Isai Rodriguez Ends Legendary Career with All-America Honors in 10K; Cowboys Push Three Through to Finals

Wednesday, June 7

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Oklahoma State University

NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships

Isai Rodriguez Ends Legendary Career with All-America Honors in 10K; Cowboys Push Three Through to Finals

June 07, 2023 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track

AUSTIN, Texas – Oklahoma State track & field completed its first day of the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Wednesday at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas, with three Cowboys advancing to their respective final rounds.

Fouad Messaoudi, Victor Shitsama and Mehdi Yanouri continue their stellar seasons with automatic qualifying times in the 1,500 Meters, 3,000 Meter Steeplechase and 800 Meters, respectfully. They will each look to become the first Cowboy NCAA Champions outdoors since Olympian Nick Miller won the Hammer Throw in 2016. Shitsama advances to a championship final for the second time, with Messaoudi and Yanouri each making their first appearances in the finals.

Additionally, Isai Rodriguez and Alex Maier rounded out the evening as the first Cowboys in the championships to compete in the finals, with Rodriguez capping his illustrious career at OSU with a fifth-place finish in the 10,000 Meters.

In the final track meet of his collegiate career, Rodriguez led the race for nearly its entirety, ultimately completing the race with a season-best time of 28:15.48. Rodriguez controlled the entire middle-half of the race as the intermediate leader for 10 consecutive splits. He briefly lost control of the lead in the final 2,000 meters, before making a valiant effort at retaining it for another split. Rodriguez is the first Cowboy this week to contribute points with his finish, earning four points for his performance.

Rodriguez completes his OSU career as one of the greatest distance runners in program history. He has the third-fastest 10,000 Meter time in school history, the second-fastest 5,000 Meter time in indoor school history and multiple top spots in the cross country rankings.

Earlier in the day, Messaoudi was the first Cowboy to punch his ticket to the finals with a 3:39.74 finish in the 1,500 Meters. After an early lead, Messaoudi claimed the final automatic qualifying time in his heat, where all five qualifiers clumped together to finish within .25 seconds of each other. With his qualification, Messaoudi now looks to become a three-time NCAA champion this year, with his previous two in the indoor season (Distance Medley Relay and 3,000 Meters). Additionally, he looks to be OSU's third individual champion in the 1,500 Meters, joining German Fernandez in 2009 and Chad Noelle in 2015.

In the 3,000 Meter Steeplechase, Shitsama ran the fifth-fastest qualifying time on the day at 8:36.27. Shitsama's momentum continues to climb by running in contention after the fourth lap. He was part of the five qualifiers who comfortably distanced themselves from the pack. The reigning Big 12 champion ran three of the fastest laps of the race, including a 1:12.51 fourth lap, the second fastest in the heat. Shitsama will enter the final round on Friday looking to be OSU's second individual champion in the event, with Chris McCubbins winning in 1967.

Yanouri's magical first year with OSU continues as he earned his spot in the finals with his time in the 800 Meters at 1:48.28. After staying in the middle of the pack for the first lap, Yanouri's patience paid off after exploding in the final kick to steal the second qualifying mark. OSU's record holder in the event looks to become the first champion in program history.

Action for the Cowboys continue with the final rounds of the 1,500 Meters, Steeplechase and 800 Meters on Friday. Meanwhile, Billah Jepkirui and Gabija Galvydyte take on the semifinal rounds of their 1,500 and 800 Meters, respectively, on Thursday, with Molly Born competing in the 10,000 Meter final in the evening.

The entirety of the NCAA Championships will be broadcast live on ESPN2, with live results for the meet found here.

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

NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships

Men's Individual Results

1,500 Meter Semifinals
7. Fouad Messaoudi – 3:39.74 (Q)
22. Christopher Middleton-Pearson – 3:47.76
24. Alex Stitt – 3:51.88

3,000 Meter Steeplechase Semifinals
5. Victor Shitsama – 8:36.27 (Q)

800 Meter Semifinals
10. Mehdi Yanouri – 1:48.28 (Q)

10,000 Meter Final
5. Isai Rodriguez – 28:15.48
21. Alex Maier – 29:57.86