Schwab Claims 3K Title at NB Invitational

Feb. 6, 2010

NEW YORK CITY — Kevin Schwab led the Oklahoma Track and Field program Saturday at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational as the redshirt-freshman won the men's 3,000-meter championship run. Schwab won the event with a time of 8:05.02, just off the NCAA provisional qualifying standard of 8:05.00. While Schwab fell just short of an NCAA mark, Scott Cooper (800-meter run), Jasmine Simmons (triple jump) and Mookie Salaam (200-meter dash) along with the men's 4x400-meter relay each eclipsed the standard needed to be considered for the NCAA Championships.

Hampered by injuries his first two years on campus, Schwab moved into second place with four laps remaining in the 15-lap race and held the position before overtaking Villanova's Mathew Mildenhall for the top spot with 300 meters remaining, a lead he extended over the bell lap.

Schwab's time is the second-best in Oklahoma history as three of the top five have come by current athletes under head coach Martin Smith. Schwab joins Rob Sorrell (8:06.22) and Kevin Williams (8:10.20), who are third and fifth respectively, on the OU performance charts.

The quartet of Eric Bailey, Remuro Henry, Zach Dawson and Mookie Salaam teamed to form the second-fastest 4x400-meter relay at the event Saturday. The foursome clocked a time of 3:09.04, the 11th best time in the nation this season.

The women's triple jump saw Jasmine Simmons record the highest finish among collegiate competitors as the junior recorded the second-longest jump in program history. Simmons' top jump Saturday of 42-8.25 (13.01) is less than a foot off Toni Smith's school record of 43-3.00 (13.18). The NCAA provisional qualifying jump is the sixth best in the NCAA this season and the best in the Big 12 Conference.

The men's 800-meter run saw Cooper, who entered the meet 21st nationally in the USTFCCCA rankings, finish third with the NCAA provisional qualifying time of 1:50.39. The time is the third fastest in the Big 12 for the junior who already has the third-fastest 800 in program history, 1:49.66. Cooper was one two Sooners with a season best in the event as Chris Sweeney finished eighth with a time of 1:51.25.

The men's mile had two OU athletes finish in the top three as Jacob Boone and Rob Sorrell each clocked season best times to finish second and third, respectively. Boone, the program record holder in the event, took second with a time of 4:04.79 while Rob Sorrell was third in 4:05.06. Eric Harasyn was fifth in a time of 4:05.80.

In the men's 200-meter dash, Mookie Salaam ran an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 21.23 to finish third. Salaam recorded the third-fastest time, 21.34, in the event's prelims to qualify for the finals.

Scottesha Miller finished fourth in the women's 200-meter dash as she recorded a time of 23.93 in the finals of the event. Miller qualified for the finals of the event with the sixth-fastest time, 24.06, of the event's prelims.

Ross Larimer finished fourth in the college section of the men's mile, recording a time of 4:10.33.

The event's opening ceremonies on Saturday also saw OU head coach Martin Smith honored as a coach with five national championships under his belt.

Up next for the Sooners is the Tyson Invitational next weekend, Feb. 12-13, in Fayetteville, Ark.