OU XC/T&F Completes Staff, Announces Title Changes

NORMAN – University of Oklahoma head cross country and track and field coach Tim Langford announced Friday the addition of two assistant coaches and title changes for a pair of current staff members.

Joining the program as associate head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach for distance events is former professional runner and 19-time NAIA national champion Hannah Fields.

Three-time Olympian and veteran coach Michelle Freeman will join OU as assistant coach for women's sprints, hurdles and relays.

As part of a program retooling, assistant coaches Jerel Langley and Colin Boevers have been elevated to assistant head coaches with added responsibilities.

Fields, a native of Edmond, Okla., and 2015 graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University, joins the Sooners following two years as a volunteer assistant coach at Oklahoma State, where she worked with the cross country teams and distance groups. Fields assisted the 2019 Cowgirls to the Big 12 cross country title and the 2020 Cowboys to the Big 12 crown and a third-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Five OSU student-athletes claimed All-America status at the championships under the guidance of Fields and the OSU staff.

"I am super excited to join OU's track and field and cross country staff," said Fields. "We have big dreams and plans for this program. The sprints side and field events are rocking and rolling, and I can't wait to bring the distance program along and bring it to the next level. I know Coach Langford is a great leader and he's building a program with the staff and student-athletes that is really exciting to be a part of."

As a pro, Fields was a two-time USATF Indoors medalist and 2016 Olympic Trials qualifier.

During the 2021 indoor track and field season, Fields helped guide three student-athletes to Big 12 titles plus the distance medley relay squad to a conference crown. The DMR team went on to claim All-America status at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships. The 2021 outdoor season saw Fields help eight Pokes qualify to the NCAA championships and two OSU distance runners to first-team All-America honors, including Ryan Smeeton to a third-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at NCAAs.

A former professional runner for Brooks in the 800 and 1,500 meters, Fields is a two-time USATF Indoor bronze medalist and was a 2016 Olympic Trials qualifier. She won a combined 19 team and individual national titles in her time at Oklahoma Baptist and collected 21 All-America honors.

Freeman joins the Sooners following a four-year tenure at the University of Virginia where she coached four All-Americans and two ACC champions. Most recently, Freeman mentored sprinter Halle Hazzard to All-America honors at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships in the 200-meter dash.

"I am elated and honored to join the University of Oklahoma's storied athletic department and, in particular, Coach Langford's track and field program," said Freeman. "The athletic department's and university's commitment to excellence and their dedication to the wellbeing and success of the student-athlete is what excites me about this opportunity."

Prior to her time at UVA, Freeman served as an assistant coach for sprints and hurdles at San Diego State for five seasons. In her final campaign with the Aztecs, Freeman coached four student-athletes to first-team All-America honors at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships. In 2016, she assisted sprinter Ashley Henderson to a runner-up finish in the 100-meter dash at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Freeman began her coaching career by spending 12 years at the University of Texas as a volunteer assistant, assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach. She worked with the Longhorn sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers and relay squads, while also managing the team's weight training program. She helped coach four Olympians, 15 All-Americans and seven NCAA individual national champions, and was part of three national championship teams.

Freeman was an Olympic medalist for Jamaica in the 4x100-meter relay.

Also a former pro, Freeman was a three-time Olympian for Jamaica, running in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Games. She won a bronze medal in the 4x100-meter relay and reached the finals of the 100-meter hurdles in 1996, finishing sixth in the event. The Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica, native also competed in nine World Championships, winning three medals, including a gold in the 60-meter hurdles at the 1997 IAAF Indoor World Championships in Paris.

In addition to coaching Oklahoma's vertical jumps and multis groups, Langley will take on the role of assistant head coach for recruiting initiatives, focusing on recruiting compliance and pre-enrollment strategies and solutions.

Boevers, leader of OU's throws squad, has been elevated to assistant head coach for non-recruiting compliance and academic affairs. The sixth-year Sooners assistant will take on several new tasks, including serving as the program's compliance liaison for non-recruiting matters and monitoring student-athlete eligibility and academic success, among other duties.

"Both of these guys, Coach Langley and Coach Boevers, I trust them and trust what they're doing," said Langford. "The program is in good hands, and it frees me up to work on other aspects and administration of the program. I can turn my back and trust them fully."

OU is coming off a successful 2020-21 season that saw the team collect a combined 19 All-America honors at NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, four conference champions, four school records, 11 Olympic Trials qualifiers and 68 academic honors.

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.

QUOTABLE

Associate Head XC Coach, Assistant T&F Coach (Distance) Hannah Fields

"I am super excited to join OU's track and field and cross country staff. We have big dreams and plans for this program. The sprints side and field events are rocking and rolling, and I can't wait to bring the distance program along and bring it to the next level. I know Coach Langford is a great leader and he's building a program with the staff and student-athletes that is really exciting to be a part of.

"Being from this state, I've always known the pride that comes with being at the University of Oklahoma. It's fun to be a part of this place now. Coming from Oklahoma State, being able to stay home and have this connection here, it's great. For Coach Freeman and me, being former professional athletes gives us that unique experience where we're able to connect with the athletes with our expertise in each area."

Assistant T&F Coach (Women's Sprints, Hurdles, Relays) Michelle Freeman

"I am elated and honored to join the University of Oklahoma's storied athletic department and, in particular, Coach Langford's track and field program. The athletic department's and university's commitment to excellence and their dedication to the wellbeing and success of the student-athlete is what excites me about this opportunity. My background as a professional athlete, which includes many Olympic appearances, has prepared me for this amazing chance to assist in coaching athletes to reach their highest potential. I've spent several years working at major universities and I'm excited to contribute my knowledge to OU's success."

Head XC/T&F Coach Tim Langford

On Hannah Fields' hiring:
"I'm excited about Hannah and the energy and experience she brings. I think she's exactly what the program needs. Just looking at her professional career and her running experience as an athlete, she knows what it feels like, what the preparation is like. She knows how to get it done. No one can question whether she understands the requirements of the job. As a volunteer assistant at Oklahoma State, she had an impact on the success of the 800-meter runners. Being in that environment and understanding what we're trying to build, it's a perfect fit. I'm excited about what she's going to do and excited for the student-athletes to look up to someone who has done it on the professional level."

On Michelle Freeman's hiring:
"I think when we got Michelle Freeman, we got a steal. The thing that we really liked about her is she's a three-time Olympian, she had success coaching at Texas and has put people on the national scene. She knows how to be a national-caliber threat and that's our program goal and vision. We want to be a threat nationally, across the board. Michelle brings that experience and wisdom on how to get it done on that level. Really excited to have Michelle here."

On the promotions of Assistant Head Coaches Jerel Langley and Colin Boevers:
"Just in terms of what Jerel Langley has brought to the program for years, even before my hiring, has largely gone unrecognized. It's great to give him his due. He's doing something that falls right into his niche. He's a masterful recruiter and the whole staff has learned from him. To have him lead that part of our program is priceless. You can't praise him or pay him enough for the job that he does. When someone is that gifted in an area, they deserve the recognition for what they're doing and the responsibility. The key thing is that I trust him.

"Both of these guys, Coach Langley and Coach Boevers, I trust them and trust what they're doing. The program is in good hands, and it frees me up to work on other aspects and administration of the program. I can turn my back and trust them fully.

"Same thing with Colin. In my short time here, Colin has made a niche in making sure we stick to the rules. He shows that through his event group. They don't have any academic problems and know how to get the job done. It's fitting and rewarding for both Colin and Jerel. But in retooling our program, it's due. I'm excited about their promotions and where the program is going.

"We also try to be leaders in the NCAA. The title changes will spark other title changes across the country. It's going to set both guys up to be head coaches one day. That's what we're trying to do. We're trying to duplicate ourselves in terms of head coaches and competent people who have experience. That's going to be a draw for the program in the future."