Completed Event: Track and Field at Battle on the Bayou on April 3, 2026 ,
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Track and Field
at Battle on the Bayou
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Two Titles And One School Record On Day One Of Penn Relays
April 26, 2018 | Track and Field
NORMAN- The University of Oklahoma track and field team began competition at the 124th running of the Penn Relays with an impressive showing on Thursday.
The Sooners claimed two event titles on day one of the Penn Relays by way of the women's throws group and saw one school record fall by senior Medinah Spencer in the 400-meter hurdles. Senior Jess Woodard won the women's shot put championship section with a mark of 55-7.5 (16.96 meters) to claim the meet title for the second consecutive season. Fellow senior Ashley Bryant won the women's hammer championship section with a throw of 205-7 (62.68 meters).
OU head coach Jim VanHootegem recapped the first day, "It was a good day. I thought the day was indicative of the strength of our women's team. Two "Championship of America" wins were big. For Jess, being a Philadelphia person, coming back and winning her second Penn Relays. For Ashley Bryant, another huge step forward."
VanHootegem added, "I was pleased with a lot of people. Medinah Spencer broke a school record from 1981, that's a lot of opportunities in 37 years. That's quite a long time. Jill Lancaster (whose record she broke) went on to be the co-head coach at Oklahoma. Really pleased with the day Lauren Jones had, as well as Gabby Kearney, and the women's 4x1 gets another chance to run tomorrow. I was overall very pleased with the efforts of the group."
The day began with freshman Lauren Jones throwing a PR 174-8 (53.26 meters) to take second in the collegiate women's discus. In the championship section of the women's 400-meter hurdles, senior Medinah Spencer broke a school record that had been held since 1981 by finishing in 58.76 seconds. The senior won her heat by over two seconds and took fourth overall in the event.
In the collegiate women's section of the shot put, freshman Lauren Jones threw an outdoor PR of 47-2 (14.39 meters) to finish eighth.
The Sooners' women's 4x1 relay team finished fifth out of all heats in a time of 45.21 to advance to tomorrow's championship invitational. The women's 4x4 relay team finished fourth in their heat in a time of 3:45.88. The time was best for 12th overall but not enough to advance to tomorrow's finals, missing the cut by three spots.
Competing in the collegiate women's long jump, freshman Essence Thomas took eighth, recording a best jump of 19-2 (5.84 meters). In the women's college section of the hammer throw, sophomore Camille Burge finished 19th with a mark of 162-8 (49.59 meters). Freshman Abby Bilsbury tied for 15th in the women's pole vault collegiate section, clearing 11-5.75 (3.50 meters). Junior Sydney King took seventh in the championship section of the women's pole vault, clearing the bar at 12-1.5 (3.70 meters).
Concluding day one's field events, sophomore Gabby Kearney placed fifth in the women's championship javelin with her best throw reaching 165-1 (50.33 meters).
Day two of the Penn Relays begin at 8 a.m. CT with the collegiate men's discus throw. The Sooners' Friday competition will conclude with the women's 100-meter hurdles heats at 3 p.m. CT.
Live results from the Penn Relays will be available through the meet's website PennRelaysOnline.com. USATF.TV will have a subscription-based live stream of the meet. NBCSN will carry live coverage on Friday from 4-5 p.m. CT and Saturday from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. CT.
For updates and more information on Oklahoma track and field, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Track) and like Oklahoma Sooners Track & Field and Cross Country on Facebook.
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