OU Celebrates Success of 2014-15 Season

October 24, 2015 | Track and Field

By: Debbie Copp

NORMAN – It was a celebration of the past, the present and the future as the Sooner track and field teams, alumni and guests gathered at the annual Spike Club banquet Friday night.

On Homecoming weekend when the theme of “Reunions” is being celebrated, the Sooners welcomed home former track and field student-athletes while honoring the best of the best of the 2014-15 season. It also gave the Sooner coaching staff the opportunity to recognize last year's honorees as they introduced this year's team by sharing previews of each event area.

Liz Herrs and Brandon Doughty were named the 26th annual Owen Hewett Award winners at the annual Spike Club banquet for the Track &  Field and Cross Country teams.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 26^th annual Owen Hewett Award, the highest award given by the OU track and field programs. Receiving the award from its namesake, longtime track and field supporter and former OU manager Hewett, were a pair of seniors, Elizabeth Herrs and Brandon Doughty. Started in 1990 by former OU head coach J.D. Martin, the award embodies the characteristics of the ultimate student-athlete. It is annually awarded to a male and female who hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and are outstanding performers in track and field.

Herrs earned first team All-America honors in 2015 for her third-place finish in the javelin at the NCAA Championships, her second All-America honor in her OU career. She was named to the Academic All-Big 12 first team and was honored by the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association as an All-Academic team member, her second award.

Doughty, who is a two-time Hewett Award recipient, won the Big 12 indoor 3,000 title and repeated as the Big 12's 3,000-meter steeplechase champion in 2015. He earned first team All-America honors in the steeplechase with a fourth-place finish at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Doughty earned 2014 All-Midwest Region honors in cross country after finishing ninth. He finished eighth at the Big 12 Cross Country Championship to earn his second consecutive All-Big 12 honor. He is a multi-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree in cross country and track and field and has been honored by the USTFCCCA as an All-Academic selection in cross country (once) and track and field (twice).

The Sooners also recognized other All-Americans and academic honorees at the annual event:

All-Americans (first team) -- Brandon Doughty; Elizabeth Herrs, Julia Reedy, Daye Shon Roberson

All-Americans (second team) -- 400-meter relay Roberson, Ama Pipi, Erin Jones, and Leya Buchanan; Chase Sammons

USTFCCCA All-Academic - Cross Country -- Doughty, Brittany Tretbar, the 2014 women's team.

USTFCCCA All-Academic - Track and Field – Avione Allgood, Doughty, Herrs, Alexandra Morgan, T.J. Noonan, Zac Randall, Reedy, Makayla Stephens, Belle Wallace, the 2015 women's team.

Big 12 All-Academic Cross Country – Elena Arriaza, Jacob Burcham, Alex Deir, Doughty, Eric Graf, Kelsey McKee, Bryce Perry, Kyle Polman.

 First-year assistant coach, Ronnye Harrison closes the night with a jazzy rendition of "Boomer Sooner."

Big 12 All-Academic Track and Field – Arriaza, Marissa Codispodi, Doughty, Allen Eke, Kate Foster, Graf, Herrs, Garrison LeRock, McKee, Morgan, Noonan, Austin Perry, Bryce Perry, Scott Petersen, Chase Sammons, Landon Sharp, Abbabiya Simbassa, Tretbar, Chamaya Turner, Jess Woodard.

Big 12 All-Academic Rookie -- Sophia Fernald, Abbey Mace, Liam Meirow, Jordan Norris, Hayley Redwine, Sarah Scott, Makayla Stephens, Belle Wallace, Carl Williams

To close the event, Ronnye Harrison, one of newest coaches on the Sooner staff and a jazz musician, entertained the crowd by playing “Boomer Sooner” on his saxophone.