Completed Event: Baseball versus (3) Georgia on June 15, 2026 , Win , 4, to, 3
Final
Baseball
4
vs (3) Georgia
3
University of Oklahoma Athletics
McNamara Just Misses Earning All-America Honors at NCAA T&F Championships :: Tulsa senior finishes tied for ninth in his best showing at the NCAA.
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Michael McNamara finishes his Sooner career with his best finish in NCAA competition. |
May 31, 2002
BATON ROUGE, La. - Senior Michael McNamara was one of seven vaulters to clear 17-4.50 at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Friday night at Bernie Moore Track Stadium. However, he finished just out of the top eight, ending tied for ninth based on the number of misses. Points are awarded to the top eight finishers who also earn All-America honors.
The competition was delayed by an hour after thunderstorms with significant lightning moved through the Baton Rouge area for the third consecutive day.
For McNamara, it was the best performance of his Sooner career in NCAA competition in his fifth and final trip to the NCAA.
OU's other competitors tonight had mixed results. True freshman Austin Landreth finished tied for 11th after clearing the opening height of 16-10.75 on his second attempt. Junior Michael Westlund, who had battled injuries throughout the outdoor season, did not clear the opening height.
Brian Hunter of Texas won the competition with a stadium record 18-8.25.
While it was McNamara's best finish in his Sooner career in NCAA action, it also was a bittersweet ending. The difference for McNamara came on the second height when he needed three attempts to clear. Three vaulters tied for fourth after clearing the second height on their first attempt and the vaulter who finished eighth cleared the height on his second attempt.
McNamara started the competition in strong fashion, clearing the opening height with his first attempt. He knocked the bar off with his foot on the way up on his first two attempts at 17-4.5 before easily clearing the bar on his third attempt. He knocked the bar off with his arm on the first attempt at 17-10.5, then hit it with his foot on the way up on his second attempt. He cleared the bar on his third try, barely brushing the bar. McNamara then watched in disbelief from the pit as the bar bounced off the standards to end his competition.
Landreth, the only freshman to make the NCAA men's field, was the second vaulter to clear the opening height. He didn't get over the bar on his first attempt at 17-4.5, then brushed the bar off with his foot on his second and third try.
Westlund struggled from the beginning of the competition. He hit the bar on the way up on his first try, went under the bar on his second, then hit the bar with his foot on his third try. It marked the first time in his six appearances in the NCAA Championships to not clear the opening height.
Still, the Sooners were the only school to have more than one vaulter in the men's competition three vaulters in the men's competition, just two days after sophomore Leslie Dunlap became the first NCAA All-American for the Sooner women in the pole vault. With one day of competition remaining, the Sooner women are tied for 43rd with her three points for the sixth-place finish.
Men Pole Vault
1 Brian Hunter, Texas, 18-08.25; 2 Brad Walker, Washington, 18-02.50; 3 Rocky Danners, Tennessee, 17-10.50; 4 Paul Litchfield, Idaho State, 17-04.50; 4 Chris Steddum, South Carolina, 17-04.50; 4 Adam Keul. Stephen F. Austin, 17-04.50; 7 Jim Autenreith, Baylor, 17-04.50; 8 Bubba Maclean, California, 17-04.50; 9 (tie) Michael McNamara, Oklahoma, and Trevor Woods, Oregon, 17-04.50; 11 (tie) Austin Landreth, Oklahoma, and Clyde Bell, UCLA, David Grijalva, Southern Cal, 16-10.75; 14 (tie) Mike Mortensen, Arizona, Geoff Fairbanks, SW Texas, and Jeff Hansen, BYU, 16-10.75; Michael Westlund, Oklahoma; Timo Makkonen, Georgia; Paul Terek, Michigan St.; Eric Eshbach, Nebraska, NH
