Cole, Smith Advance at NCAAs

June 11, 2008

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Leslie Cole and Toni Smith advanced to the semifinals of the women's 400-meter dash and finals of the women's long jump, respectively, as five University of Oklahoma athletes and one relay competed in Wednesday's first day of competition at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Des Moines.

A junior from Idabel, Okla., Cole finished second in the event's first heat with a time of 52.92. Alabama's Trish Bartholomew won the first heat with a time of 52.33. The top two times from each heat along with next six-fastest times advanced to Friday's semifinals. Kenyata Coleman of Mississippi posted the prelims fastest time of 51.78.

Cole is looking for her fourth career All-America honor including her second this season after reaching the level in the 400 at the 2008 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.

In a clutch performance, Smith grabbed the 12th and final qualifying spot in the long jump with her final jump. The senior from Denver leapt a season-best distance of 20 feet and 11.75 inches (6.39 meters) to literally jump Charlotte's Pat Springs, 20-8.50 (6.31), into Thursday's finals. Smith has two All-America honors in the triple jump, but is looking to earn the status in the long jump for the first time in her career.

Cole also ran the opening leg on the women's 4x100-meter relay that finished ninth as the top eight teams advanced to the finals. Cole, Jalesa Walker, Missy Barnes and Ti'Anca Mock teamed for a time of 44.61, just behind eighth-place Cal's 44.56. Mock filled in as the anchor for Scottesha Miller who suffered a hamstring injury at the NCAA Midwest Regional on May 30. Texas A&M posted the prelims' fastest time of 43.19.

Running into a headwind of 2.7 meters-per-second, senior Marcus Pugh failed to advance to the semifinals of the 100-meter dash, finishing 18th. Pugh's time of 10.72 was not enough as the top 16 advanced to the event's semis. Pugh will now turn his attention to Thursday's 200-meter dash prelims.

Adrian Wiltshire closed out his first season on the Division I level with a 21st-place finish in the men's long jump. The Jamaican native opened with his best jump of the day, 24-4.25 (7.42), as the top-12 jumpers of the prelims moved on. Florida State's Ngonidzashe Makusha recorded the day's longest jump of 26-6.25 (8.08).

Thursday'a action begins at 10:45 a.m. with the men's decathlon. Oklahoma's first competitor, Amy Backel, will compete in the women's javelin at 2:15 p.m.

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