Sooners Rank Among Best in Big 12

February 20, 2017 | Track and Field

By: Athletics Communications

NORMAN- Heading into the Big 12 Indoor Championship later this week, the University of Oklahoma track and field teams enter having produced some very impressive times and marks personally, nationally and in conference.

Last week revealed where the Sooners stand nationally as they vie for a spot in the NCAA Championships March 10-11. Several performances stand out among the best in the Big 12 as well. Specifically, four OU student-athletes have the best marks and times out of all Big 12 competitors.

Hayden McClain has the third-best mark nationally in the triple jump, but he also holds the top spot in the conference with his 54-4.00 jump at the Tyson Invitational.

Baileh Simms' long jump of 20-10, registered at the Armory Track Invitational keeps her ranked 11^th in the NCAA, she still retains the best mark in the Big 12.

In the shot put, Jess Woodard ranks as the best of the Big 12 with a 57-4.25 throw. She also ranks fifth in the nation in that event.

Dylan Blankenbaker's 7:59.67 in the 3000-meter time at the Husky Classic stands as the best time in the event in the Big 12.

Even if they don't hold the top spot in the conference, several Sooners are among the top five and will be looking to claim that top spot when the teams all compete this weekend in Ames.

Ranked second in the conference are Leya Buchanan (7.32, 60 meter), Ama Pipi (23.26, 200 meter) and Eric Alldritt (14:09.91, 5000 meter). Blankenbaker (14:19.00, 5000 meter), Pipi (7.38, 60 meter ) and Steven Jazdyk (5095 points in the heptathlon) all hold the third-ranked total and times in their event among Big 12 competitors.

Countless Sooners are sitting in the fourth spot in the Big 12 rankings. Among them are Belle Wallace in the 1000 meter (2:51.57), Bryce Douglas (7.93) and Olivia Haggerty (8.28) in the 60-meter hurdles, Dean White in the high jump (6-11.75), Woodard's weight throw of 63-0.00, Meia Gordon's shot put of 49-3.75 and Meagan Gray and Kenzie Shell's pole vault best of 13-7.25.

Rounding out the top five in the conference rankings are the 4x400 meter relay team of Payton Baker, Alexis Barnes, Mia Mukes and Pipi with a time of 3:40.18, Greg Vann in the long jump (24-6.25) and Charles Nguyen (64-6.50) and Ashley Bryant (61-2) in the weight throw.

Just outside of the top 5 are athletes who could still make the award and finish in the top eight to produce points for OU. Bradley Daboub is sixth in the Big 12 in the shot put at 53-1.75. Brittany Tretbar (16:56.76) and Isabella Rose (17:00.94) hold the seventh- and eighth-best times, respectively, in the conference in the 5000-meter run, as do Blankenbaker (4:03.81) and Jacob Burcham (4:04.90) in the mile.

Everette Favor (17-6.50) holds the seventh-best pole vault result in the conference and Jazdyk has the 15^th at 16-0.75. Carl Williams owns the eighth-best height in the high jump at 6-9. Ranked in the high jump with the 13^th-best conference result are Garrison LeRock and Shonderius Howard (tied with 6-7) and Makayla Stephens at 5-6.5. Stephens also holds the sixth-highest point total in the pentathlon with 3666.

Joining Woodard and Bryant in the weight throw are Camille Burge and Gordon, who enter the weekend with the 11^th and 13^th-best marks in the Big 12, with 54-4 and 52-4.75, respectively.

In the 60-meter dash, Amanda Van Buren is ninth in the Big 12 with 7.49, and Bianca Brazil is 14^th with 7.51. On the men's side, Bennie Wesley is 13^th with 6.81 and Jackson Webb is in the top 15 with a time of 6.85. Buchanan is seventh in the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.91, Van Buren is 12^th at 24.21, and Webb is 14^th at 21.66. Payton Baker is eighth in the 600-yard run with 1:22.07.

Blake Yount (12^th, 1:51.94), Jacob Goldberg (14^th, 1:52.25) and Grayson Haws (15^th, 1:52.36) could all be contributors in the 800-meter run. When it comes to the 1,000-meter run, Burcham (2:26.54) and Hayley Redwine (2:56.32) are 12^th in the conference. Wallace not only has the fourth-best time in the 1000-meter run, but also is also 14^th in the mile at 4:52.07.

The 60-meter hurdles could be another area where the Sooners can pick up points. Besides Douglas at fourth, Jazdyk has the 12^th-best time of 8.22. On the women's side joining Haggerty are Brazil (13^th, 8.56) and CeCe Jackson (14^th, 8.59).

In the 400-meter dash, Mukes (54.82) and Baker (55.29) rank 11^th and 15^th, respectively. The men's 4x400-meter relay team of Jamarkus Birks, Douglas, Tyler Hart and Yount, is ninth in the conference with a 3:16.61. Marcus Mitchell (49-3.5) and Najuana Strickland (39-4.5) are ninth in the triple jump and sitting in the 10^th spot in the long jump is Thomas Cheval with a distance of 23-8. Also worth noting in the top 15 of the triple jump are Dexter Neboh (12^th, 48-6.25), Joshua Foster (13^th, 48-5.5) and Briana Rodriguez (14^th, 38-3.5).

While these results can't predict what the Sooners will produce on Friday and Saturday, they do provide reason to believe that if OU entries can replicate the success they've had to date this season, the podium will be filled with Crimson and Cream at Iowa State.