Completed Event: Track and Field at Battle on the Bayou on April 3, 2026 ,
Final
Track and Field
at Battle on the Bayou
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Friday, May 29
Austin, Texas
9:00 AM
University of Oklahoma
at
NCAA West Region Prelims
OU Celebrates in Austin, Doughty Advances
May 29, 2015 | Track and Field
AUSTIN – Any time a group of Sooners start dancing, there is definitely something to celebrate, especially when the dancing is happening in Austin.
The dance on day two of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field West prelims — spurred on by the University of Oklahoma's throwing squad— was in celebration of four more OU qualifiers advancing to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 10-13.
Daye Shon Roberson, Jessica Woodard, Chase Sammons, and Brandon Doughty will join teammate Julia Reedy on the trip west after a day of stellar performances.
“When you see that, you know you have something good going on with the team,” said OU head coach Jim VanHootegem. “It's one thing to support the people that you train with every day. You know you've turned a corner when teammates who don't train with each other are out there supporting each other. That's when you know you have something.”
One of the day's most impressive performances came from the feet of Roberson who will advance to the national meet in the 400-meter dah. Roberson recorded a PR of 51.37, just two weeks after she had a career best in the Big 12 Championship during prelims. Her time was the second best in the west region. It also is the second best 400 time in school history, bypassing a time recorded 25 years by a four-time OU All-American Wendy Watson.
“Daye Shon continues to put together good track meets,” the head coach said. “She's within herself and she knows her body well at this point. She's doing what it takes to move on.
“I hope she goes [to nationals] not with an 'oh I made it' attitude, but to make the finals. She should feel that she's a person who can make the finals in Eugene,” he added.
Now that Roberson is done with individual competition, she turns her focus to Saturday's relays. She will run in both the 400- and 1600-meter relays, joining Erin Jones, Ama Pipi, and Leya Buchanan in the 4x100. Then, she and Pipi will line up with Daunicia Demerson and Payton Baker to compete in the 4x400 relay.
“There's a chemistry to it and we found a chemistry this year,” VanHootegem said. “A relay is about individuals that are willing to run for each other. I think we have a group that really feels that.
“Obviously, Daye Shon's confidence should be high and the other people should be ready to run,” he said.
The 4x100 begins at 6 p.m to start off the running events. The 4x400 is the final event for the Sooners and is scheduled for 9:25 p.m. The top three finishers of each of the three heats and the next best three times will advance to nationals.
Woodard's performance in the discus set the tone for her teammates as she was the first to qualify for nationals on Friday. She threw a career-best 176-9.00 mark on the day to finish ninth overall with the top 12 entries qualifying for nationals in Eugene. Woodard's mark moves her to fourth on OU's all-time list, up from sixth place.
She will have another opportunity to advance in the shot put on Saturday, the final day of the meet. The shot put begins at 6 p.m.
“That was fantastic, especially when you have the first event like that,” VanHootegem said. “That's a great thing for a freshman and it really set us off on a good start today.”
With a qualifier in the first event, Doughty gave the Sooners bookends by qualifying in the final event of the day. A first-team All-American in 2014, he will return to Eugene for the second consecutive year in 3000-meter steeplechase. He hit his stride quickly in the seven-lap obstacle course, winning his heat with an 8:47.30 and finished fifth overall.
Doughty finished fifth in the steeplechase a year ago, recording his career best and OU school record of 8:41.65
“We know how capable Brandon is,” VanHootegem said. “He's been running particularly strong and he's ready to go.”
The shot put proved to be the sweet spot for Sammons, who finished 11th overall with a clutch third attempt mark of 61-3.50. He was the first of the Sooner men to advance to Eugene.
“He made it and he should've made it. Chase needed to step up because he's a very capable person,” VanHootegem said. “I'm glad he made it, but I want to challenge him to do more in Eugene because he's capable.”
The final day opens at noon with the trio of T.J. Noonan, Tyler Renton, and Garrett Snow in the javelin. Snow (241-6.00) heads into competition ranked fifth, Renton (227-3.50) ranks 16th, and Noonan (208-4.75) is 35th.
The Sooners are headed in the right direction and have a chance to advance 13 entries in their final seven events of the meet. Trae Armstrong advanced to the 200-meter finals after a PR time of 20.96 on Friday. The event final is on Saturday at 7:50 p.m.
“I'm really happy with Trae Armstrong,” said the second year head coach. “This is a person of high character who we have on our team. “He is really establishing himself as a consistent sprinter and I couldn't be more proud of him.”
Liz Herrs will contend in the javelin for the women at 5 p.m. She heads into competition ranked first with a mark of 189-6.75. Hayden McClain, ranked 6th in triple jump with a mark of 52-6.50, will also compete at 6 p.m. Saturday.
West prelim results are available at branchsports.com. Daily recaps of OU events will be available at SoonerSports.com. Live webcasts are available each day at TexasSports.com. It begins at noon (CDT) on Friday and Saturday.
If Saturday is like Friday, the OU program hopes to perfect that Sooner shuffle, celebrating the latest qualifiers.
West prelim results are availablle at branchsports.com. Daily recaps of OU events will be available at SoonerSports.com. Live webcasts are available each day at TexasSports.com. It begins at noon (CDT) on Saturday.
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Friday, June 12
Thursday, June 11
Wednesday, June 10
