Shell Soars to Record, OU Wins John Jacobs

Saturday, April 23

Norman, Okla.

10:30 AM

University of Oklahoma

John Jacobs Invitational

Shell Soars to Record, OU Wins John Jacobs

April 23, 2016 | Track and Field

By: Athletics Communications

NORMAN - There's no place like home. Just ask Mackenzie Shell.

For the freshman pole vaulter, history repeated itself Saturday as she shattered Oklahoma's pole vault program record at the 47th John Jacobs Invitational, the track and field teams' lone home meet of the outdoor season.

Shell now owns both the indoor (14-1.50) and outdoor (14-5.50) school records in the event. The Port Huron, Mich., native set the indoor mark in her collegiate debut at the J.D. Martin Invitational, the Sooners' indoor home opener on Jan. 16.

"Not only is it a school record, but it is significantly higher than indoors so that's a big jump," said head coach Jim VanHootegem. "That's a big jump for anybody, and especially a big jump for a freshman."

"She is a steady personality and I think that really comes into play a lot," he continued. "She communicates well with her coach (John Dagata) and she makes changes but does so in a way where it doesn't take her out of her game."

Mackenzie Shell and assistant coach of vertical jumps John Dagata celebrate after Shell records the program's top mark in pole vault, 14-5.50.

Saturday's outdoor effort will move her to seventh in the NCAA pending other collegiate results. The previous 14-3.50-outdoor record was set by Alex Acker in 2013.

Along with Shell's winning performance, the Sooner women recorded nine event titles on day two to tally 250 points and their third consecutive John Jacobs win in as many seasons. The runner-up in the women's division, Wichita State, recorded 113.

Jess Woodard concluded the day for the women with a 55-10.50 personal-best performance in the shot put on her final attempt of the day. That mark moves her to third all-time at OU. Other field event winners were Avione Allgood (178-5.25) in the javelin and Baileh Simms (20-6.25) in the long jump.

Baileh Simms competed in her first John Jacobs Invite and took home the title after recording a 20-6.25 in the long jump.

Brittany Tretbar won her first-ever 3,000-meter with a time of 9:41.64. Daye Shon Roberson recorded a win in the 400 meter (53.36), and also was a part of the winning 4x100 (44.90) with Leya Buchanan, Ama Pipi and Bianca Brazil.

Buchanan (11.64) and Pipi (23.54) also recorded wins in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, respectively.

"We are really proud of how far the women's team has come in two years since we placed last at the Big 12s," VanHootegem said. "We knew it wasn't going to happen ever again; we were never going to put ourselves in that position and we were going to grow stronger. The results throughout the years have shown a continuation of that effort."

The OU men were able to run away with a team victory scoring 180 points to finish ahead of 14 teams.

The 3,000-meter was lucrative for the men's overall efforts, resulting in 31 points to push them ahead in the team scores. Sooners Will Hogston, Dan Schubert (8:38.76), Zach Gentry (8:42.30) and Eric Alldritt (8:46.29) swept the top four positions. The men finished ahead of Wichita State (157) by 23 points.

Will Hogston brings it in with a win in the 3,000 meter in his final race at the John Jacobs Invitational.

"We were late into the meet and behind Wichita State," said the three-year head coach. "I like that idea of having a team that rallies and can move ahead. Obviously, the 3,000-meter guys were able to do that to spark other strong performances to close the meet. That's a good sign for our team to be able to do that."

The seniors were also crucial for the men with Tyler Renton, Chase Sammons and Hogston accounting for three of the five meet wins Saturday. Sammons won the shot put (60-6.25), while Renton (227-0.75) took the javelin and Hogston (8:34.31) the 3,000 meter.

Freshman Blake Yount also recorded a win in the 800-meter run with a 1:51.60, in his first race on the Sooners' home turf.

The field performance of the day for the men however, may have been by Hayden McClain, who returned to action after not competing for the first six weeks of the outdoor season. He recorded a wind-aided 52-10.00 to take the triple jump title.

Tyler Renton takes the John Jacobs javelin title home Saturday on a 227-0.75 effort.

"It's good to get him back out here in the home meet," VanHootegem said. "Maybe on some of the jumps after getting excited, he pressed a little bit too much. Certainly, he's still showing a lot of command of the material to be just getting back."

The Sooners left the day on a sentimental note as they celebrated 15 senior team leaders final home meet.

"It's a group that we're going to miss," the head coach said. "It's tough to sit there and look and see that a lot of those people are going to be gone. It's a really special group right there."

The teams will be back on the road to compete May 1 in Palo Alto, Calif., at the Payton Jordan Invitational.