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
Saturday, March 12
Birmingham, Ala.
12:00 PM
University of Oklahoma
at
NCAA Indoor Championships
All-America Efforts Highlight NCAAs for OU
March 12, 2016 | Track and Field
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Closing the indoor season at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships is a good sign.
Finishing with a trio of All-Americans on the final day is an even better indication.
Daye Shon Roberson, Mackenzie Shell and Jess Woodard left Birmingham, Ala., with first-team honors in the 200-meter dash, pole vault and shot put, respectively. The top eight in an event earn first-team honors.
"For the women's team to go three for three as All-Americans is incredible, especially with all in their first time at the meet,” said head coach Jim VanHootegem. “I'm not surprised necessarily, but I am very pleased with their performances.”
Roberson placed fifth on Saturday, recording an all-time best 23.05 and adding another All-America award to the board. She earned her first in the 400-meter during the 2015 outdoor season. After entering competition ranked ninth with a season best of 23.14, Roberson closed her best indoor season by outrunning USC's Deanna Hill, who ranked ahead of Roberson entering competition, and A'Keyla Mitchell of K-State, who bested the OU sprinter two weeks ago in Big 12 competition.
“I don't know if I've ever seen a better performance out of lane three in the 200,” said VanHootegem said. “For her to better her time was just an incredible performance.”
OU's lone freshman entry, Shell climbed the podium after finishing seventh with a PR and program-best 14-1.25, breaking her own record,14-0.50. She set the record in her first meet as a Sooner, the season-opening J.D. Martin Invitational on Jan. 16.
“A first-attempt clearance at a school record is an amazing way to get it done,” VanHootegem said. “That says a lot about who she is as a competitor.”
Woodard, also no stranger to the national stage after competing in the discus last outdoor season, ended the day for the Sooners with an eighth-place effort and a PR 55-11.00. Woodard ranked 12th heading into competition after she posted two personal bests (the top was 55-7.00) in the event during her third-place conference competition.
“That was the most amazing women's shot put competition I've ever seen,” the head coach said. “I saw her throw come out of her hand like a rocket and it ended up being an incredible PR at this meet. She really stepped up to this level.
“All three looked into it, composed and did what they were capable of doing,” he continued. “I'm not saying it's easy, but I'm not surprised that we have people perform highly at this level. I hope we develop some more leaders from this experience.”
On the men's side Jacob Burcham and Thomas Cheval finished their first appearance the indoor national stage against tough competition.
The mile final looked more like a sprinting competition than a tactical distance race with a field of sub-4:00 milers competing. Burcham ranked 10th headed into the national competition with a career-best 3:57.46 and he finished in the same position Saturday.
Burcham ran a 4:10.26 after starting in the front half of the field. He remained in the top three headed into the final four laps when the things kicked into high gear. A strong move by Virginia runner Henry Wynne to push to the front from the middle of the pack with two laps remaining forced the field to speed up. Burcham kept up with the group for the first lap, but slowly fell behind to ultimately finish in the back.
Cheval held on to place 12th in the heptathlon tallying 5,364 points. He entered day two of the seven-event competition ranked 13th and was able to improve despite not recording a PR in any event for the first time this season.
The sophomore struggled through the day with an injury and nearly missed the 1,000-meter run. He finished the five-lap race in 10th with a 2:58.57, keeping him in 12th.
Hayden McClain also competed for the men in the triple jump. An injury hindered his performance and he was unable to finish competition.
“These are capable people and have had incredible indoor seasons, but just couldn't come into the meet healthy,” VanHootegem said. “It's unfortunate, but we just have to get them healthy. They are great athletes.”
The Sooners move directly into outdoor season as the team heads to Tempe, Ariz., for the Baldy Castillo Invitational Friday and Saturday.
“I never really consider us complete until we move outdoors,” the third-year head coach said. “Now the 'real' season begins and I can't wait to be in Arizona to see the other events to start to compete.”
Players Mentioned
Distance
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Multis
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Sprints-Jumps
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Sprints
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PV
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Throws
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Friday, June 12
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