Completed Event: Track and Field at Battle on the Bayou on April 3, 2026 ,
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Track and Field
at Battle on the Bayou
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Sooners in NCAA Top 16 Heading into Big 12s
February 23, 2016 | Track and Field
NORMAN - The 2016 indoor track and field season is nearing its finale with five days remaining until the NCAA qualification deadline on Feb. 28.
The Oklahoma track and field teams hold eligible marks (the top 16 nationally) in six events heading into the weekend in the women's 200- and 400-meter dashes, and in the men's distance medley relay, mile, heptathlon, and triple jump. Four of those events are top-10 positions.
"The time has been about sharpening up," said head coach Jim VanHootegem. "The athletes know that a championship is coming up, so you see that they've been a little more honed in and focused."
The OU distance medley relay recently jumped four places sixth on then NCAA qualifying chart after a program-record performance over the weekend at the Alex Wilson Invitational. The team headed into last week's competition 10th in the nation, but the foursome - Allen Eke, Trae Armstrong, Jacob Goldberg and Jacob Burcham - earned a season-best 9:27.70 to advance. Their mark was the 12th fastest time to ever be recorded in the event, according to Flo Track, and was a top-10 performance of the week.
OU's DMR is second in Big 12 standings, behind Oklahoma State.
Burcham also holds a top-10 spot on the NCAA qualifying list in the mile. He clocked his first and the program's sixth sub-4:00 minute mile in Seattle at the Husky Classic on Feb. 13. His 3:57.46 is second in program history and atop the conference this year.
Combined-event athlete Thomas Cheval ranks 11th nationally in the heptathlon with a program-record 5,671 points, while Hayden McClain is 13th in the triple jump (52-8.75). Cheval is ranked first in the conference and McClain is second behind Felix Obi of Baylor (53-8.25).
On the women's side, Daye Shon Roberson is the lone Sooner to remain in the top 16. She ranks seventh in the 200 with a time of 23.14 and 10th in the 400 with a 52.62. Those finishes rank first and second, respectively, in the Big 12.
Sooners Mackenzie Shell and Jess Woodard straddle the qualifying line at 17th and 18th, respectively. Shell's 14-0.50 mark in the pole vault fell from the top-16 for the first time since she posted the program-best Jan. 16. Woodard's shot put-PR 54-6.00 also dropped in the standings as the season wore on.
The teams return to competition Feb. 26 in Ames, Iowa, for the Big 12 Championships. It will be the final outing for the Sooners before the qualification period closes.
For more information on OU track and field follow the teams on Twitter @OU_Track, like them on Facebook at OUTrackandXC, and check out SoonerSports.com.
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