First Meet Not a Problem for Sooners

Jan. 8, 2010

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Competing on the Division I level for the first time Friday did not phase many members of the Oklahoma Track and Field program including three title winners at the season-opening Arkansas Invitational. Chelsea Goodman, Remuro Henry and Jermie Robertson all claimed individual event titles as the OU contingent combined for 17 top-three finishes and Scottesha Miller clocked an NCAA provisional qualifying time in the 60-meter dash.

A junior college transfer, Henry opened his Sooner career in style with a win in the 400-meter dash, covering the 200-meter oval twice in a time of 48.18. OU claimed a 1-2 finish in the event as junior Eric Bailey followed Henry in a time of 48.81.

In the first action of her collegiate career, Goodman, a freshman, claimed the women's high jump title with a height of 5-6.00 (1.68). Goodman cleared the final height on just one attempt to hold off Arkansas' Shantel Thompson for the win. Goodman's classmates, Kristen Rice and Chenale Smith, finished third and fourth, respectively.

A second freshman, Robertson, continued the winning streak for first-year Sooners in the 200-meter dash as he bested all competition with a time of 22.19.

Miller earned second-place honors in the 60-meter dash, one of two Sooners to finish in the top three in the event. Miller crossed the finish line in an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 7.42 followed by sophomore Sherine Wells in a time of 7.50. Miller was the only competitor to record a provisional qualifying time in the event's prelims, leading the pack with a time of 7.43.

Following the 60-meter dash, Miller and Wells teamed with Jalesa Walker and Marlena Wesh to take second in the women's 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:54.51.

The men's 4x400-meter relay also finished second in its division as Henry, Jarell Warren, Zach Dawson and Mookie Salaam narrowly missed winning the event with a time of 3:13.62 to Mississippi's 3:13.61.

Latoya Heath, competing unattached, won the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.51. Sophomore Demeeka Jones took third in the event with a time of 8.96. Heath and Jones qualified for the final with times of 8.67 and 8.85, respectively.

The men's division of the 60-meter saw two Sooners in the top three as D'Andre Fisher took second with a time of 8.15 while freshman Jeffrey Artis finished third in 8.23.

In the men's division of the 60-meter dash, Salaam, a sophomore, finished third with a time of 6.87. Salaam had the second-fastest time in the event's prelims with a time of 6.79.

Dawson took third in the 600-meter run with a time of 1:20.85, less than a second off the time of the event's winner, James Hatch, 1:20.05.

The women's long jump saw OU newcomer Jasmine Simmons take third with a top jump of 19-3.25 (5.87). The junior college transfer was one of two first-year Sooners in the event as freshman Kristen Carson took sixth with a jump of 17-4.75.

Freshman Cameron Roffey finished third in the men's pole vault by clearing the bar at 15-1.00 (4.60).

Staying with the field events, senior Kevin Snyder took third in the men's high jump, clearing a height of 6-8.25 (2.04) before failing to convert at 6-10.25 (2.09).

OU alum Leslie Cole, competing unattached, won the women's 200-meter dash in a time of 23.51 and was second in the 400 with a time of 53.69.

Next up for the Sooners is a trip to College Station, Texas for next Saturday's Texas A&M Invitational.