Completed Event: Track and Field at Battle on the Bayou on April 3, 2026 ,
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Track and Field
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University of Oklahoma Athletics
2016 Track and Field: Vertical Jumps Preview
January 03, 2016 | Track and Field
Creating a culture takes time.
That belief is most embraced by the Sooner vertical jumps group. In its third year under the tutelage of assistant coach and director of operations John Dagata, track and fields' high flying group – pole vaulters and high jumpers- have meshed and established a familial bond. That connectedness has been a long-standing vision for Dagata and the entire track and field program.
“It's been a real challenge to develop the group and get the right leadership within the vertical jumps that we needed,” Dagata said. “It is a group that you've got to have a culture and you got to have a group dynamic. I think this fall you could see it.”
Senior captain Tanner Williams is a two-time conference scorer in the pole vault.
When Dagata began with the Sooners in 2013, the roster included three pole vaulters, two designated high jumpers, and two sprinter-jumper hybrids. This season the team expanded to four designated high jumpers and nine pole vaulters. The group includes six returnees, but added seven freshmen to the roster.
"We brought in some women and men in pole vault and have a woman in the high jump now. That brings in a diverse group and that's helped the culture,” Dagata said. “We've got some leadership and developing that group was something we needed to do.”
With so many new faces, it has been important for team veterans to step up and help incoming members adjust to group dynamics. Team captain Tanner Williams has been integral in helping the transition and connecting with his teammates.
“When his teammates voted him captain, I wasn't really surprised because he's always there to listen,” Dagata said of Williams. “When he gives advice, it holds a lot of relevance because he's been there and he knows what's expected.
“He's also been a big part of establishing expectations in our group,” Dagata added. “He makes sure we have team get togethers and, when it comes to workouts, he's the first one there. That's what leadership is - doing what's best for the team and for the future.”
Junior Everette Favor returns for the 2016 season after battling an injury last season. He will add experience to the Sooner lineup.
Williams, a pole vaulter, is one of two seniors in the group. He is a two-time conference scorer and was also an NCAA regional qualifier in 2014. He battled through an injury last season and only competed in four meets overall. Williams' past experiences have made him even more ready for the year.
“Tanner's first year with us was amazing, he had an incredible year,” Dagata said. “His second year was a little bit difficult -- his personal, academic, and athletic life all were at different levels of expectation, but we learned a lot the second year. Now his third year, it feels like that he just knows exactly what to do at every level.”
The men's pole vault group will also have additional experience with Everette Favor returning. He did not compete last season due to injury. A pair of freshmen, Alex Sauerwein and Justin Marcum, round out the men's pole vault.
“We got some really good recruits who've gotten to see the way we do things at OU,” Dagata said.
The women's pole vault group also brought in a strong recruiting class. With four freshmen – MacKenzie Shell, Sydney King, Meagan Gray and Julia Hanks, and one senior, Rachel Bolton, the underclassmen are expected to have an immediate impact. Shell has been particularly impressive during the fall.
“You can really see that MacKenzie is going to be an incredible athlete at OU,” Dagata said. “Her first fall has gone really really well. She and and Meagan are both high school All-Americans. I think you can see that they were very good in high school and will be very good in college.
“MacKenzie has done things on a higher level, in some ways the best that I've seen from a person her age,” he added.
Rachel Bolton will be the lone senior to compete in the women's pole vault this seaosn.
That will be a big help to Bolton, who is the only experienced pole vaulter for the women. Bolton was a two-time conference scorer in 2013. After sitting out in 2014 and struggling last season, she has shown signs of improvement throughout the fall and appears ready for competition.
“She had a great year a couple of years ago. I think she is really back to where we wanted her to be,” Dagata said.
The remaining competitors in the vertical jumps group are the high jumpers. The men's team remains at three with Carl Williams, Garrison LeRock, and Shonderius Howard. Freshman Camille Burge is the lone woman to compete as a designated high jumper for the Sooners. Last season, the trio of men were the only high jumpers for the team and Williams led the threesome after qualifying for regional competition.
“With Carl and Garrison in the high jump, it will add some real leadership for our guys,” Dagata said. “Camille is a tremendous kid and she's got an incredible amount of power. We've got some really good freshmen that we brought in both groups, so it's looking really good.”
The overall mix of the group should play a major role in the performances Dagata and the jumpers expect this season.
Carl Williams was the top finisher for the Sooner high jumpers last season after qualifying for the NCAA West Regional Championships.
“We've been developing the group and now we've got some leadership,” Dagata said. “It has been a lot of detailed work, but my volunteer assistant Neil Baroody has done a lot of work to make sure our messaging is clear from the top to the bottom.
“The effectiveness is very high and everybody knows what to expect,” he continued. “I take a lot of pride in that. We seem more prepared for the indoor and outdoor seasons to come in both areas."
The Sooners host the annual JD Martin Invitational on Jan. 16 to open the 2016 season.
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