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
Rice, Stanford on Track's Weekend Agenda
April 28, 2006 | Track and Field
NORMAN, Okla. -- The University of Oklahoma men's and women's track and field teams continue the march toward the Big 12 Championships with stops this week at the Rice Twilight in Houston, Saturday, and Cardinal Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif., Sunday.
The bulk of OU's travel squad will compete at Rice while the Sooners' distance runners head to Stanford.
Oklahoma is looking to add and improve its record 28 NCAA regional qualifiers at the meets.
The Rice Twilight begins Saturday at 11:30 a.m. The Cardinal Invitational begins Sunday at 2 p.m.
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Getting to Know the Sooner Coaching Staff
Martin Smith was announced as Oklahoma's 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.
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Who to Watch...Brayon Brown
After a fall ended his chances in the men's 800-meter run at the Texas Twilight last week, Brayon Brown is more than motivated to improve on his personal best of 1:49.57 Sunday afternoon at the Cardinal Invitational hosted by Stanford University.
Brown, ranked ninth in the conference, and 12th in the Midwest Region knows he can improve, and must to score points for the Sooners at the Big 12 Championships (May 12-14).
The Houston, Texas, native was an All-American in the event in high school and placed ninth (1:55.51) at the 2005 USATF Junior National Track and Field Championships.
The sophomore placed fifth in the 800 (1:52.89) at the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships (Feb. 25).
Oklahoma's Regional Qualifiers
OU has a total of 28 entries eligible for the NCAA Midwest Regional, hosted by the University of Texas, May 26-27. They are listed with their ranking in the Midwest as of April 11.
| Student-Athlete | MW Rank | Best Mark |
| Women's 100-Meter Dash | ||
| Yolanda Goff |
5 |
11.49 |
| Leslie Cole |
8 |
11.57 |
| Larica Urbina |
16 |
11.73 |
| Women's 200-Meter Dash | ||
| Yolanda Goff | 16 | 23.82 |
| Leslie Cole | 21 | 23.92 |
| Women's 400-Meter Dash | ||
| Tijahnni Newton | 18 | 54.48 |
| Women's 800-Meter Run | ||
| Kristi Cook | 11 | 2:09.24 |
| Women's 4x100-Meter Relay | ||
| Harris, Goff, Cole, Urbina | 10 | 45.05 |
| Women's High Jump | ||
| Katherine Johnson | 13 | 1.75m |
| Women's Long Jump | ||
| Portia Nash | 11 | 6.05m |
| Women's Triple Jump | ||
| Portia Nash | 14 | 12.42m |
| Lucretia Rimmer | 18 | 12.38m |
| Men's 100-Meter Dash | ||
| Marcus Pugh | 4 | 10.31 |
| Ronnie Pines | 15 | 10.49 |
| Men's 200-Meter Dash | ||
| Marcus Pugh | 14 | 21.06 |
| Josh Scott | 21 | 21.16 |
| Men's 800-Meter Run | ||
| Brayon Brown | 12 | 1:49.57 |
| Men's 110-Meter Hurdles | ||
| Dermillo Wise | 7 | 13.87 |
| Jason Stanley | 8 | 13.97 |
| Tony Francis | 12 | 14.13 |
| Men's 400-Meter Hurdles | ||
| Dermillo Wise | 11 | 52.49 |
| Men's 4x100-Meter Relay | ||
| Pines, Pugh, Wright, Scott | 10 | 39.95 |
| Men's Pole Vault | ||
| Chip Heuser | 2 | 5.40m |
| Scott Martin | 2 | 5.40m |
| Men's Triple Jump | ||
| Tydree Lewis | 5 | 15.49m |
| Men's Shot Put | ||
| Kevin Bookout | 8 | 18.21m |
| Men's Discus Throw | ||
| Kevin Bookout | 23 | 51.83m |
| Men's Javelin Throw | ||
| Cale Drumright | 11 | 62.15m |
Smith's Sooners Break Outdoor Record(s)
It didn't take long for the Sooners to start showing success under first-year head coach Martin Smith during the indoor season, and they needed just one meet to continue the trend outdoors.
Four Sooners -- Chip Heuser (pole vault), Scott Martin (pole vault), Tijhanni Newton (women's 400-meter dash) and Dermillo Wise (110-meter hurdles) -- bested the regional qualifying standard at the Tulsa Invitational, an OU best for an opening weekend since the inception of the regional qualifier in 2003.
Prior to 2003, provisional national qualifiers were determined. Four Sooners met provisional marks in its opening weekend of 2002.
OU broke another record regarding regional entries, adding its 26th at the John Jacobs Invitational (April 15). The previous best was 24 in 2003.
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Who Needs Three Wise Men?
OU's one is doing just fine on his own.
Dermillo Wise is scooping up regional qualifying marks with every opportunity.
Wise won the 110-meter hurdles title at the John Jacobs Invitational (April 15), clocking in with a personal best 13.87.
The St. Petersburg, Fla., native also took runner-up honors in the men's long jump and 400-meter intermediate hurdles, two events in which he was competing for the first time this season.
Wise scored a regional qualifying time of 52.44 in the 400 hurdles and nearly posted another qualifying mark in the long jump with a leap of 23-9.00 (7.24).
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What Can Brown Do For You?
As a freshman, Brayon Brown was nipping on the heels of All-American 800-meter runner Aldwyn Sappleton as the two teamed to run the first and third fastests indoor 800s in school history.
Alone as a sophomore, Brown was hard-pressed to eclipse the 1:50 benchmark during the indoor season. However, his first run outdoors revived the spirit the Houston, Texas, native showed his first year with the Sooners.
Brown's 1:49.57 run at the Duke Invitational (April 8), gave him a personal best and currently the 31st fastest time in the nation.
The Houston, Texas, native is also ranked 12th in the Midwest Region and ninth in the Big 12 Conference.
Marcus' Marks
The blazing sun and 90-degree temperatures weren't the only elements blistering the Mike A. Myers Track during the Texas Relays.
Marcus Pugh's personal best run in the 100-meter dash of 10.31 likely did equal damage.
The sophomore's mark ranks 10th on OU's all-time performance list. He is the fastest Sooner not named DaBryan Blanton since Shomari Wilson ran 10.28 in 1999.
Pugh, who was an alternate on the U.S. 4x100 relay at the 2005 Junior Pan American Games, ranks 11th nationally among collegiate athletes.
Stanley Has All The Tools
Jason Stanley has the ability to be one of the nation's premier hurdlers. Now, he just needs the luck.
Out of high school, Stanley was the Sooners' prize recruit. His first effort as a Sooner ended in victory and conference athlete of the week honors.
As a freshman in 2002, Stanley set the school record in the 60-meter hurdles but injuries ended his season. In 2003, he ran five provisional marks in his first six starts, but was once again injured for the season. The next year proved no different but, finally, in 2005 he was able to string a season together, placing third at the Big 12 indoor and 12th outdoors in the high hurdles events.
With only a season of outdoor eligibility remaining, Stanley is eager to deliver the results he seemed so promised to accomplish. With his 13.98 season best, he is ranked 27th in the nation in the 110-meter high hurdles.
King Cole
Leslie Cole wasn't fooling around when she stepped on the track for the UT-Arlington Invitaitonal on April 1.
The freshman recorded regional qualifying marks and personal bests in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes, becoming the first Sooner woman to achieve that honor this year.
The Idabel native dominated Oklahoma's class 4A high school ranks, winning two state titles in the 100 (2002 and 2003 and three in the 200 (2002-04).
Cole has quitely positioned herself the heir apparent to follow in the legacy of Sooner great Laverne Jones, who despite only competing in Division I for two seasons, became a six-time All-American.
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Cooking Up Success
Among the surprises to come out of the indoor season was junior Kristi Cook's performances in the 800-meter run.
After placing sixth at the Razorback Invitational, Cook put herself on the watch list of possible Big 12 scorers.
She did not disappoint as she placed seventh, completing the race in 2:13.65. She also ran the third leg of the Big 12-winning DMR.
Cook was also the 800-meter leg of OU's distance medley relay at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational on Feb. 3. With its 11:14.63 run, the relay broke the school record by over 15 seconds and ran under the NCAA provisional qualifying standard for the first time in program history.
The Flower Mound, Texas, native took the outdoor season by storm, placing third in the 800 at the Duke Invitational (April 8).
She ran the two-lap stint in a personal record and regional qualifying time of 2:09.24. Only nine Sooner women all-time have posted faster 800 marks.
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Newton's Laws of Motion
Tijahnni Newton battled injuries as a senior at Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and homesickness as a freshman at OU.
In 2006, however, Newton seems to be regaining her stride as she has improved dramatically in a year's time and recovering the form that made her one of SoCal's hottest prospects.
The sophomore finished sixth in the 400 at the Big 12 Championships, running 55.50 in the finals this season after placing 18th in 1:01.47, and ran the second leg of the conference-winning DMR.
Newton opened the outdoor season running a personal best and regional qualifying mark of 54.48 in the 400-meter dash at the Tulsa Invitational.
Johnson Thriving Outside
After posting a meager season best of 5-5.50 (1.64) in the high jump during her first indoor campaign, Katherine Johnson thrived early in the outdoor season.
The freshman started the season with a win at the Tulsa Invitational (March 25) and a second (on attempts) at the UT-Arlington Invitational (April 1) with jumps of 5-7.00 (1.70). She nearly broke her personal best of 5-9 at the Texas Relays, finishing fourth (on attempts) with a regional qualifying mark of 5-8.75 (1.75).
One of only nine Sooner women all-time to reach 5-8.75 (1.75) and one of three in the last decade, only three of Johnson's opponents has cleared a greater height in head-to-head competition so far in 2006.
Runs Like a Portia
Portia Nash has become the jack of all trades at Oklahoma -- as far a jumping is concerned.
Limited to just horizontal leaps during a successful indoor season, the junior college transfer added the high jump to her repertoire early in the outdoor schedule. Nash jumped 5-7.00 (1.70), nearly posting a regional qualifying mark her first try, at the Bobby Lane Arlington Invitational (April 1).
Though new for the Sooners, the added duty is all part of a day's work for Nash, who competed in all three events while at Barton County (Kan.) Community College.
Nash was the 2005 NJCAA National runner-up in the triple jump, fifth in high jump and sixth in long jump.
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