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Track and Field
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University of Oklahoma Athletics
OU Counts 13 Top-10 NCAA Events, Women 12th
March 24, 2016 | Track and Field
NORMAN - There is strength in numbers and the Oklahoma track and field teams have begun the 2016 outdoor season flexing their muscles.
The Sooners open the season with the women's team ranked 12th in the United States Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association's Preseason Rankings, the highest preseason ranking for the women in program history. The men come in ranked 32nd.
"That's mostly a reflection on what we did last year and this is a new season. Obviously, it's nice to be ranked there and that's a position we'd like to maintain throughout the season," said head coach Jim VanHootegem. "What I've seen in the early part of the season has been the type of performances that, if they can repeat them or improve throughout the year, we're going to be pleased with those results."
OU's teams also boast 11 individuals and two relays with top 10 spots on the NCAA qualifying list, including top-ranked hammer thrower Julia Reedy, through the first three weeks of the season. Reedy, also the Big 12 Track and Field Female Co-Athlete of the Week, opened the season with a program-record breaking throw, a 219-2.00, at the Baldy Castillo Invite in Tempe, Ariz., on March 18. Reedy demolished her previous school record mark of 211-4.00, earned during her fifth-place finish at the 2015 national meet, a finish that produced her first All-America honor.
Tyler Renton ranks third in the NCAA after throwing a program record mark 252-2.00 on March 19 in Tempe, Ariz.
Joining Reedy in the top-10 rankings is teammate Sarah Tolson whose season- and personal-best mark of 202-2.00 ranks fourth.
OU also has a trio of javelin throwers who achieved top-10 positions, including Avione Allgood (182-8.00) and Liz Herrs (174-0.00), who rank second and fifth, respectively. Allgood and Herrs combine for three All-America honors in the event. Allgood has one after finishing as the NCAA runner-up in 2014 and Herrs owns two after she finished third in 2015 and 10th in 2014.
Tyler Renton, who competes in the men's javelin, ranks third on the qualifying list after ending competition early last weekend in Tempe. Renton not only had a career-best performance, but shattered the previous school record, 241-6.00, held by teammate Garrett Snow by nearly 11 feet. His 252-2.00 mark came on his second attempt in competition. He ultimately finished second overall after passing on three attempts in the finals.
The Sooners are also represented by four jumpers in three events and a host of sprinters across four events ranked in the top 10. Pole vaulters Mackenzie Shell and Tanner Williams rank second and ninth, respectively. In the women's division, Shell, an indoor All-American and OU's indoor-record holder, took the meet title and challenged the school's outdoor record (14-3.25), ultimately clearing 14-1.25. In the men's division, William's 17-0.75 recorded last week was a personal best.
Mackenzie Shell opens her first collegiate outdoor season with a victory after clearing 14-1.25 that ranks second in the NCAA.
"When you're looking at a season ranking, most of those marks are going to be need to be improved throughout the year," VanHootegem said. "Only Tyler and Julia's mark will probably maintain that type of status [without improving right away], but it doesn't hurt for others to get the season off with a good start. Everyone wants to improve going forward and that's the mentality we need to continue to have."
Junior high jumper Carl Williams finds himself ranked third after week three after clearing 6-11.75. His PR is 7-0.25. Long jumper Baileh Simms' 20-2.25 performance ranks fifth nationally.
Sprinters Trae Armstrong and Daye Shon Roberson rank sixth and eighth, respectively, in the men's and women's 100-meter dash. Both ran career bests - Armstrong a 10.35 and Roberson an 11.49 to end the OU's season-opening weekend.
Roberson is also a member of OU's 400- and 1600-meter relays that hold top-10 spots this week. The junior, along with teammates Ama Pipi, who also runs on the 4x100, Dauncia Demerson and Mia Mukes ran a 3:38.49 that ranks fourth in the 4x400, while the 4x100 group, which includes Bianca Brazil and Leya Buchanan in addition to Roberson an Pipi, rank sixth with a time of 44.62.
The Sooner women have two relays - the 4x100 and 4x400 - that hold top-10 spots on the NCAA qualifying list.
While there is a lot of running, jumping and throwing left in the nearly three-month long season, the Sooners have opened their third season under VanHootegem with force.
"We always want to line up in what we do and, if we're going to compete, we are going to compete to the best of our ability," the head coach said.
Next up, the teams head to Arlington, Texas, to compete in the Bobby Lane Invitational Friday and Saturday. For more information on OU track and field, follow the teams on Twitter @OU_Track, like their page on Facebook at OUTrackandXC and check out SoonerSports.com.
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Friday, June 12
Thursday, June 11
Wednesday, June 10
