said. "I was really pleased with Ryan Schoppe's anchor leg… He came all the way from the back and took the lead and looked like a million bucks."

In the women's Pole Vault, Ariadni Adamopoulou followed her 2021 All-American campaign with a second-team All-American finish with her vault of 4.26 Meters. Adamopoulou holds the school record in the event and has made the indoor championships for two consecutive seasons.

Gabija Galvydyte rounded out the night for the Cowgirls in the 800 Meter run. Galvydyte made several passes around the outside near the end of the race and finished fifth in her semifinal, just two-tenths of a second away from clinching a birth in the finals.

"I thought Gabija ran really well," Smith said. "She was right there with her best times of the year and was highly competitive… She's had an incredible season and come a long way in this new event for her and I think she's going to be really good in the future."

The Cowgirls return tomorrow with All-American and Big 12 Champion Taylor Roe competing in the women's 3,000 Meter run. Roe also holds the school record in the 3K and is looking for her second first-team All-America honor after helping the women's DMR squad to a fourth-place finish at last year's national championship.

"I think if she can handle the intensity of the moment, she's as good as anyone in the field," Smith said. "She's done so well on the national stage during the cross country season that I think she'll do well and should be in the mix."

ESPN3 will stream the championships live starting at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time Saturday, March 12. A re-air of the championship will take place starting at 9:30 p.m. Eastern time Sunday, March 13 on ESPNU.

For more information on the Cowboys and Cowgirls, continue to check back with okstate.com.

Men's Individual Results

Distance Medley Relay
5. Fouad Messaoudi, DJ McArthur, Juan Diego Castro, Ryan Schoppe – 9:28.11

5000 Meter Run
16. Alex Maier – 14:02.71

Women's Individual Results

Pentathlon
15. Maddie Meiner – 3863

800 Meter Run
9. Gabija Galvydyte – 2:04.40

Pole Vault
10. Ariadni Adamopoulou – 4.26m/13' 11.72"