Sooner Men Tied for 17th in National T&F Ranking

NORMAN, Okla. After opening the 2005 season unranked, the OU men's track and field team jumped into the Trackwire Top 25 in a tie for 17th in the third week of the poll.

Arkansas continues to hold the top ranking in the poll which projects a hypothetical score for the NCAA meet, factoring in injury reports and NCAA qualifying competitions from across the country. The projection is generated by the Dandy Dozen, a power ranking of the top 12 athletes and relay squads in each NCAA event.

he Sooners are tied for 17th with UCLA, Baylor and Southern California.

The factors used to build the Dandy Dozen include quantitative values that measure performances in past major competitions (such as conference championships, national championships and Olympic competition), durability and freedom from injuries, demonstrated ability to compete well in multiple rounds of competition, ability in other events, head-to-head competition with other top athletes, and personal or seasonal bests.

Junior DaBryan Blanton, the defending NCAA champion in the 60 meters, is currently ranked second in the Dandy Dozen. Blanton is currently ranked third on the NCAA qualifying list with the 6.66 he posted in last weekend's Oklahoma Classic. Blanton has been ranked second in each of the three Dandy Dozen lists to be released this season.

Sophomore Scott Martin is ranked fourth in the pole vault in the Dandy Dozen list, up from 12th the first two weeks of the season. Martin cleared 17-6.5 to win his division at the USATF Pole Vault Summit on Saturday. However, that mark was not accepted for NCAA qualification. He is currently third on the NCAA qualifying list with his 17-1 from the Arkansas Invite on Jan. 14.

Junior Jason Stanley is ranked 12th in the 60-meter hurdles for the second consecutive week. Stanley ran an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 7.84 at the Arkansas Invite. He is currently ranked eighth on the NCAA qualifier's list in that event.

While the Sooner women are unranked as a team, sophomore Jessica Eldridge is ranked ninth in the mile in the Dandy Dozen. Eldridge has not yet competed in the indoor season after running in the NCAA Cross Country Championships in late November. She is expected to open competition the weekend of Feb. 4-5.

The Sooners are taking a break from competition this weekend and will return to action Feb. 4-5 when some members of the team head to the Notre Dame Invitational while others stay in Norman to host the J.D. Martin Invitational at the Mosier Indoor Facility.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Sooner Men Tied for 17th in National T&F Ranking

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