OU Track And Field Teams To Host J.D. Martin Invitational

Jan. 29, 2002

NORMAN, Okla. - The OU track and field teams are back in Norman Saturday for the second annual J.D. Martin Invitational. All the action will be at the Mosier Indoor Facility, located east of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Lindsey. Field events begin at 10 a.m. with running events slated to begin at noon.

The Field

Joining the Sooners in the field are combined teams from Texas-Arlington, North Texas, Tulsa, Southern Methodist, Oral Roberts and Southwest Texas. In addition, the men's team from the University of Miami and the women's team from Oklahoma State will be in Norman for the meet.

National Rankings

The Sooner men are tied for 16th in the country in the latest Trackwire weekly ranking. SMU's men's team is one of three tied with OU in the 16th spot.

The Meet's Namesake

J.D. Martin retired from OU following the 1997 season. He had served as OU's head coach for 33 years after competing for the Sooners as a pole vaulter. He coached 22 national champions and countless conference winners. He led Sooner teams to top five NCAA finishes six times and two Big Eight titles. He served as a coach for the 1987 U.S. Olympic Festival and was meet director for three NCAA Indoor Championships and the 1989 U.S. Olympic Festival. He coached several Olymic medalists including gold-medal winner Jason Rouser in the 1996 games.

The Last Time Out

Senior Moses Washington won the men's 800-meter run then ran the third leg of OU's winning 1600-meter relay to lead the OU men to a third-place finish at the Nebraska Invitational. Sophomore Leslie Dunlap won the women's pole vault with her fourth NCAA provisional mark in as many meets as the Sooner women finished fifth.

Washington and Aldwynn Sappleton finished first and third in the 800, then were joined by Raoul Harvey, who was second in the 400, and Brontez Steele on the relay.

Michael Westlund improved his NCAA provisional height in the pole vault by two inches, clearing 17-8.5 to finish second. Senior Michael McNamara got his fourth qualifying height in four meets and finished third. McNamara cleared an NCAA automatic height Jan. 19.

For the Sooner women, LaKisha Robinson and Lameisa Thomas scored points in the 400 OU, finishing fourth and eighth respectively. They were joined on OU's third-place 1600-meter relay by Aisha Stringer, who finished second in the 800, and sophomore Krystle Williams.

Last Year's Meet

Alesha Peel set a school record in the 60-meter hurdles with an 8.23 to win the event in the inaugural J.D. Martin Invitational. Senior Bambi Carson improved her NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the shot put to 51-8.25 and set a facility record in the process. Other Sooner winners included Staneshia Bell, who doubled in the 60- and 200-meter dash; L'eron George, who won the 200; Ernest Lewis, who took the 400; Moses Washington, who cruised to victory in the 600-yard run; and Joey Scott, who won the 60-meter hurdles.

Conference Honors Sooner Trio

OU senior Michael McNamara became the third Sooner in as many weeks to be named the Big 12 Athlete of the Week for track and field. He was named the winner on Jan. 21 after winning the Oklahoma Track Classic with a NCAA automatic qualifying vault of 18-0.5. Sophomore Leslie Dunlap was named the female Big 12 Track and Field Athlete of the Week on Jan. 14 after finishing fourth in the women's elite collegiate division at the USA Track and Field Pole Vault Summit. Freshman Jason Stanley was named the Big 12's male track and field athlete of the week for the week of January 7 after tying the OU school record in the 60-meter hurdles with the country's fourth fastest time, 7.88, in the OU All Comers. The first award covered meets held from Dec. 1 through Jan. 5.

NCAA Update

The Sooners have one automatic qualifier for the 2002 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships to be held March 8-9 in Fayetteville, Ark. Michael McNamara became OU's first automatic qualifier when he cleared 18-0.5 at the Oklahoma Track Classic.

OU has three provisional qualifiers. Freshman Jason Stanley got an NCAA provisional in the 60-meter hurdles in his first collegiate meet on Dec. 1. Leslie Dunlap has hit a provisional mark in each of her four meets and her best effort is four centimeters short of an automatic mark. Junior Michael Westlund improved his provisional mark to 17-8.5.

Next Up
The Sooners will travel to the two-day Iowa State Invitational Feb. 8-9 .

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU Track And Field Teams To Host J.D. Martin Invitational

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