Miller Wins Big 12 Long Jump Title

LINCOLN, Neb. OU freshman Scottesha Miller became the Big 12 women's long jump champion with her first attempt Saturday at Ed Weir Stadium. The Port Orange, Fla., native leapt 20 feet, 10.50 inches (6.36 meters) one foot further than her previous personal best to run away with the title.

“It feels great,” Miller said. “To be a Big 12 champion as a freshman is unbelievable.

“I just listened to Coach (Dana) Boone and did what I was capable of doing. Man, it was awesome! It (having a big first jump) felt great. I just cranked it up.

“I think I'm leading the world junior list now. This day has just been great.”

Miller's jump was the world-leading, wind-legal mark by an athlete under 20 years of age and is the second best all-time by a Sooner. She is just the fifth Sooner woman to win a Big 12 outdoor title and the second freshman (Jessica Eldridge, 2004).

Results

Portia Nash, the indoor champion, was second at a personal best 20-9.00 (6.32) and Toni Smith was seventh 19-11.00 (6.07) as the Sooner women scored 20 points in the event.

After two days of the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships, the Kansas men (37) and Nebraska women (74) lead the team standings. Oklahoma's men are fifth (18) and OU's women are fourth (23).

"The men's and women's teams showed a lot of fire today," OU head coach Martin Smith said. "The Sooners are finally learning what it takes to be among the best in the Big 12."

Dermillo Wise and Frankie Wright jumped personal bests to finish third and fifth, respectively, in the men's long jump to score a crucial 10 points for the men's team.

Wise jumped 25-7.25 (7.80) as the top three finishers were separated by just three-quarters of an inch. Wright's best leap was 25-2.00 (7.67).

Former OU volleyball star Anna Monsen earned All-Big 12 honors in her second sport with a seventh-place finish in the heptathlon. Monsen scored a personal best 4,768 points after setting personal bests in six of the seven events, including all three run Saturday.

Marcus Pugh ran the second fastest time in the men's 100-meter dash preliminaries at 11.37 and Jacobi Mitchell recorded a personal best 11.39 for fourth best and a spot in the finals as well.

Mitchell and Pugh stormed back in the 200 prelims to qualify for tomorrow's final with run with personal bests of 20.66 and 20.68, respectively.

Jessica Eldridge ran second fastest in the 1500-meter run prelims at 4:28.31. Eldridge and Texas Tech's Sally Kipyego (4:26.51) will battle for the event title Sunday.

Sheldon Leith (13.92) ran the second fastest preliminary mark in the 110-meter high hurdles and Dermillo Wise was seventh (14.13) as both moved on to Sunday's main event.

Yolanda Goff ran the third fastest time in the 100-meter dash preliminaries at 11.44. Larica Urbina was fifth fastest to make the finals with a personal best 11.51 run.

Leslie Cole matched her personal best in the 200 to finish seventh overall in the 200 prelims at 23.51.

Tijahnni Newton, the runner-up indoors, was fifth fastest in the 400 prelims with a personal best of 54.30.

Frankie Wright's personal best of 46.74 in the 400-meter dash missed qualifying for the finals by .03 seconds.

Leonarde Smith qualified for the finals in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles with a run of 52.00.

Katherine Johnson high jumped 5-8.75 (1.78) to finish eighth and earn All-Big 12 honors.

Jessica Brown jumped a personal best 12-5.50 (3.80) in the pole vault to place 10th by number of attempts.

Event favorites Kevin Bookout (shot put) and Chip Heuser and Scott Martin (pole vault) look to carry the Sooners' flag as the Big 12 Championships continue Sunday at noon with the team champions to be crowned that evening.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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