Good Year for Oklahoma Teams

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma's teams have captured five conference championships this school year to register one of the top performances in school history.

It marks the ninth time in school history that OU teams have won at least five, and the first time it has hit that number since the 2000-01 school year.

This year's titles have come in football, women's basketball, softball and men's track and field in the Big 12 and men's gymnastics in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The Big 12 does not sponsor a championship in men's gymnastics so the Sooners compete in the MPSF with Air Force, California, Nebraska and Stanford.

“Overall, the University of Oklahoma student-athletes continue to represent all of the important elements of our department's mission and values,” said OU Athletics Director Joe Castiglione. “Though our progress is inspiring, even when compared to other universities held in high esteem, we still have much work to do. The great thing about OU is that we're committed to continuous improvement.

“While we are proud of the champions in and out of the classroom, there are even more stories to be told about the quality of our student-athletes. Leaders can demonstrate a championship mentality regardless of whether they have won a championship.”

Castiglione also cited the fact that 84% of those student-athletes that complete their competitive eligibility at OU also earn a degree.

The most league titles Oklahoma ever won was six in the 1954-55 school year.

Last weekend, the Sooners picked up titles four and five when softball won the Big 12 crown in Oklahoma City and the men's outdoor track and field team did the same in Lincoln, Neb.

The outdoor track championship ended a 29-year drought for that sport, which had not won a conference title since 1978. That was the third longest drought ever for an OU team.

So far, Oklahoma's four Big 12 titles lead the conference this year when counting titles that lead directly to NCAA post-season competition or serve as the only title awarded in the specific sport. The rest of the league breakdown includes Nebraska with 3, Texas 3, Texas A&M 3, Baylor 2, Colorado 2, Kansas 1, Oklahoma State 1. The title (regular or post-season) that results in the automatic NCAA berth was counted unless the sport championship does not yield a berth (e.g., track and field).

With 12 members, the Big 12 is the largest conference in which OU has ever competed.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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