Completed Event: Track and Field at Battle on the Bayou on April 3, 2026 ,
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Track and Field
at Battle on the Bayou
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Track Splits for Albuquerque, Reno
January 26, 2006 | Track and Field
NORMAN, Okla. -- The University of Oklahoma track and fiield team splits squads for the first time in 2006 as the sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers travel to the New Mexico Invitational in Albuquerque while the pole vaulters head to the National Pole Vault Summit in Reno.
It is OU's final weekend on the road before hosting the J.D. Martin Invitational at the Mosier Indoor Track in Norman Friday, Feb. 3, and Saturday, Feb. 4.
Live results from the University of New Mexico Invitational will be on www.recordtiming.com.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Dates: Pole Vault Summit, Jan. 28; New Mexico Invitational, Jan. 28
Time: PVS - All Day; UNM - 10:30 a.m.
Site: PVS - The Hilton Hotel in Reno, Nev.; UMN - Albuquerque Convention Center
Live Results: www.recordtiming.com
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ALBUQUERQUE CONVENTION CENTER
The 2-year-old indoor track facility inside the Convention Center in downtown Albuquerque includes a 200-meter, 60-degree banked oval that has 60-meter straightaways running the entire length. It also has jumping runways and pits, as well as an areas for shot put, weight throw, pole vault and high jump events. The surface of the track is red and white Mondo and is nearly identical to the track used by the University of Arkansas at the Randal Tyson Track Center.
The track made its debut on Jan. 15, 2005, for the Albuquerque All-Comers meet. The meet was the University of New Mexico's first indoor competition of any kind at home since hosting the 1987 Western Athletic Conference Championships. The Convention Center hosted a collegiate-only meet for the first time on Jan. 21, 2006, when the City of Albuquerque and UNM welcomed 11 teams for the Modrall Sperling Lobo Invitational.
In the 1960s and 70s Albuquerque was one of the nation's elite indoor track and field locations, drawing top professional and collegiate talent to compete in front of the large crowds at the annual Jaycee meets. The 1966 AAU Indoor Nationals (now known as the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships) drew a two-day total of nearly 20,000 fans.
WHO TO WATCH...Men's 4x400 Relay
In their history, the OU men have won nine national championships in either the mile relay or 4x400, the last in 1997.
Oklahoma will field a men's 4x400-meter relay for the first time this season. On the squad will be Marcus Pugh, Brayon Brown, Dermillo Wise and Frankie Wright.
Though none are true quarter-milers, the 2006 edition of the relay may turn out to be the best in a decade. The four are considered the best athletes on the team and should all qualify for the national championships in their respective events.
WHO TO WATCH II...OU's Pole Vaulters
Considered by many to be the best in the country, sophomore Chip Heuser and senior Scott Martin will take center stage in Reno. Both have the ability to clear 18 feet and will likely be at the top of the standings when the weekend end.
On the women's side, Jennifer Plank passed the NCAA provisional qualifying last weekend during an unofficial attempt at an NAIA meet in Norman.
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.
OU PERFORMANCE
Check the Sooners' 2006 indoor performance chart online at SoonerSports.com.
THE RAZORBACK INVITATIONAL REVISITED
Jessica Eldridge and Yolanda Goff led the Oklahoma track and field team both days (Jan. 20-21) of the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.
Saturday, Goff placed second, as top collegian, in the 60-meter dash, sprinting across the Randal Tyson Track in 7.48 seconds.
Eldridge took third place in the 800-meter run, finishing with a season best mark of 2:12.39. She was followed by Catherine Odell in fourth (2:12.91) and Kristi Cook in sixth (2:13.13).
Friday, Goff and Eldridge each finished third, respectively, in the 200-meter dash (24.20) and 1,000-meter run (2:48.50). Both marks made OU's all-time top 10 in their respective events.
Ronnie Pines placed seventh in the 60 meters with his best run of the season of 7.82. The men's 60 final fielded just four collegians.
Brayon Brown also lowered his season best time in the 800 to 1:51.91, placing seventh.
IN THE POLLS
The OU men's dropped out of the Trackwire Top 25 in week two after opening in the No. 25 spot last week.
Sooner pole vaulter Chip Heuser dropped one spot to No. 5 in the Dandy Dozen. All-American Scott Martin, No. 12. last week, dropped out. He has yet to post a height this season.
Check this week's Trackwire Top 25 at www.trackwire.com.
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. Oklahoma will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., four times.
Though the scenery changes this week, the track will be very familiar. The surface at the Albuquerque Convention Center is nearly identical, down to the colors, of the track at the Randal Tyson Track Complex in Fayetteville.
The Sooners only host two indoor 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.
THE 2006 NEW MEXICO INVITE FIELD
The Sooners face competition from individuals from 14 other colleges and universities, as well as several unattached competitors, including those from Texas Tech, winners of the 2005 men's Big 12 outdoor title.
Then New Mexico Invitational is a non-scoring event.
NEXT ON TAP
Oklahoma hosts the sixth annual J.D. Martin Invitational at the Mosier Indoor Track in Norman Friday, Feb. 3, and Saturday, Feb. 4. The team's women's distance medley relay travels to New York City for the New Balance Collegiate Invitational on Friday, Feb. 3.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
The meet will test the Sooners against the nation's top competition.
Among those on the verge of earning a provisional NCAA qualifying bid in their respective events are Brayon Brown, Tony Francis, Tydree Lewis, Ronnie Pines, Marcus Pugh, Dermillo Wise, Frankie Wright and Yolanda Goff.
As far as the pole vaulters go, more is at stake this year than in the past. For the first time, results at Reno will count towards NCAA qualifying standards.
Of the five men and women going, only Chip Heuser has established a provisional mark. However, Jennifer Plank passed the women's NCAA provisional mark of 3.95 meters last weekend in an unofficial attempt during an NAIA meet in Norman. Scott Martin also holds a personal best of over 18 feet, well exceeding the NCAA automatic qualifying mark.
THE ENTRY LIST
A total of 24 OU student-athletes 12 men and 12 women will compete in the New Mexico Invitational. Scheduled to compete are:
Men
Daniel Bridges (So.); 60- and 200-meter dashes
Brayon Brown (So.); 800-meter run
Tony Francis (Sr.); 60-meter hurdles
Chason Lane (So.); 60- and 200-meter dashes
Tydree Lewis (So.); Long jump and triple jump
Ronnie Pines (Jr.); 60-meter dash
Marcus Pugh (So.); 60-meter dash
Josh Scott (Sr.); 60- and 200-meter dashes
Shea Shelby (So.); High jump
Dermillo Wise (Jr.); 60-meter hurdles and long jump
David Wright (Jr.); 60-meter hurdles
Frankie Wright (Jr.); Long jump and triple jump
4x400-meter relay (Pugh, Wise, Brown, F. Wright)
Women
Amy Backel (Fr.); 60m HH, high jump, triple jump, shot put
Leslie Cole (Fr.); 60- and 200-meter dashes
Davene Findlay (Jr.); 60-meter hurdles
Yolanda Goff (Jr.); 60- and 200-meter dashes
Myria Houlihan (Sr.); High jump
Katherine Johnson (Fr.); High jump
Nicola Maye (Jr.); 800-meter run
Portia Nash (Jr.); Long jump and triple jump
Tijahnni Newton (So.); 400-meter run
Lucretia Rimmer (Sr.); Long jump and triple jump
Toni Smith (Jr.); Long jump and triple jump
Terrika Warren (Sr.); 400-meter run
Oklahoma will send its entire pole vault squad to Reno. Scheduled to compete are:
Men
Chip Heuser (So.), Scott Martin (Jr.)
Women
Jessica Brown (Fr.), Joan Brown (Fr.) Jennifer Plank (Sr.)
RUN RONNIE RUN
Ronnie Pines is making a quick impact among the Sooners' sprint corps. The junior college transfer was the only Sooner to make the 60-meter finals in the first two events of the season and has finished first and second among OU athletes in the 200-meter dash.
His season best 60 of 6.82 seconds is sixth all-time by a Sooner.
Pines' personal best 60 came last season at the J.D. Martin Invitational. Then with Barton County Community College, Pines set the meet record at 6.64 seconds. The time was just .02 seconds off the Mosier Indoor Facility record of 6.62 set by former Sooner DaBryan Blanton in 2004, who won the national championship twice before leaving OU.
OU'S WISE MAN
Dermillo Wise may soon be bringing gold to the OU trophy case.
After winning the NJCAA national penathlon championships as a freshman and sophomore at Cloud County (Kan.) Community College, the junior won't rest on laurels now that he is at OU.
Wise long jumped to an NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 24-5.75 (7.46 meters) at the season-opener in Fayetteville, Ark., and returned the next week to run the best 60-meter hurdles time by a Sooner this season and sixth all-time.
Wise is so impressive, in fact, that coaches are unsure exactly how they will use the Floridian in the Big 12 Championships because of his ability to score points in so many different events.
18 AND LIFE
Senior pole vaulter Scott Martin turned heads in 2005 when he cleared 18-0.50 (5.50 meters) at the NCAA National Indoor Championships.
The performance earned him fourth place, second all-time in the OU records books, as he became just the sixth Sooner pole vaulter to earn All-America status.
After failing to post a height at the season-opening Arkansas Invitational, Martin wasn't disappointed as much as relieved at his performance. According to Martin, he usually has one “no height” each season and was “happy to get it out of the way early.”
Martin will get his second opportunity to qualify for nationals Friday and Saturday as he is one of the favorites to win the collegiate division at this weekend's National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev.
The Tulsa native looks to contend for a national title again this season and with the help of teammate Chip Heuser, the podium at nationals may sparkle with Crimson and Cream in 2006.
CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER
After breaking his wrist and missing the entire 2005 season, sophomore pole vaulter Chip Heuser is ready to deliver on what is expecting to be a promising collegiate career.
Heuser, the 2004 USA Junior National champion, won the season-opening Arkansas Invitational after clearing 17-6.50 (5.35 meters), an NCAA provisional qualifying mark.
The Louisville, Ky., native holds the Kentucky state high school and national Catholic high school indoor and outdoor records. The 2003 Kentucky High School Athlete of the Year also led his high school, St. Xavier, to three straight state track & field titles.
Heuser and teammate Scott Martin will be two of the favorites to win the Big 12 and national titles in 2006.
ODELL COMING OF AGE
If you need one sure thing, count of Catherine Odell. Last season, the Enid, Okla., native had no signs of a sophomore slump as she became the Sooners' most improved distance runner and qualified for the national outdoor championships in the 1500-meter run.
After redshirting during the cross country season while getting used to new head coach Martin Smith's training program, Odell was on fire to begin 2006, putting the pressure on six-time national qualifier Jessica Eldridge during the first two meets of the season.
She currently ranks sixth in the Big 12 in both the 800 (2:12.56) and 1,000 (2:55.19) and has marks in OU's all-time top 10 in both events.
Odell will get a much deserved break this weekend as OU's distance team is off in preparation for the Meyo Classic next week. Good timing, too, because Friday, Jan. 27, she will celebrate her 21st birthday.
COOKING UP SUCCESS
Among the surprising performances to come out of last week's Razorback Invitational was junior Kristi Cook's sixth-place run in the 800 meters.
Her 2:13.32 run was over three seconds faster than her previous personal best and exactly five seconds better than she ran on the same track one week earlier.
The run put three Sooners in the top six of the 800 at the meet and in the top 10 of the Big 12 performance rankings this week.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Sooners have entered the school's list of top 10 all-time performances in eight events already in 2006. The following is how they stack up as last week:
| Oklahoma Indoor Records as of Jan.25, 2006 | |||
| Rank | Athlete | Year | Mark |
| Men's 60-Meter Dash | |||
| 1. | DaBryan Blanton | 2004 | 6.57 |
| 2. | Quentin Morgan | 2002 | 6.74 |
| 3. | L'eron George | 2003 | 6.76 |
| 4. | Edwin Jones | 2002 | 6.79 |
| 5. | Marcus Pugh | 2006 | 6.81 |
| 6. | Ronnie Pines | 2006 | 6.82 |
| Men's 3000-Meter Run | |||
| 1. | Jason Larabee | 1998 | 8:03.43 |
| 8. | Jimmy Buchanan | 2004 | 8:26.59 |
| 9. | Tyler Schmiedeberg | 2005 | 8:30.88 |
| 10. | Jason Coleman | 2006 | 8:32.63 |
| Men's 60-Meter Hurdles | |||
| 1. | Jason Stanley | 2002 | 7.79 |
| 2. | Tony Francis | 2005 | 7.88 |
| Joey Scott | 2001 | 7.88 | |
| 4. | LaBoris Bean | 2001 | 7.95 |
| 5. | Jonas Lusk | 2000 | 7.97 |
| 6. | Dermillo Wise | 2006 | 8.01 |
| Men's Pole Vault | |||
| 1. | Tim McMichael | 1989 | 5.54m |
| 2. | Scott Martin | 2005 | 5.50m |
| 5. | Michael Westlund | 2001 | 5.48m |
| 6. | Chris Duffy | 1998 | 5.40m |
| 7. | Chip Heuser | 2006 | 5.35m |
| Jeff Hanoch | 1988 | 5.35m | |
| Women's 60-Meter Dash | |||
| 1. | Laverne Jones | 2004 | 7.24 |
| 2. | Staneshia Bell | 2000 | 7.40 |
| 3. | Jimyria Hicks | 2003 | 7.46 |
| 4. | Yolanda Goff | 2006 | 7.47 |
| Kerri-Ann Mitchell | 2005 | 7.47 | |
| Women's 200-Meter Dash | |||
| 1. | Laverne Jones | 2003 | 23.16 |
| 9. | Jamie Gray | 1992 | 24.18 |
| 10. | Yolanda Goff | 2006 | 24.20 |
| Kim Nichols | 1988 | 24.20 | |
| Women's 800-Meter Run | |||
| 1. | Jessica Eldridge | 2004 | 2:06.33 |
| 6. | Nicola Maye | 2004 | 2:09.90 |
| 7. | Margaret Dwyer | 1990 | 2:10.94 |
| 8. | Amy Tinker | 1998 | 2:12.10 |
| 9. | Kim Thomas | 2002 | 2:12.26 |
| 10. | Catherine Odell | 2006 | 2:12.56 |
| Women's Long Jump | |||
| 1. | Janel Hayes | 2001 | 6.20m |
| 7. | LaToyia Hinds | 2000 | 5.79m |
| 8. | Toni Smith | 2006 | 5.78m |
| Jackie Smiley | 1990 | 5.78m | |
Saturday, June 13
Friday, June 12
Thursday, June 11
Wednesday, June 10
