University of Oklahoma Athletics

Sooner Track and Field Teams Add 11 More Signees :: Additions will fill roster spots in several areas.

Sooner Track and Field Teams Add 11 More Signees :: Additions will fill roster spots in several areas. Sooner Track and Field Teams Add 11 More Signees

Additions will fill roster spots in several areas.






June 21, 2002

NORMAN, Okla. - Co-head track and field coaches Jill Lancaster and Rodney Price have announced the signing of 11 more student-athletes to NCAA letters of intent for the 2002-03 academic year. The group includes sprinters and vaulters as well as a javelin thrower, a long jumper, a hurdler and a distance runner. They also represent a blend of incoming freshman, college and junior college transfers.

Signing with the Sooners were Nicola Maye from Clarendon, Jamaica; Laverne Jones of Fisted, St. Croix; Ashley Freeman of Houston, Texas; Terrika Warren of Dallas, Texas; Josh Scott and Devon Fox of Norman; Sean Williams of St. Catherine, Jamaica; David Wright and Renee Burns of Moore; Steve Elliott of Claremore; and Zach Winters of Tulsa.

Maye won the age group 1500-meter run title at the 2002 Jamaican National Secondary School Championship in April. She also finished third in the meet in the 800-meter run after posting the second fastest preliminary time while competing for Edwin Allen Comprehensive. Jones is a transfer from Barton County where she earned All-America honors in five events during the 2002 season. She finished third in the indoor 400, sixth in the outdoor 400 and was on the national champion indoor 1600-meter relay, outdoor 400-meter relay and outdoor 1600-meter relay. She will run the 100 through 400 for the Sooners as well as the relays.

Freeman, who graduated from C.E. King High School, has competed primarily with summer teams including the Texas Mustangs. She finished fourth in the 2001 USATF Junior Olympic Gulf Association meet in the 100. She had the fourth best time in the Texas 4A regionals this spring with an 11.56. She also will compete in the 100 and 200 and the relays. Warren was a state qualifier this spring in the 400 while competing for Skyline High School.

Scott and Fox graduated from Norman North. Scott, a sprinter, was hampered by injuries this past spring. He finished second in the 100 and was third in the 200 as a junior. Fox is a two-time Oklahoma state 5A champion in the pole vault and is the all-time state record holder in the girls' pole vault. She also won the 2001 Great Southwest pole vault title.

Winters won the 2002 4A state champion in the long jump while competing for Edison. He placed in the state as a sophomore and junior and has a personal best of 23-0.75. He will also be on an academic scholarship at OU. Wright, who graduated from Moore High School, is a hurdler who finished second in the 100 hurdles at the 2002 5A state meet and was a state qualifier in the 300 intermediate hurdles. Burns is a transfer to OU from Central Oklahoma. She sat out this past year after UCO dropped its track and field program following the 2001 outdoor season. A javelin thrower, she will be a sophomore at OU.

Elliott is a three-time 4A state champion in the pole vault. He won the 2002 National Scholastic Indoor Championship and was the 2002 Kansas Relays boys' high school champ. Williams is another sprinter. He has run a 10.34 in the 100 and a 21.08 in the 200. He will be a sophomore during the indoor season and a junior during the outdoor season.

These signees join a class that includes Chelsea Mallory of Fairview; Natasha Franklin of Austin, Texas; Larica Urbina, also of Austin; Lucretia Rimmer of Kansas City, Mo.; and Shannan Wilburn of Everman, Texas, who signed with OU in the early period in November as well as Kevin Bookout of Stroud, who will compete for OU in basketball and track and DaBryan Blanton of Forney, Texas, who will compete with the Sooners in football and track.

"We are thrilled these student-athletes have decided to become part of the tradition of excellence that is OU track and field," said Lancaster. "We have filled some critical needs and will be a much improved team in a number of areas because of these student-athletes as well as the current athletes who will be coming back from injuries and redshirt years. With all the improvements scheduled for our facilities, the continued improvement of our current athletes and the addition of these new Sooners, the future looks bright for OU track and field."