Pines Earns Automatic Berth in 60

NORMAN, Okla. Oklahoma's Ronnie Pines guaranteed himself a trip to Fayetteville, Ark., in six weeks for the NCAA National Indoor Track and Field Championships today at the sixth annual J.D. Martin Invitational.

Pines won the men's 60-meter dash in 6.60 seconds, surpassing the NCAA automatic qualifying standard.

The mark also set new meet and facility records. Pines held the old meet record with a 6.64 run in 2005. Two-time NCAA national champion DaBryan Blanton previously owned the facility record of 6.62, set in 2004.

Pines defeated OU alum Shomari Wilson (6.66) and OU sophomore Marcus Pugh (6.69), who established a provisional qualifying mark.

Saturday's Results | Friday's Women's Pentathlon

Besides Pines' automatic qualification, the meet saw nine athletes set provisional marks. Four of those were from the University of Oklahoma.

The event, held at the Mosier Indoor Track on the OU campus, saw seven meet records and two facility records fall. In all, 20 Sooners recorded personal bests in their respective events.

Junior Yolanda Goff continued her dominance of the women's 60-meter dash. The Tulsa native ran a personal best 7.31, lowering her provisional qualifying mark set last weekend in Albuquerque.

She defeated Rachel Runnels of North Texas (7.47) and OU freshman Leslie Cole (7.50). Cole's 7.46 preliminary round time missed a provisional mark by .02 seconds.

Goff's only loss in the 60, after four events this season, came at the Arkansas Invitational (Jan. 13) when she finished runner-up to Olympian and OU alum Laverne Jones.

As expected, Oklahoma dominated the pole vault competition.

Sophomore Chip Heuser set a meet record and season best with his jump of 17-8.50 (5.40 meters). Scott Martin finished runner-up, establishing a season best and provisional qualifying mark of 17-4.50 (5.30).

On the women's side, OU senior Jennifer Plank and Nikol Zachary of Oral Roberts shared the pole vault title after clearing 12-0.0 (3.66).

Junior Toni Smith swept the women's long jump and triple jump. Smith's 19-11.75 (6.09) long jump was just inches short of a provisional mark and meet record. Her 41-3.75 (12.59) triple jump was the best by a Sooner woman this season.

Sophomore Tydree Lewis recorded his best indoor triple jump en route to victory. The Lovington, N.M., native leapt 50-2.0 (15.29).

Also in action were Sooner alumni Michael Blackwood and Aldwyn Sappleton. Blackwood cruised to victory in the men's 400-meter dash, clocking in at 48.16. Sappleton won the men's 600-yard run in 1:11.83.

OU senior Jason Stanley, running unattached, broke the meet and facility records during the preliminaries of the 60-meter hurdles. Stanley covered the distance in 7.75 and came back to win the finals in 7.80.

The addition of Pugh's provisional mark today and the women's DMR provisional run Friday night brings the total number of Sooners or relays, under first-year head coach Martin Smith, eligible for the NCAA Championships to eight. OU had just five entries for the Championships in 2005.

Oklahoma will host its second indoor meet of the season, the Sooner Indoor, Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Mosier Indoor Track.