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University of Oklahoma Athletics
OU Arrives at NCAAs After Travel Delays
March 10, 2016 | Track and Field
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The trip to Birmingham, Ala., will be a journey not quickly forgotten for members of the Oklahoma track and field teams.
Delayed but not disconcerted became the theme for several Sooners after inclement weather in Texas grounded flights and rerouted the team's trip to the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on Wednesday.
OU track and field team members, originally scheduled to depart in two groups Wednesday morning and early afternoon, all finally arrived in Birmingham Thursday afternoon after the travel party split into three groups to find the fastest and most reliable route to the big meet.
"You have to be prepared for that and we're here in time for the meet, but it wasn't ideal," said head coach Jim VanHootegem. "Everybody rolled with the punches pretty good and I think everybody's excited to see the venue and be here in this environment. We're going to be okay."
With meet check-in under their belts, the teams refocused on the ultimate purpose of their trip: national titles.
The Sooners qualified nine entries - the most in VanHootegem's three seasons - in seven events. It will be the debut for all of OU's competitors at the indoor championships, though several have had experience at the outdoor track and field national meet.
"There are distinctively different levels and it's not the easiest to get the top level," VanHootegem said of his athletes. "There's only 16 people in each event in the whole country and this is truly an elite event. Our entries are truly elite athletes and they've worked hard to get to this level."
The NCAA Championships are slated to open Friday at noon (CT) with the heptathlon and will feature OU's program-record holder Thomas Cheval in the initial event. Cheval ranks 15th heading into competition with 5,671 points and is coming off a Big 12-title performance in the seven-event contest.
OU's remaining eight entries will compete throughout the two-day meet, with Jacob Burcham to race in the semifinal round of the men's mile at 5:30 p.m. (CT). The distance medley relay final closes the first day for the OU men at 8:45 p.m.
While OU's DMR lineup is not set, Allen Eke, Trae Armstrong, Jacob Goldberg and Burcham ran the program-best 9:27.70 and sixth-ranked national qualifying time. Blake Yount, who stepped in for Armstrong to help the Sooners to a Big 12 title, is an alternate for the relay along with Liam Meirow.
Junior sprinter Daye Shon Roberson will be the only woman of three Sooners to compete on Friday in the 200-meter semifinal at 7:55 p.m. She heads into competition ranked ninth with a career-best 23.14 time. The mile and 200-meter finals are scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively.
The second day opens with the final three events of the heptathlon to start at noon. Field event competition opens for the Sooners at 3:30 p.m. with 15th-ranked Hayden McClain in the triple jump. Freshman Mackenzie Shell will be up in the pole vault at 4 p.m. and Jess Woodard will see action at 5 p.m. in the women's shot put.
For Shell, her first appearance on the national stage was already memorable as the top-16 marks earn NCAA bids and she finished the season ranked 17th. The Port Huron, Mich. native, however, advanced into the national lineup after an athlete who ranked above her did not declare.
"It's not easy to do, but it's easy to state that Mackenzie just needs to continue to focus on what she's doing," VanHootegem said. "The more she focuses and works with Coach (John) Dagata the better she's going to do and for the most part she's done that so far this year."
The Sooners have proven resilient all season, putting together the best season in several years. A few thunderstorms, flight cancellations, some airport lounging, 3 a.m. arrivals and last-minute bus rides were not enough to thwart the team. In fact, in the moments of delay and uncertainty, the Sooners used ingenuity and the time to create a new event - the gummi toss.
"I think it just shows the positive energy they had yesterday," VanHootegem said about how the team handled the travel inconveniences. "Nobody was ever uncomfortable because they were there with their teammates, tried to have fun and made the best of it. They knew that we'd get here, but it was good to see them making the moment enjoyable."
Cheval displayed some pitching accuracy by under handing a gummi bear candy into the mouth of a seated McClain from an impressive distance. Watch here.
OU may petition the Olympic committee to add it as a certified competition. Until then, the Sooners are focused on their national opponents.
Action at the Birmingham CrossPlex will be broadcast Friday beginning at 5:25 p.m. (CT) on ESPN3, Saturday at 3:55 p.m. on ESPN3 and replayed Sunday at 6 p.m. on ESPN2/Watch ESPN. Live results are available at NCAA.com with a full recap after each day of the meet on SoonerSports.com.
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