Completed Event: Track and Field at Battle on the Bayou on April 3, 2026 ,
Final
Track and Field
at Battle on the Bayou
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Sooners Sprint Back to Fayetteville
January 19, 2006 | Track and Field
NORMAN, Okla. -- The University of Oklahoma track and field team returns to Fayetteville this week for its second event of the indoor season, the Razorback Invitational.
This weekend, however, the Sooners are taking mainly the men's and women's sprint corps and will not participate in any field events. A few distance runners will also make the trip. Live results are available at www.flashresults.com.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Date: Jan. 20-21, 2006
Time: Friday's start is 12:30 p.m. CT; Saturday's start is 11 a.m. CT
Site: Randal Tyson Indoor Track Center
University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, Ark.
Live Results: www.flashresults.com
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THE RANDAL TYSON TRACK CENTER
The Randal Tyson Track Center, which was dedicated on February 12, 2000, is one of the newest facilities on the University of Arkansas campus.
In its first year of operation, the $6.5 million facility hosted the Tyson Invitational, was a stop on the Golden Spike Tour and hosted the 2000 Southeastern Conference Championships and the 2000 NCAA Indoor National Championships. The Randal Tyson Center will serve as the host for the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2006.
The track itself is a 200-meter, 60-degree banked track that has 55m straightaways running the entire length of the facility. It also includes men's and women's jumping runways and pits. The surface of the track is red and gray Mondo.
With all of the big name events that are held in the facility, the Tyson Track Center was built to handle the demands for the many media outlets. The press box is two-tiered offering 50 seats and has an announcer's booth, timing and scoring area and a camera position that can be used as a television announcer's booth. There are four elevated camera positions located around the track. A media room is also available in the north concourse.
WHO TO WATCH...YOLANDA GOFF
Junior sprinter Yolanda Goff returns to the site where, last week, she placed second in the 60-meter dash behind 2004 Olympian and Sooner alumus Laverne Jones.
Goff's 7.47-second 60 was just .03 seconds from the NCAA Championships provisional qualifying standard and was the fourth best 60 run by a Sooner woman all-time. It was also a personal indoor best for the Tulsa native.
Without Jones in the field this week, Goff could be the favorite in the competition's premier event. In 2005, Goff lowered her 60 time each week of the season.
Last week, Goff also placed eighth in the 200-meter dash. She will run the race once again and look to improve on the personal indoor best 24.38 time she recorded.
GETTING TO KNOW THE NEW SOONER COACHING STAFF
Martin Smith was announced as Oklahoma sixth head track & field coach on June 30, 2005, and quickly assembled impressive staff of assistants to usher in the new era of Sooner track & field.
Head Coach Martin Smith Has coached five national championships teams in 26 years on the Division I level ... Was head coach or assistant on teams that captured 24 conference championships, including Oregon's 2003 Pac-10 outdoor title.
Women's Sprints/Hurdles Coach Dana Boone Last two stops were LSU and Texas, the past two women's national outdoor champions.
Jumps and Women's Multis Coach Jeremy Fischer The 2005 NCAA West Region Jumps/Multi Events Coach of the Year ... Of Cal State Northridge's five athletes that qualified for the NCAAs, four were Fischer's jumpers.
Field Events and Men's Multis Coach Mark Napier Comes off two seasons of sweeping the indoor and outdoor Big 10 Conference championships while field events coach at Wisconsin ... Coached the 1997 NCAA National Decathlon Champion.
Men's Sprints/Hurdles Coach Jeff Perkins First coaching position at Tennessee helped produce Justin Gatlin, the 2005 World Champion in the 100 and 200.
Assistant Distance Coach Brett Holts A two-time All-American at Oregon who is in his first coaching position.
SOONERS AT THE RAZORBACK INVITATIONAL
This will be the Sooners first visit to Fayetteville during the third week of January.
OU traditionally hosts the Oklahoma Track Classic this weekend, but has cancelled the event for 2006.
THE ARKANSAS INVITATIONAL REVISITED
Sophomore Chip Heuser took the men's pole vault title Friday, Jan. 13, at the Arkansas Invitational in Fayetteville.
Heuser was the lone vaulter to pass the 17-6.50 mark, exceeding the NCAA Championships provisional standard.
In OU's season-opening meet and first under head coach Martin Smith, the Sooners posted several impressive results.
In the 60, Yolanda Goff finished as the top collegian behind Olympian and former Sooner Laverne Jones, who won in 7.32 seconds. The Tulsa native's time (7.47) was just .03 seconds off an NCAA provisional mark. Goff placed eighth in the 200 (24.38).
Junior college transfer Dermillo Wise, the 2004 NJCAA National Indoor Long Jump Champion, placed second in the long jump with a leap of 24-5.75 (7.46 meters), besting the NCAA provisional standard.
Catherine Odell finished as the top collegian (second) in the 800 with a personal best time of 2:12.56. Jessica Eldridge came in sixth in 2:13.37.
Anthony Francis also took top collegian honors in the 60-meter hurdles with a third-place run of 8.08 seconds.
Other notable results for the Sooners included Brayon Brown's fourth-place run (1:51.93) in the 800, Marcus Pugh's fourth (6.81) in the 60-meter dash followed by Ronnie Pines in fifth (6.84), Toni Smith's fifth (18-11.75) in the long jump, Jennifer Plank's eighth (11-11.75) in the pole vault and Frankie Wright's eighth (47.88) in the 400.
IN THE POLLS
The OU men's track & field team tied for 25th in the season's first Trackwire Top 25. The Sooners shared the spot with Big 12 foe Baylor.
Two Sooner pole vaulters made the Dandy Dozen. Heuser made his debut on the list at No. 4 and Scott Martin was listed No. 12.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
The University of Arkansas campus may feel like a home away from home by the time the indoor season wraps up in March. Including this weekend, Oklahoma will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., four times.
The Sooners only have two home meets this season the J.D. Martin Invitational (Feb. 3-4) and the Sooner Indoor (Feb. 18).
Arkansas is the host of the 2006 NCAA National Indoor Track & Field Championships.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
The meet will test the Sooner sprinters against some of the top competition in the region.
Among those vying to earn a provisional NCAA qualifying bid are Brayon Brown (800 meters), Tony Francis (60-meter hurdles), Ronnie Pines (60 meters), Marcus Pugh (60), Jessica Eldridge (800), Yolanda Goff (60 and 200 meters) and Catherine Odell (800).
THE 2006 RAZORBACK FIELD
The Sooners face competition from individuals from 25 other colleges and universities, as well as several professionals and unattached competitors.
NEXT ON THE CALENDAR
The Sooners split squads for the first time as the sprinters travel to Albuquerque for the New Mexico Invitational and the pole vaulters make the trip to Reno for the National Pole Vault Summit.
OU PERFORMANCE
Check the Sooners' 2006 indoor performance chart online at SoonerSports.com.
THE ENTRY LIST
A total of 23 OU student-athletes 10 men and 13 women will compete in the Razorback Invitational. The Sooner women will also field a 4x400-meter relay team, but will use the event for training purposes. Scheduled to compete are:
Men
Daniel Bridges (So.), 60- and 200-meter dashes
Brayon Brown (So.), 800-meter run
Jason Coleman (Jr.), 3000-meter run
Blake Culp (Sr.),3000-meter run
Tony Francis (Sr.), 60-meter hurdles
Chason Lane (So.), 60-meter dash
Ronnie Pines (Jr.), 60- and 200-meter dashes
Marcus Pugh (So.), 60-meter dash
Josh Scott (Sr.), 60- and 200-meter dashes
Jason Stanley (Sr.), 60-meter hurdles (unattached)
Women
Aja Clark (Jr.), 3000-meter run
Leslie Cole (Fr.), 60- and 200-meter dashes
Kristi Cook (Jr.), 800- and 1000-meter run
Jessica Eldridge (Jr.), 800- and 1000-meter run
Davene Findlay (Jr.), 60-meter dash
Yolanda Goff (Jr.), 60- and 200-meter dashes
Ashley Harris (So.), 60- and 200-meter dashes
Ashley Harvey (Fr.), 800-meter run
Nicola Maye (Jr.), 800-meter run
Catherine Odell (Jr.), 800- and 1000-meter run
Larica Urbina (Jr.), 60- and 200-meter dashes
Terrika Warren (Sr.), 400-meter run
OKLAHOMA , 4x400-meter relay
Saturday, June 13
Friday, June 12
Thursday, June 11
Wednesday, June 10
