Eldridge Wins 1500-Meter Regional Title at Midwest T&F Meet

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- OU freshman Jessica Eldridge had a plan when she stepped on the track to run the 1500-meter final Saturday night. When she stepped off the track just over four minutes later, she had an NCAA Midwest Regional title.

Eldridge took control of the race from the start, leading the 12-runner field from the opening gun. She led throughout, boosting her lead to as much as five meters until the backstretch of the final lap. She dropped back to third for about 50 meters, then burst past the pack to win the title in 4:24.93.

The win advanced her to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in two weeks, her third NCAA meet to qualify for as a true freshman. She competed in the NCAA Cross Country meet in November and ran in the mile at the NCAA Indoor in March.

Using her 10 points plus the points produced by the Sooner women in four other events, OU tied for fourth in the team standings with 34 points. The OU men were 22nd in the team standings.

“We are pleased with the women's finish in the team standings and the way all of our athletes performed during the meet,” said co-head coach Rodney Price. “We had some challenges with injuries, just as we have had throughout the season, and our athletes never quit giving it all they had. We're thrilled to be taking four athletes to the NCAA meet to represent OU.'

Eldridge became the first Sooner woman to win an NCAA regional title and the first true freshman in school history to win a regional title.

Senior Laverne Jones came close to a pair of titles, finishing second in the 100 and the 200. She also ran the opening leg on OU's 400-meter relay that finished seventh. Jones recorded an 11.23 in the 100 and a 23.01 in the 200. Neither of the times were eligible for meet or school records since the wind was well over the legal limit.

Senior Renea' Burns may have had the most amazing meet of any Sooner. Taking advantage of a stiff wind that gusted to 20 to 25 miles per hour, Burns finished third in the javelin with a career-best 153-1. That mark is a career best by more than 10 feet and earned Burns a trip to the NCAA Championships. It also stands as the second-best mark in school history.

Freshman Scott Martin earned a trip to the NCAA in the pole vault, finishing fourth with a vault of 17-7. Austin Landreth, who won the regional pole vault title last year, did not record a clearance in the competition.

In the triple jump, Lucretia Rimmer finished 12th with a 40-7.50 while Robert Smith fouled on three attempts after injuring a hamstring during warmups. Catherine Odell finished 10th in the women's steeplechase with an 11:14.25 and Blake Culp was 14th in the men's steeplechase with a 9:56.64.

Eldridge (1500), Jones (100 and 200), Burns (javelin) and Martin (pole vault) will represent the Sooners in the NCAA Championships in Austin June 9-12.