OU Prepares for Midwest Regional

May 29, 2008

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The University of Oklahoma Track & Field team travels to Lincoln, Neb., this weekend for the 2008 NCAA Midwest Regional, May 30-31, at Ed Weir Stadium on the campus of the University of Nebraska.

The OU men enter the meet as the defending team champion after topping second place Nebraska by 15.33 points in 2007 to win their first regional title. The No. 15 Oklahoma women have attained their highest national ranking in program history.

OU also has two individual event defending champions return to competition in 2008. Shardae Boutte and Toni Smith won the men's and women's triple jump titles, respectively, in 2007.

The top five athletes in each event qualify for the 2008 NCAA National Championships, June 11-14, in Des Moines, Iowa. A number of select at-large athletes from the four regions will be added to round out the national field.

Action kicks off Friday, May 30, at 1 p.m. CST with the women's hammer and long jump and the men's high jump and javelin.

RESULTS
Live results for the 2008 NCAA Midwest Regional will be provided on Huskers.com. A complete recap of Oklahoma action will be posted on SoonerSports.com shortly after the conclusion of action each day.

The University of Nebraska will also provide a free live video stream of the action at Ed Weir Stadium.

RANKED TEAMS
Men: No. 2 Texas A&M, No. 11 Baylor, No. 12 Colorado, No. 13 Texas, No. 16 UTEP, No. 20 Nebraska, No. 22 TCU

Women: No. 2 Texas A&M, No. 4 Texas Tech, No. 13 Minnesota, No. 15 Oklahoma, No. 16 Baylor, No. 17 UTEP, No. 19 Kansas, No. 21 Texas, No. 24 TCU

SOONER TO WATCH
Since arriving at OU as a transfer from Oklahoma Baptist, Latoya Greaves has quickly made a name for herself, not just in Norman, but in the Big 12 Conference and on the national stage. The Jamaica native established herself as a contender on the national outdoor scene after first capturing the 60-meter hurdles title at the Big 12 Indoor Championships followed by completing the hurdles sweep with the 100-meter hurdles title at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships. Ranked No. 8 nationally, the program-record holder enters this weekend as the No. 1 hurdler in the Midwest Region.

Regional Central | Live Results | Webcast | Schedule

LAST MEET (Big 12 Championships)
The University of Oklahoma Track and Field program concluded competition at the 2008 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships Sunday at Potts Field on the campus of the University of Colorado. The OU men finished seventh and the women sixth on a day that saw Oklahoma athletes break five school records and claim 10 top-three finishes including two individual event titles.

In what was a repeat of the 2008 Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships, Latoya Greaves and Shardae Boutte both claimed individual event titles in the 100-meter hurdles and triple jump, respectively.

Boutte won his third straight Big 12 triple jump title and successfully defended his 2007 Big 12 outdoor triple jump title. Boutte's personal-best jump of 54 feet and 4.75 inches (16.58 meters) broke the senior's own program record of 53-3.75 (16.25). The jump also broke a Big 12 Championship meet record and is the nation's top triple jump of the season.

Two of Boutte's teammates also contributed top-eight finishes as Tydree Lewis finished fourth with a jump of 52-8.00 (16.05) and Frankie Green took eighth with a distance of 50-2.50 (15.30).

Greaves completed a sweep of the Big 12 Indoor and Outdoor Championships in the hurdles. After winning the 60-meter hurdles title at indoor on March 1, the sophomore beat the field under the cloudy skies in Boulder with a school-record time of 12.99.

Greaves jumped to the front and never looked back, shattering her own Oklahoma program record in the process. Greaves first broke the school record at the Texas Relays on April 5 with a time of 13.19.

The Kingston, Jamaica native is looking for her first NCAA title in the event after winning a national title on the NAIA level while at Oklahoma Baptist University.

Greaves' classmate Latoya Heath took third in the event with a personal-best 13.42.

Marcus Pugh ran a personal-best in the 100-meter dash, 10.16, to take second behind Texas A&M's Gerald Phiri's 10.03.

Pugh also finished fifth in the 200-meter dash with a regional qualifying and season-best time of 20.47.

Scottesha Miller placed her name atop the Oklahoma record books in two events, taking down OU alum Laverne Jones' marks. The sophomore began with the women's 100-meter dash, finishing fourth, but more importantly running an 11.21.

Three events later Miller returned to the track and brought a pen with her, rewriting the OU record book in the 200-meter dash.

Miller's teammate Leslie Cole took eighth in the 200 with a regional qualifying time of 23.14. Cole also placed second in the 400-meter dash, running a personal-best 51.94. Senior Tijahnni Newton took sixth in the event with a time of 54.09.

Senior Jessica Eldridge finished second in the women's 1,500-meter run behind Texas Tech's Sally Kipyego. Eldridge came in just behind Kipyego (4:25.00) with a regional qualifying time of 4:27.66. The second-place finish gives the three-time All-American her 10th career All-Big 12 Conference honor.

One day after finishing second in the women's long jump, senior Toni Smith took third in the triple jump. Entering the competition as the Conference's top-ranked athlete in the event, Smith jumped a season-best 43-11.25 (13.39). The jump extends Smith's school record in the event, topping her previous non-wind aided best 43-7.50 (13.34).

The women's 4x100-meter relay comprised of Cole, Jalesa Walker, Missy Barnes and Miller recorded a season-best time of 44.07 to finish third.

Chip Heuser tied a season-high height of 17-0.75 (5.20) to take third in the men's pole vault. The bronze medal highlights what has been a difficult season for the four-time All-American after suffering a major head injury during the indoor season.

Zach Dawson took fifth in the men's 400-meter hurdles with a personal-best time of 50.67. The time moves the sophomore up to seventh all-time in the event in OU history.

Sheldon Leith also took fifth in a hurdles event, the 110-meter hurdles.

COMING UP NEXT
The University of Oklahoma athletes who qualifiy will take a weekend off in preparation for the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships to be held June 11-14 in Des Moines, Iowa. Hosted by the Drake University, the meet will feature the nation's top collegiate athletes competing for the honor of the nation's best.

In 2007 the Oklahoma track and field program finished with total All-Americans, matching the combined program record set in 1997. Two members of the men's 4x100-meter relay, Marcus Pugh and Jacobi Mitchell, that earned All-America honors last season return along with Toni Smith, Jessica Eldridge and two members of the women's 4x100, Leslie Cole and Scottesha Miller, that added the accolade to their resume in 2007.

LAST YEAR AT THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
The OU men's track and field team captured their first regional title, scoring 75.33 points at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships at Drake Stadium. Nebraska scored 60 points to finish second. Texas Tech was third with 58.

The men's victory comes on the heels of winning the team's first Big 12 title just two weeks prior.

The Oklahoma men added two regional champions in a matter of seconds as Shardae Boutte waited out the final competitor in the triple jump while the Sooners' 4x100-meter relay won their race in spectacular come-from-behind, last-leg victory.

Boutte, the Big 12 outdoor champion, jumped a Midwest Regional record 52 feet, 8 inches (16.05 meters) on his first and best attempt.

Ronnie Pines, Marcus Pugh, Frankie Wright and Jacobi Mitchell sprinted to OU's first regional title in a relay with their 4x100-meter win in a season best, and eighth all-time at OU, time of 39.59.

Kevin Bookout won his first regional title with his shot put victory. Bookout's winning throw traveled 63-0.75 (19.22), beating second place by over four feet.

Dermillo Wise finished third in the finals of the men's 110-meter hurdles, clocking a personal best 13.77, to qualify for his second consecutive national championships in the event.

Wise also qualified for the NCAAs in the long jump Friday.

Pugh, who ran in four events Saturday, (10.40) finished fifth in the 100-meter dash to also automatically qualify for the NCAAs in that event.

Pugh, however, strained his hamstring in the final steps of the 100 and pulled up in the final 20 meters of the 200 (22.28), finishing last.

The men's 4x400 of Zach Dawson, Mitchell, Smith and Wright ran a season best 3:06.54 to win the first of two heats and finish fifth overall.

Overall, the Sooner men qualified eight total athletes in eight total events to the national championships in Sacramento, Calif., in two weeks. Two women also automatically qualified.

Both the men's and women's Big 12 championships won regional titles as the Texas A&M ran away with the women's team title, scoring 99 points to second-place Texas' 67. The OU women tied for 10th out of 32 scoring teams with 26 points.

OU junior Toni Smith won the women's triple jump with a best of 43-6.50 (13.27).

Jessica Eldridge qualified for the national championships in the 1500-meter run after placing fourth in the finals at 4:21.46.

The women's 4x100-meter relay of Leslie Cole, Scottesha Miller, Yolanda Goff and Larica Urbina placed fourth in the finals in 43.90, breaking the school record they set Firday in a preliminary heat at 44.14.
Yolanda Goff, Tydree Lewis and Leonarde Smith just missed automatic advancement to the national championships.

Goff was sixth in the women's 100-meter dash at 11.51.

Lewis was sixth in the triple jump with a best of 51-4.25 (15.65).

Smith finished sixth in the men's 400-meter hurdles at 51.21.

The women's 4x400-meter relay of Cole, Goff, Jhavonne Pope and Tijhanni Newton placed sixth overall at 3:35.19.

Chip Heuser qualified for the national championships in the men's pole vault. Wright and Wise also qualified in the men's long jump.

NCAA QUALIFIERS
Heading into the 2008 NCAA Midwest Regional, Oklahoma athletes have posted 44 regional qualifying marks, 23 by the women's team and 21 by the men.

Scottesha Miller leads all Sooners with regional qualifying marks in three events. The sophomore has qualified in both the 100- and 200-meter dash and as a member of the women's 4x100-meter relay to go along with a qualifying long jump.

Sprinter Marcus Pugh has recorded three qualifying times in the 100- and 200-meter dash and as a member of the men's 4x100-meter relay.

Zach Dawson and Latoya Heath are members of the tri-qualifier club as well. Dawson entered the year as a 400-meter runner, however, the sophomore has ran regional qualifying times in that event along with the 200-meter dash and 400-meter hurdles.

In her first season as a Sooner, Heath enters the post season having posted qualifying marks in the women's 100-meter hurdles, long jump and triple jump.

Decathlete Mitch Henry has recorded two qualifying marks; a regional mark in the javelin and a provisional mark in the decathlon.

Senior horizontal jumper Toni Smith enters the weekend having already posted regional qualifying marks in both the triple jump and long jump in just her first action of the outdoor season in the events at the Texas Relays.

Smith is one of six OU women who have recorded regional qualifying marks in two events including Scottesha Miller who has done so in the 100- and 200-meter dash, the long jump and as a member of the 4x100-meter relay.

Amy Backel (shot put and javelin), Leslie Cole (200- and 400-meter dash) and Catherine Odell (800- and 1500-meter run) have all accomplished the feat as well.

On the men's side, Shardae Boutte has added his name to the double qualifiers as well, qualifying in both the long and triple jump.

ONE STEP CLOSER TO BEIJING
Nine University of Oklahoma Track & Field athletes have taken one step closer to competing in Beijing by eclipsing qualifying standards for the 2008 U.S. Track & Field Olympic Trials.

The event, which will be held June 27 - July 6 in Eugene, Ore., has two sets of qualifying standards, an "A" standard and a "B" standard.

Athletes who attain the "A" standard will automatically be included in the event, provided they enter and declare. Athletes who attain the "B" standard will be included in the event only if additional competitors are needed to make the event competitive (i.e., not enough athletes have not attained the "A" standard).

Scottesha Miller is the lone OU athlete to eclipse the "A" standard with a time of 22.79 in the 200-meter dash. The promising sophomore has also recorded a "B" standard in the 100-meter dash.

Amy Backel (Javelin), Shardae Boutte (Triple Jump), Leslie Cole (200- and 400-meter dash), Zach Dawson (400-meter hurdles), Jessica Eldridge (1,500-meter run), Tydree Lewis (Triple Jump), Marcus Pugh (100- and 200-meter dash) and Toni Smith (Triple Jump) have all recorded "B" standard marks.

RECORDS FALLING
After recording five new program records in the 2008 indoor season, University of Oklahoma have rewritten the OU record books on seven occasions this outdoor season.

Amy Backel kicked things off in the season-opening Tulsa Duels. In her first season as a full-time thrower, Backel claimed the event's javelin title with a throw of 155-4 (47.36) to best the previous school record of 154-8 (47.14) set by Katie Webster in 1998.

It didn't take long for Backel to rewrite her own record as one week later at the Bobby Lane Invitational the sophomore finished first by topping her own school record with a throw of 166-8 (50.80). The record stood for less than a month as Backel topped herself once more at the Sooner Invitational with a throw of 167-7 (51.09).

Austin, Texas was the site of the next record-breaking performance by Oklahoma athletes as Buck Sullivan and Latoya Greaves both placed their names above the historic performance lists in their respective divisions at the 81st Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

Sullivan started it off in the hammer throw with an NCAA Regional qualifying mark of 195-6 (59.60). The throw topped Nils Oliveto's previous program record of 192-2 (58.58).

Latoya Greaves continued her streak of impressive performances in her first season as a Sooner with a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.19. The time bested the previous Oklahoma program record of 13.27 set by Alesha Peel in 2001.

Greaves did not stop there, one-upping herself at the Big 12 Championships with a blistering 12.99. Greaves school record in Boulder was one of five by Oklahoma athletes on the weekend.

Scottesha Miller packed a pen on the trip to the Rocky Mountains, rewriting the record books in both the 100- and 200-meter dash. The sophomore reeled off a time of 11.21 in the 100 followed by a 22.79 in the 200. The times broke records held by Laverne Jones in the 100 (11.25) and 200 (22.81).

Although the triple jump records were changed on both the men's and women's sides at the Big 12 Championships, the names did not change.

Shardae Boutte claimed the men's title with a jump of 54-4.75 (16.58) to break his own record in the event while Toni Smith finished third, breaking her own record in the process, with a jump of 43-11.25 (13.39)

LATOYA, LATOYA
Sophomores Latoya Heath and Latoya Greaves both arrived on the campus of the University of Oklahoma via the junior college route and both have excelled in their first season on the Divison I level.

Heath, from Lindenwood University in St. Louis, Mo., and Greaves, from Oklahoma Baptist University, have both made their marks on the OU Track & Field Program, including the Sooner record books.

Greaves is currently the top-ranked 100-meter hurdler in the Big 12 Conference with a top time of 13.03 while Heath is fourth (13.46). Greaves' time also marks an Oklahoma school record for the Big 12 champion in the indoor 60-meter hurdles and outdoor 100-meter hurdles.

Heath is also a force in the horizontal jumps as the seventh-ranked triple jumper in the Big 12 and 11th in the long jump. Heath's triple jump mark of 42 feet and two inches (12.90 meters) ranks third in the OU record books.

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-THREE TOP-THREE MARKS
Throughout the 2008 outdoor track & field season, 32 University of Oklahoma individual athletes and five relays have accounted for 133 top-three finishes including 48 first-place finishes.

Scottesha Miller leads all Sooners with 11 top-three finishes. Miller is tied with Leslie Cole for second-most event titles with five. Latoya Greaves leads all Sooners with seven individual titles.

Cole, along with Toni Smith, has nine top-three finishes. Smith also has three individual event titles.

Three Sooners have eight top-three places as Amy Backel, Greaves and Marcus Pugh have eclipsed the mark.

SPRINTING UP THE RANKINGS
A quick look at the women's Big 12 performance list for sprints and its hard to miss the University of Oklahoma. Four Sooners appear in the top 25 for all of the short sprints, including five in the top 10.

Leslie Cole leads the way with a top-10 ranking in both the 200 (No. 8) and 400 (No. 2). Tijahnni Newton is No. 4 in the 400 while Scottesha Miller is No. 5 in the 100 and No. 7 in the 200.

Another event dominated by Oklahoma athletes is the women's long jump. Six Sooners appear in the top 17, including three in the top seven. Toni Smith is the Conference's top long jumper with Miller (No. 3) and Ti'Anca Mock (No. 7) not far behind.

CAREER DAY FOR COLE...AGAIN
The John McDonnell Invitational on April 19 was beneficial for all Oklahoma athletes, it was especially rewarding for one Sooner though as Leslie Cole recorded personal-best times in both the 200- and 400-meter dash.

Cole, competing in the Invitational division of both races, raced to a win in the 200 with an NCAA Regional qualifiying time of 23.46. Not long afterwards, the junior sprinter finished third in the 400 behind two unattached runners with another regional qualifying time of 53.50.

The time, the fifth fastest in Oklahoma program history, bested Cole's personal best entering the season by more than two seconds.

The effort was just a foreshadow of what Cole would accomplish one week later at home. Taking first in both the 200- and 400-meter dash by once again boosting her career-best times in each race.

Cole's time of 23.01 in the 200 is the second-fastest in Oklahoma program history and the fourth-fastest this season in the Big 12 Conference. Cole followed that up with the Conference's then second-fastest 400 of the season with a time of 52.70.

The junior from Idabel, Okla., would top the time once again at the Big 12 Championships, running a lap in only 51.94, the second fastest in the Big 12 and the second-fastest time in the history of the Oklahoma program.

MILLER TIME
After helping Leslie Cole to an outstanding showing by the OU women at the John McDonnell Invitational, sophomore Scottesha Miller placed her name atop the leader board in a wide array of events.

Miller began the day by recording the fastest time in the women's 100-meter dash prelims, 11.64, before improving on the time, 11.52, to capture the event's title.

The short sprinter specialist continued her impressive day under sunny skies with a second title, this time in the women's 200-meter dash with a time of 23.61.

Her time on the track wasn't done as she anchored the women's 4x100-meter relay to a first-place finish with a time of 45.38.

Shifting from the track to the infield, the defending Big 12 outdoor champion in the long jump finished second in the event with a jump of 19-11.50 (6.08) to finish as the highest collegiate competitor.

All three times and the long jump distance marked NCAA Regional qualifiers while Miller's 200 time allowed the sophomore to crack the OU all-time performance list at No. 10.

The performance was just precursor, however, to what Miller would accomplish later in the season.

A return trip to Fayetteville and Miller bested herself in the long jump, reeling off the Big 12's longest jump of the season in 20-8.50 (6.31).

Miller didn't stop there, running a 23.06 in the 200 at the Sooner Twilight on May 10.

The real fireworks didn't explode until the Big 12 Championships however as Miller grabbed control of the Oklahoma history books with records in both the 100- and 200-meter dash.

The Florida native secured OU's first U.S. Olympic Trials "A" standard with a time of 22.71 in the 200-meter dash. Miller then added her name to the growing list to "B" standard qualifiers with a time of 11.21 in the 100-meter dash.

TRIPLE JUMPING TO THE TOP
For assistant coach Jeremy Fischer, a trio of triple jumpers is making his life a whole lot easier. Sooner men Shardae Boutte and Tydree Lewis along with Toni Smith on the women's side all rank in the top eight nationally in the event.

Boutte, who has won the last three Big 12 Conference titles in the event (`07 Outdoor, `08 Indoor & Outdoor), enters the weekend as the nation's top-ranked triple jumper after leaping a school-record distance of 54-4.75 (16.58) to claim the Big 12 title in Boulder.

Lewis, who finished second at the NCAA Championships in the event during the 2008 indoor season, is ranked fifth in the conference and 12th nationally with a season-best jump of 52-9.25 (16.08).

On the women's side, Smith enters the Midwest Regional as the Big 12 Conference's third-ranked triple jumper. The school-record holder in the event, Smith's top jump this season of 43-11.25 (13.39 meters) ranks 12th nationally.

AWESOME DAWSON
For Zach Dawson, the 2008 outdoor track & field season has marked another step in the sophomore's progression to the top.

The Edmond, Okla., native has improved each season including two All-Big 12 honors in the 2008 indoor season after receiving one during the 2007 outdoor season.

In his first action of the outdoor season at the Bobby Lane Invitational, Dawson ran an NCAA Regional qualifying time of 52.19 in the 400-meter hurdles, his first-ever time to compete in the race. Dawson improved his time at last week's meet, running a 51.12, just off the Olympic Trial "B" standard of 51.00.

The 400 hurdles was just the first regional qualifying mark for Dawson, who reeled off a time of 21.32 in his first race in the 200-meter dash at the John Jacobs Invitational.

A return home to Norman was all Dawson needed to record a regional qualifying mark in his third event of the season, the 400-meter dash. Dawson claimed the event title at the Sooner Invitational with a personal-best time of 46.61, under the NCAA Regional qualifying time of 47.20.
Dawson has since eclipsed the U.S. Olympic Trials "B" standard in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 50.67 in the Big 12 Outdoor Championships.

The sophomore will only compete in the 400-meter hurdles in the most competitive of all regions in the event as nine of the top-20 athletes in the nation will run in the Midwest Region.

TWICE AROUND, TWICE AS NICE
Three...two...one. One could almost say out loud a countdown as Kristi Cook begins her kick in the women's 800-meter run.

The senior rode her strong kick to a first-place finish in the Invitational event at the John McDonnell Invitational with career-best times.

Cook's time of 2:07.17, the sixth-fastest time in Oklahoma program history, ranks third in the Big 12 Conference.

1,500 METERS TO SUCCESS
For redshirt-freshmen Jacob Boone and Rob Sorrell, the first season under head coach Martin Smith has been one of steadily improvement and a climb up the OU records list. After opening the season with NCAA Regional qualifying times in the 1,500-meter run at the Stanford Invitational (Sorrell - 3:47.34, Boone - 3:47.43), the two did not rest, but only improved on their times.

At the John McDonnell Invitational Boone shaved close to four seconds off his previous time with a fourth-place finish in 3:43.96. Sorrell also picked up the pace, finishing the race in 3:46.94. One weekend later at the Oregon Relays Sorrell lowered his time even further, running 3:44.29. The time marks the third fastest in Oklahoma program history.

Despite posting slower times in part of the altitude in Boulder, Colo., the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships were highlighted by Boone coming close to pulling off an upset of two-time NCAA champion Leonel Manzano of Texas in the event's prelims.

Boone (3:51.35) crossed the finish line just after Manzano (3:51.19) in the event's second heat, hanging back just behind Manzano before finishing with a strong kick to push the eventual Big 12 champion to the finish.

PROJECTED TO MAKE IT
With the top-five finishers in each event in each region automatically qualifying for the NCAA National Championships, one could take a look at the nationall descending order list and make predictions on advancements out of the Midwest Region.

While anything can happen on the track and any given athlete can break off a career performance, below is a listing of OU athletes, based on the descending order lists, projected to automatically qualify for Des Moines.

Athlete                              Event
Leslie Cole                          400-meter dash
Kristi Cook                          800-meter run
Jessica Eldridge                   1,500-meter run
Latoya Greaves                   100-meter hurdles
Latoya Heath                      100-meter hurdles
OU Women                          4x100-meter relay
Toni Smith                          Long jump
Toni Smith                          Triple jump
Amy Backel                         Javelin
Marcus Pugh                       100-meter dash
Marcus Pugh                       200-meter dash
Shardae Boutte                   Triple jump

AMY'S AIMING HIGH
In her first season as a full-time thrower after spending a season-and-a-half as a multi-event athlete, Amy Backel has quickly made a name for herself in the Big 12 Conference and provides a much-needed threat for conference championship points in events that were not necessarily counted on in the past.

Backel broke the Oklahoma javelin record in the first outdoor event of the season, Tulsa Relays, before rewriting her own record a week later at the Bobby Lane Invitational. Backel returned home to Norman for the Sooner Invitational and one-upped herself again with a toss of 167-7 (51.09). The mark is currently the No. 2 mark in the Big 12 and 13th nationally.

The sophomore has also posted a personal best in the shot put at the Sooner Twilight with a toss of 47 feet and 10 inches (14.58), good for 13th in the Big 12.

RACING TO THE BOOKS
Eleven student-athletes from the University of Oklahoma track and field program were named to the Big 12 Conference's 2008 Academic All-Big 12 Track and field teams on May 14.

Amy Backel, a civil engineering sophomore, and Catherine Odell, an instructional leadership senior, led the way with perfect 4.0 grade point averages.

Other Sooners on the first team included Jamie Alexander (human relations), Brayon Brown (human relations), Jason Coleman (multidisciplinary studies), Kristi Cook (marketing), Frankie Green (human relations), Chip Heuser (zoology) and Rob Sorrell (aviation).

Leslie Cole (sociology) and Carli Wester (undecided major) were named to the second team.

COLE HONORED BY BIG 12
Junior sprinter Leslie Cole was named Big 12 Athlete of the Week by the Conference on Tuesday, April 29. Cole received the honor, the first of her career, after recording a career day at home in Saturday's Sooner Invitational. The meet marked the second consecutive week that Cole posted career marks after doing so at the John McDonnell Invitational on April 19.

The three-time All-American recorded personal bests in both the 200- and 400-meter dash at the Sooner Invitational en route to taking first with NCAA Regional qualifying times in each event. Cole's time in the 400 (52.70) marked a new Sooner Invitational record and is the third-fastest time in program history.

Cole's winning time of 23.01 in the 200 was also a meet record and second on OU's all-time performance list. The junior also ran the opening leg of the 4x100-meter relay that finished first with a regional-qualifying time of 44.91.

She currently is ranked seventh nationally in the 200 and fifth in the 400.

The Idabel, Okla., native shares the honor with thrower D'Andra Carter of Texas Tech. Distance runner Leonel Manzano of Texas received the men's honor.

OU WOMEN REACH HIGHEST RANKING
The Oklahoma women's outdoor track and field team has reached its highest position in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) rankings released on Tuesday by the organization.

Performances at the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships enabled six female Sooners to climb in individual event rankings to help OU jump five spots in the rankings to No. 15. The OU women are the third-ranked Big 12 team behind the nation's No. 2 team and conference champion, Texas A&M, and No. 4 Texas Tech.

The USTFCCCA Division I indoor track and field rankings are compiled solely from NCAA descending order lists.

FAYETTEVILLE IS FAMILIAR
Travel 244 miles northeast of Norman and you'll find what is becoming a home-away-from-home for the Oklahoma Track & Field program.

Fayetteville, Ark., home of the University of Arkansas, was the site of Oklahoma's last outdoor meet, the 2008 John McDonnell Invitational, and is the site of two outdoor meets of the 2008 outdoor OU season with this week's Arkansas Twilight being the other.

It was the 2008 indoor season though that Oklahoma athletes began to learn the ins-and-outs of Fayetteville, traveling to Northwest Arkansas on five different occassions for indoor meets, including the 2008 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in March.

The Randal Tyson Track Center was a friendly welcome to some OU athletes including triple jumpers Shardae Boutte and Tydree Lewis as both broke Oklahoma program records in the facility.

Boutte first broke the Oklahoma program record on Feb. 15 at the Tyson Invitational with a jump of 54-1.00 (16.48) to become the nation's top-ranked athlete in the event, a claim he would hold until the NCAA Championships.

It was at the NCAA Championships though that Lewis leapfrogged Boutte for the top spot in the OU record book. A jump of 54-2.50 (16.52) not only gave Lewis a second-place finish, but the Oklahoma program record.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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