Sooners Send Entries to Two Meets

April 03, 2015 | Track and Field

By: Athletics Communications

NORMAN – For the first and only time of the 2015 outdoor season, the University of Oklahoma track and field teams are splitting up this weekend to compete in two meets, looking to put the Sooners in the best position possible to record NCAA-qualifying marks.

The Baylor Invitational features eight schools bringing men's and women's teams -- Kansas, Kansas State, North Texas, Texas State, TCU, UTA, Oklahoma and host Baylor. Minnesota and SMU will enter women's teams only. On the opposite side, the 40th annaul Stanford Invitational will include 3,200 athletes, including open, collegiate, and high school over its two-day run. In all, 109 four-year colleges will be represented, plus many community colleges.

Nine Sooner distance runners have headed west to Palo Alto, Calif., to compete in the meetl at Cobb Track and Angell Field. Known for its pristine competing conditions, head coach Jim VanHootegem expects many of his student-athletes to reach postseason qualifying marks this weekend.

“The Stanford Invitational has been notorious for a good place, if you're fit this time of year, for people to go and have conditions to run a fast time,” VanHootegem said. “We want to ensure that our people have the chance to compete to the best of their ability.”

OU has four runners competing in the 10,000-meter run, the first time for any Sooners compete in the event this season. According to VanHootegem, that makes the 10k the race to watch.

“Everybody going to Stanford are people who are ready to run,” VanHootegem said. “The 10k is like the decathlon or heptathlon because you only do a few during the season. That makes it a big race to pay attention to.”

A trio of sophomores and one senior are entered for the Sooners. Elena Arriaza and Brittany Tretbar, who is sixth all time at OU (37:40.36), are entered in section 2 of the women's 10,000. Abbabiya Simbassa, whose 28:42.56 ranks second on the OU career list, will run in section 1 while Eric Graf is entered in section 2.

Other Sooner men scheduled to run on Friday are Alex Deir and Jacob Burcham, who will compete in section 1 of the men's 1500-meter run; Dylan Blankenbaker, who is eighth all-time at OU with a 9:02.12), is entered in the men's 3000-meter steeplechase and Brandon Doughty will race in the men's 5000-meter run. Doughty ranks fifth all-time at OU with a 13:53.48.

Freshmen Belle Wallace will run in section 5 of the 1500-meter run.

“We're giving a lot of people opportunities to show us what they can do. We are looking for people to build something positive with what they do this weekend.”.
Jim VanHootegem, head coach

The remaining Sooners competing this weekend have traveled to Waco, Texas, for the Baylor Invitational at the newly constructed Clyde Hart Track and Field Stadium. The Sooners are sending 43 competitors to the meet that will serve as a grand opening for the new facility. It will be Baylor's first time hosting a meet on campus in 75 years after competing at their off-campus facility.

“We're giving a lot of opportunities to people. There has been a good amount of time here where our opportunities were more limited,” the head coach said.

The hammer and javelin events are the first on the slate Friday. OU has 12 competitors in those four events. In the men's hammer throw Charles Nguyen and Austin Perry, both in OU's top 10, are entered while Julia Reedy, the Sooners' record holder with a 200-2.00, Sarah Tolson and Jess Woodard, also in OU's career top 10, will compete for the women.

In the javelin, Liz Herrs, ranked second all time at OU with an 189-5.00, Makayla Stephens, and Payton Stumbaugh, are entered for the OU women. Steven Jazdyk, T.J Noonan, Tyler Renton, and the OU record holder with a 232-8.00, Garrett Snow, are scheduled to compete for the men.

Other field event competitors include Hayden McClain in long jump; Garrison LeRock, Landon Sharp, and Carl Williams in high jump; A. Perry, third all-time at OU with a 60-0.50, and Chase Sammons in shot put; Everette Favor, Jazdyk, Tanner Williams, Rachel Bolton and Sarah Hall, no. 4 and no. 5 in the career top 10 in pole vault; and Sammons, Jenny Carmichael, Kate Foster, Alex Morgan, and Woodard in the discus.

Running events begin 3 p.m. with Bryce Perry, fifth all-time at OU with an 11:06.99, competes in the 3000-meter steeplechase. In the 1500-meter run, Lauren Gibbs and Chloe Peek compete for the women while Liam Meirow will compete for the men.

Sprints and relays begin at 4:20 p.m. with four Sooner women competing in the 100-meter hurdles -- Bianca Brazil, Olivia Haggerty, Georgina Tamez and Stephens. It will be the first time that Brazil, Haggerty, and Tamez have competed in the outdoor season.

Payton Baker, Mia Mukes, and Daye Shon Roberson will compete in the 400 meter for the women and Scott Petersen is entered in the men's race. Stephens will run in the 100-meter dash for women and three Sooners, Trae Armstrong, Jazdyk, and McClain, will compete for the men. Daunicia Demerson and Leya Buchanan will compete in the women's 200-meter race.

For the middle distance runners, Marissa Codispodi, Lane Maguire, Jessica Martin, Kelsey McKee will compete in the 800-meter run for the women and Hunter Heaton for the men.

The 1600-meter relays will finish the event. On the women's relay, Mukes, Demerson, Baker, and Stumbaugh will compete. Petersen, Meirow, Heaton, and Jazdyk will make up the men's relay.

“It's pretty excitingl because this is the grand opening of Baylor's new facility,” VanHootegem said. “It's certainly very exciting for the Bears because they've invested in a new facility. Unlike their old facility, this one is on campus and more student friendly.”

Still, VanHootegem wants his team to stay focused.

“We're giving a lot of people opportunities to show us what they can do,” VanHootegem added. “We are looking for people to build something positive with what they do this weekend.”

Live results from the Stanford Invitational are available at RecordTiming.com. FloPro Premium will provide a webcast for the meet. Live results from the Baylor meet are available at DeltaTiming.com. For more information on the meet, visit the Baylor Invitational website. A complete recap on Sooner results will be available at the end of the competition at SoonerSports.com.