Big 12 Title, School Record Highlight Day Two

Big 12 Title, School Record Highlight Day Two

February 27, 2021 | Track and Field

LUBBOCK, Texas — The Oklahoma men's and women's track and field teams closed out the 2021 Big 12 Indoor Championships in Lubbock, Texas, with an individual title and school record on Saturday night.

OU's men's squad concluded competition in third place with 89 points, while the women's team finished in seventh with 59 points.

Junior Kristo Simulask brought home the Big 12 Indoor Championship title in the men's heptathlon with 5,569 points. Simulask began day-two competition in second place with 3,140 points. He finished top five in his remaining three events, securing first in the pole vault with a clearing of 15-2.25 (4.63m).

Senior Essence Thomas set a school record in the women's triple jump, leaping an impressive 44-6 (13.56m). Thomas's jump earned her a fourth-place finish. Sophomore Mikeisha Welcome joined Thomas in the top five, jumping a personal-record 43-11.75 (13.40m). Welcome broke the school record in her first jump, but Thomas secured the accomplishment in her second jump. The remaining four Sooners competing in the event finished in the top 15. Junior Allanah Lee took 10^th with a mark of 42-0 (12.80m), while junior Symone Washington finished in 11^th with a 41-7.25 (12.68m). Junior Nicole Ume-Ezeoke jumped 40-4.75 (12.31m), securing 14^th. Senior Nura Muhammad closed the Sooners out in 15^th with a 40-6.75 (12.36m).

Junior Faith Ette showed out in the women's shot put with her throw of 54-10.25 (16.72m). Ette's throw was a personal best and earned her second place in the event. She advanced her spot on OU's all-time top-10 list from 10^th to four. Sophomore Payden Montana took fourth with her throw of 52-9.5 (16.09m). Senior Lauren Jones finished two spots behind Montana, throwing 51-7.25 (15.73m).

On the men's side of the event, senior Cooper Campbell threw a 59-6.75 (18.15m) to secure silver in the event. Sophomore Diego Trevino joined Campbell in earning the men's squad points, claiming fourth with a 58-9.5 (17.92m). Fellow-sophomore Bryant Parlin finished in the top 10 with a throw of 52-1.75 (15.89m).

Redshirt junior Vernon Turner and junior Chris Banks went back-to-back in the men's high jump, claiming silver and bronze, respectively. Both Turner and Banks cleared 7-1.75 (2.18m). The mark was a personal best for Banks.

On the women's side of high jump, senior Falyn Reaugh earned bronze with a clearing of 5-10 (1.78m), a season best. Junior Madison Langley-Walker added points to the Sooners' score with a sixth-place finish and 5-8.75 (1.75m) mark.

In the men's triple jump, junior Jelaani Davis claimed fourth after jumping a season-best 51-3.75 (15.64m). Senior Rayvon Allen was the second scorer in the event for the Sooners, finishing seventh with a mark of 50-1.75 (15.28m). Senior Garry Williams and freshman Kunle Akinlosotu finished back-to-back, claiming ninth and 10^th, respectively. Williams leaped 49-3.75 (15.03m), while Akinlosotu marked a 48-8.25 (14.84m).

Senior Demarius Smith earned bronze in the men's 60-meter dash after matching his personal-record 6.67 in the race. Later in the day, Smith secured silver in the men's 200-meter dash after clocking a personal-best 20.75.

On the track, senior Jasher Foster matched his personal-best 7.99 in the men's 60-meter hurdles. Foster concluded the event in fifth place.

In the women's 1,000-meter run, junior Jordyn Kaplan scored for the Sooners with her fifth-place 2:55.11.

The men's 4x400 relay team of senior Demarius Smith, redshirt-junior Isaiah Levingston, freshman Salim Epps and senior Rayvon Allen crossed the line at 3:07.67, finishing the race in third.

On the women's side of the event, the relay squad consisting of senior Dai'Lyn Merriweather, junior Kennedy Blackmon, sophomore Nia Sims and senior Jai'Lyn Merriweather completed the race in 3:43.51, finishing in seventh and adding points to the women's teams score.

Sophomore Carson Hockersmith concluded the women's mile in 5:09.02, finishing in the top 10.

UP NEXT
The Sooners with qualifying marks will travel to the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., on March 12-13. The rest of the squad will prepare for outdoor action that is set to take place on March 20 at the TCU Invitational in Fort Wort, Texas.

CONNECT WITH THE SOONERS
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