OKLAHOMA. University of Oklahoma TRACK & FIELD 2008 NCAA MIDWEST REGIONAL LINCOLN, NEB.

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1 MAY 16-18, 2008 OKLAHOMA David University of Oklahoma TRACK & FIELD Bassity Assistant Director, Media Relations University of Oklahoma Athletics Department Suite W. Brooks St. Norman OK O: C: F: TRACK & FIELD SCHEDULE Jan. 11 Arkansas Invitational Fayetteville, Ark. Jan Razorback Invitational Fayetteville, Ark. Feb. 1-2 J.D. Martin Invitational Norman, Okla. Feb. 8-9 New Balance Collegiate Invitational New York, N.Y. Feb. 9 Adidas Classic Lincoln, Neb. Feb Tyson Invitational Fayetteville, Ark. Feb. 23 Sooner Open Norman, Okla. Feb. 29-March 1 Big 12 Indoor Championships Lincoln, Neb. March 7 NCAA Last Chance Qualifier Fayetteville, Ark. March NCAA National Championships Fayetteville, Ark. March 22 Tulsa Duals Tulsa, Okla. March 29 Bobby Lane Invitational Arlington, Texas April 3-5 Texas Relays Austin, Texas April 4-5 Stanford Invitational Palo Alto, Calif. April John Jacobs Invitational Norman, Okla. April John McDonnell Invitational Fayetteville, Ark. April Oregon Relays Eugene, Ore. April 26 Sooner Invitational Norman, Okla. May 2 Arkansas Twilight Fayetteville, Ark. May 3-4 Steve Scott Invitational Irvine, Calif. May 4 Payton Jordan Invitational Palo Alto, Calif. May 10 Sooner Twilight Norman, Okla. May Big 12 Outdoor Championships Boulder, Colo. May NCAA Midwest Regional Lincoln, Neb. June NCAA National Championships Des Moines, Iowa June 27-July 6 U.S. Olympic Trials Eugene, Ore NCAA Midwest Regional May Ed Weir Stadium Lincoln, Neb. The University of Oklahoma Track & Field team travels to Lincoln, Neb., this weekend for the 2008 NCAA Midwest Regional, May 30-31, at Ed Weir Stadium on the campus of the University of Nebraska. The OU men enter the meet as the defending team champion after topping second place Nebraska by points in 2007 to win its first regional title. The No. 15 Oklahoma women have attained their highest national ranking in program history. OU also has three individual event defending champions return in Shardae Boutte and Toni Smith won the men s and women s triple jump titles, respectively, while the men s 4x100-meter relay ran away with the title in The top five athletes in each event qualify for the 2008 NCAA National Championships, June 11-14, in Des Moines, Iowa. A number of select at-large athletes from the four regions will be added to round out the national field. Results Live results for the 2008 NCAA Midwest Regional will be provided on Huskers.com. A complete recap of Oklahoma action will be posted on SoonerSports.com shortly after the conclusion of action each day. Ranked Teams Men: No. 2 Texas A&M, No. 11 Baylor, No. 12 Colorado, No. 13 Texas, No. 16 UTEP, No. 20 Nebraska, No. 22 TCU Women: No. 2 Texas A&M, No. 4 Texas Tech, No. 13 Minnesota, No. 15 Oklahoma, No. 16 Baylor, No. 17 UTEP, No. 19 Kansas, No. 21 Texas, No. 24 TCU Sooner to Watch Since arriving at OU as a transfer from Oklahoma Baptist, Latoya Greaves has quickly made a name for herself, not just in Norman, but in the Big 12 Conference and on the national stage. The Jamaica native established herself as a contender on the national outdoor scene after first capturing the 60-meter hurdles title at the Big 12 Indoor Championships followed by completing the hurdles sweep with the 100-meter hurdles title at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships. Ranked No. 8 nationally, the program-record holder enters this weekend as the No. 1 hurdler in the Midwest Region.

2 NCAA QUALIFIERS Men Regional Qualifiers (Events Entered) Marcus Pugh 100-meter dash Marcus Pugh 200-meter dash Brayon Brown 800-meter run 1:49.47 Jacob Boone 1500-meter run 3:43.96 Rob Sorrell 1500-meter run 3:44.29 Sheldon Leith 110 Hurdles D Andre Fisher 110 Hurdles Zach Dawson 400 Hurdles Paul Gill 2.15 Adrian Wiltshire Long Jump 7.40 Shardae Boutte Tydree Lewis Frankie Green Mitch Henry Buck Sullivan Hammer Throw Regional Qualifiers (Other Events) Zach Dawson 200-meter dash Zach Dawson 400-meter dash x100-meter relay Chip Heuser Pole Vault 5.20 Shardae Boutte Long Jump 7.50 Women Regional Qualifiers (Events Entered) Scottesha Miller 100-meter dash Scottesha Miller 200-meter dash Leslie Cole 400-meter dash Tijahnni Newton 400-meter dash Kristi Cook 800-meter run 2:07.17 Jessica Eldridge 1500-meter run 4:19.06 Catherine Odell 1500-meter run 4:26.87 Latoya Greaves 100 Hurdles Latoya Heath 100 Hurdles x100-meter relay x400-meter relay 3:37.22 Katherine Johnson 1.75 Toni Smith Long Jump 6.35 Scottesha Miller Long Jump 6.31 Ti Anca Mock Long Jump 6.12 Toni Smith Latoya Heath Amy Backel Shot Put Amy Backel Regional Qualifiers (Other Events) Leslie Cole 200-meter dash Tijahnni Newton 200-meter dash Catherine Odell 800-meter run 2:07.70 Latoya Heath Long Jump 6.02 LAST MEET (Big 12 Championships) The University of Oklahoma Track and Field program concluded competition at the 2008 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships Sunday at Potts Field on the campus of the University of Colorado. The OU men finished seventh and the women sixth on a day that saw Oklahoma athletes break five school records and claim 10 top-three finishes including two individual event titles. In what was a repeat of the 2008 Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships, Latoya Greaves and Shardae Boutte both claimed individual event titles in the 100-meter hurdles and triple jump, respectively. Boutte won his third straight Big 12 triple jump title and successfully defended his 2007 Big 12 outdoor triple jump title. Boutte s personal-best jump of 54 feet and 4.75 inches (16.58 meters) broke the senior s own program record of (16.25). The jump also broke a Big 12 Championship meet record and is the nation s top triple jump of the season. Two of Boutte s teammates also contributed top-eight finishes as Tydree Lewis finished fourth with a jump of (16.05) and Frankie Green took eighth with a distance of (15.30). Greaves completed a sweep of the Big 12 Indoor and Outdoor Championships in the hurdles. After winning the 60-meter hurdles title at indoor on March 1, the sophomore beat the field under the cloudy skies in Boulder with a school-record time of Greaves jumped to the front and never looked back, shattering her own Oklahoma program record in the process. Greaves first broke the school record at the Texas Relays on April 5 with a time of The Kingston, Jamaica native is looking for her first NCAA title in the event after winning a national title on the NAIA level while at Oklahoma Baptist University. Greaves classmate Latoya Heath took third in the event with a personal-best Marcus Pugh ran a personal-best in the 100-meter dash, 10.16, to take second behind Texas A&M s Gerald Phiri s Pugh also finished fifth in the 200-meter dash with a regional qualifying and season-best time of Scottesha Miller placed her name atop the Oklahoma record books in two events, taking down OU alum Laverne Jones marks. The sophomore began with the women s 100-meter dash, finishing fourth, but more importantly running an Team Points 1. LSU Texas A&M UCLA Florida Florida State Arizona State Arkansas Southern Cal Auburn Tennessee Baylor Colorado Texas Oregon UTEP Team Points 16. South Carolina Kentucky California Arizona Nebraska Liberty Texas Christian Mississippi State Georgia Boise State Three events later Miller returned to the track and brought a pen with her, rewriting the OU record book in the 200-meter dash. Miller s teammate Leslie Cole took eighth in the 200 with a regional qualifying time of Cole also placed second in the 400-meter dash, running a personal-best Senior Tijahnni Newton took sixth in the event with a time of Senior Jessica Eldridge finished second in the women s 1,500- meter run behind Texas Tech s Sally Kipyego. Eldridge came in just behind Kipyego (4:25.00) with a regional qualifying time of 4: The second-place finish gives the three-time All-American her 10th career All-Big 12 Conference honor. One day after finishing second in the women s long jump, senior Toni Smith took third in the triple jump. Entering the competition as the Conference s top-ranked athlete in the event, Smith jumped a season-best (13.39). The jump extends Smith s school record in the event, topping her previous non-wind aided best (13.34). The women s 4x100-meter relay comprised of Cole, Jalesa Walker, Missy Barnes and Miller recorded a season-best time of to finish third. Chip Heuser tied a season-high height of (5.20) to take third in the men s pole vault. The bronze medal highlights what has been a difficult season for the four-time All-American after suffering a major head injury during the indoor season. Zach Dawson took fifth in the men s 400-meter hurdles with a personal-best time of The time moves the sophomore up to seventh all-time in the event in OU history. Sheldon Leith also took fifth in a hurdles event, the 110-meter hurdles. COMING UP NEXT The University of Oklahoma athletes who qualifiy will take a weekend off in preparation for the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships to be held June in Des Moines, Iowa. Hosted by the Drake University, the meet will feature the nation s top collegiate athletes competing for the honor of the nation s best. In 2007 the Oklahoma track and field program finished with total All-Americans, matching the combined program record set in Two members of the men s 4x100-meter relay, Marcus Pugh and Jacobi Mitchell, that earned All-America honors last season return along with Toni Smith, Jessica Eldridge and two members of the women s 4x100, Leslie Cole and Scottesha Miller, that added the accolade to their resume in USTFCCCA DIVISION I TRACK AND FIELD RANKINGS MEN WOMEN Team Points 1. LSU Texas A&M Arizona State Texas Tech Southern Cal Virginia Tech Florida UCLA Penn State Stanford Oregon Arkansas Minnesota Tennessee OKLAHOMA Team Points 16. Baylor UTEP Michigan Kansas North Carolina Texas Mississippi Texas Christian Miami (Fla.) California

3 08 MARKS IN OU RECORD BOOKS Men OU Rank Athlete Time/Mark 200-Meter Dash 6. Marcus Pugh ,500-Meter Run 2. Jacob Boone 3: Rob Sorrell 3: Meter Hurdles 7. Zach Dawson Paul Gill Shardae Boutte Tydree Lewis Hammer Throw 1. Buck Sullivan Mitch Henry Jamie Alexander Decathlon 10. Jamie Alexander 6,638 Women OU Rank Athlete Time/Mark 100-Meter Dash 1. Scottesha Miller Meter Dash 1. Scottesha Miller Leslie Cole Meter Dash 2. Leslie Cole Tijahnni Newton Meter Run 6. Kristi Cook 2: Catherine Odell 2: ,000-Meter Run 9. Kelly Waters 38: Meter Hurdles 1. Latoya Greaves Latoya Heath x100-meter Relay 2. Cole, Walker, Barnes, Miller Cole, Walker, Barnes, Miller x400-meter Relay 7. Mock, Still, Greaves, Cole 3: Newton, Greaves, Walker, Cole 3:38.73 Long Jump Toni Smith Ti Anca Mock Toni Smith Latoya Heath Dominique Jacobs Ti Anca Mock Shot Put 5. Amy Backel Amy Backel LAST YEAR AT THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS The OU men s track and field team captured their first regional title, scoring points at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships at Drake Stadium. Nebraska scored 60 points to finish second. Texas Tech was third with 58. The men s victory comes on the heels of winning the team s first Big 12 title just two weeks prior. The Oklahoma men added two regional champions in a matter of seconds as Shardae Boutte waited out the final competitor in the triple jump while the Sooners 4x100-meter relay won their race in spectacular come-from-behind, last-leg victory. Boutte, the Big 12 outdoor champion, jumped a Midwest Regional record 52 feet, 8 inches (16.05 meters) on his first and best attempt. Ronnie Pines, Marcus Pugh, Frankie Wright and Jacobi Mitchell sprinted to OU s first regional title in a relay with their 4x100-meter win in a season best, and eighth all-time at OU, time of Kevin Bookout won his first regional title with his shot put victory. Bookout s winning throw traveled (19.22), beating second place by over four feet. Dermillo Wise finished third in the finals of the men s 110-meter hurdles, clocking a personal best 13.77, to qualify for his second consecutive national championships in the event. Wise also qualified for the NCAAs in the long jump Friday. Pugh, who ran in four events Saturday, (10.40) finished fifth in the 100-meter dash to also automatically qualify for the NCAAs in that event. Pugh, however, strained his hamstring in the final steps of the 100 and pulled up in the final 20 meters of the 200 (22.28), finishing last. The men s 4x400 of Zach Dawson, Mitchell, Smith and Wright ran a season best 3:06.54 to win the first of two heats and finish fifth overall. Overall, the Sooner men qualified eight total athletes in eight total events to the national championships in Sacramento, Calif., in two weeks. Two women also automatically qualified. Both the men s and women s Big 12 championships won regional titles as the Texas A&M ran away with the women s team title, scoring 99 points to second-place Texas 67. The OU women tied for 10th out of 32 scoring teams with 26 points. OU junior Toni Smith won the women s triple jump with a best of (13.27). Jessica Eldridge qualified for the national championships in the 1500-meter run after placing fourth in the finals at 4: The women s 4x100-meter relay of Leslie Cole, Scottesha Miller, Yolanda Goff and Larica Urbina placed fourth in the finals in 43.90, breaking the school record they set Firday in a preliminary heat at Yolanda Goff, Tydree Lewis and Leonarde Smith just missed automatic advancement to the national championships. Goff was sixth in the women s 100-meter dash at Lewis was sixth in the triple jump with a best of (15.65). Smith finished sixth in the men s 400-meter hurdles at The women s 4x400-meter relay of Cole, Goff, Jhavonne Pope and Tijhanni Newton placed sixth overall at 3: Chip Heuser qualified for the national championships in the men s pole vault. Wright and Wise also qualified in the men s long jump. NCAA QUALIFIERS Heading into the 2008 NCAA Midwest Regional, Oklahoma athletes have posted 44 regional qualifying marks, 23 by the women s team and 21 by the men. Scottesha Miller leads all Sooners with regional qualifying marks in three events. The sophomore has qualified in both the 100- and 200-meter dash and as a member of the women s 4x100-meter relay to go along with a qualifying long jump. Sprinter Marcus Pugh has recorded three qualifying times in the 100- and 200-meter dash and as a member of the men s 4x100- meter relay. Zach Dawson and Latoya Heath are members of the tri-qualifier club as well. Dawson entered the year as a 400-meter runner, however, the sophomore has ran regional qualifying times in that event along with the 200-meter dash and 400-meter hurdles. In her first season as a Sooner, Heath enters the post season having posted qualifying marks in the women s 100-meter hurdles, long jump and triple jump. Decathlete Mitch Henry has recorded two qualifying marks; a regional mark in the javelin and a provisional mark in the decathlon. Senior horizontal jumper Toni Smith enters the weekend having already posted regional qualifying marks in both the triple jump and long jump in just her first action of the outdoor season in the events at the Texas Relays. Smith is one of six OU women who have recorded regional qualifying marks in two events including Scottesha Miller who has done so in the 100- and 200-meter dash, the long jump and as a member of the 4x100-meter relay. Amy Backel (shot put and javelin), Leslie Cole (200- and 400-meter dash) and Catherine Odell (800- and 1500-meter run) have all accomplished the feat as well. On the men s side, Shardae Boutte has added his name to the double qualifiers as well, qualifying in both the long and triple jump.

4 OU Top-25 Men in Big 12 Rankings 100-Meter Dash 2. Marcus Pugh 10.19* 21. Jacobi Mitchell Shardae Boutte Meter Dash 5. Marcus Pugh 20.54* 17. Zach Dawson 21.32* 23. Jacobi Mitchell Meter Dash 9. Zach Dawson 46.61* 16. Marcus Pugh Meter Run 6. Brayon Brown 1:49.97* 14. Chris Sweeney 1: Kyle Eckman 1: Jacob Boone 1: ,500-Meter Run 7. Jacob Boone 3:43.96* 9. Rob Sorrell 3:44.29* 110-Meter Hurdles 7. Sheldon Leith 13.99* 13. D Andre Fisher 14.30* 23. Matt O Connor Meter Hurdles 8. Zach Dawson 50.78* 4x100 Relay 6. 4/26/ * 4x400 Relay 9. 4/26/2008 3: Paul Gill Mitch Henry 2.15* 1.95 Pole Vault 4. Chip Heuser 5.20* 19. Mitch Henry Matt O Connor 4.45 Long Jump 6. Shardae Boutte 7.50* 10. Adrian Wiltshire 7.40* 15. Mitch Henry Tydree Lewis Shardae Boutte 16.58* 5. Tydree Lewis 16.08* 9. Frankie Green Shot Put 23. Mitch Henry Hammer Throw 8. Buck Sullivan 59.60* 13. Mitch Henry 62.02* Decathlon Mitch Henry Jamie Alexander 7,144* 6,638 * - NCAA Regional Qualifying Marks ONE STEP CLOSER TO BEIJING Nine University of Oklahoma Track & Field athletes have taken one step closer to competing in Beijing by eclipsing qualifying standards for the 2008 U.S. Track & Field Olympic Trials. The event, which will be held June 27 - July 6 in Eugene, Ore., has two sets of qualifying standards, an A standard and a B standard. Athletes who attain the A standard will automatically be included in the event, provided they enter and declare. Athletes who attain the B standard will be included in the event only if additional competitors are needed to make the event competitive (i.e., not enough athletes have not attained the A standard). Scottesha Miller is the lone OU athlete to eclipse the A standard with a time of in the 200-meter dash. The promising sophomore has also recorded a B standard in the 100-meter dash. Amy Backel (), Shardae Boutte (), Leslie Cole (200- and 400-meter dash), Zach Dawson (400-meter hurdles), Jessica Eldridge (1,500-meter run), Tydree Lewis (), Marcus Pugh (100- and 200-meter dash) and Toni Smith (Triple Jump) have all recorded B standard marks Olympic Trials Qualifiers A Standard Scottesha Miller 200-meter dash B Standard Marcus Pugh 100-meter dash Scottesha Miller 100-meter dash Marcus Pugh 200-meter dash Leslie Cole 200-meter dash Leslie Cole 400-meter dash Jessica Eldridge 1,500-meter run 4:17.08 Zach Dawson 400-meter hurdles Toni Smith (13.39) Shardae Boutte (16.58) Tydree Lewis (16.08) Amy Backel (51.09) RECORDS FALLING After recording five new program records in the 2008 indoor season, University of Oklahoma have rewritten the OU record books on seven occasions this outdoor season. Amy Backel kicked things off in the season-opening Tulsa Duels. In her first season as a full-time thrower, Backel claimed the event s javelin title with a throw of (47.36) to best the previous school record of (47.14) set by Katie Webster in It didn t take long for Backel to rewrite her own record as one week later at the Bobby Lane Invitational the sophomore finished first by topping her own school record with a throw of (50.80). The record stood for less than a month as Backel topped herself once more at the Sooner Invitational with a throw of (51.09). Austin, Texas was the site of the next record-breaking performance by Oklahoma athletes as Buck Sullivan and Latoya Greaves both placed their names above the historic performance lists in their respective divisions at the 81st Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. Sullivan started it off in the hammer throw with an NCAA Regional qualifying mark of (59.60). The throw topped Nils Oliveto s previous program record of (58.58). Latoya Greaves continued her streak of impressive performances in her first season as a Sooner with a second-place finish in the 100- meter hurdles with a time of The time bested the previous Oklahoma program record of set by Alesha Peel in SOONERS IN NATIONAL RANKINGS (Top-35 Regional Declared) Athlete Time/Mark 100-meter Dash 1. Richard Thompson, LSU Marcus Pugh, OU meter Dash 1.Richard Thompson, LSU Marcus Pugh, OU ,500-meter Run 1. Leonel Manzano, Texas...3: Jacob Boone, OU...3: meter Hurdles 1. Justin Gaymon, Georgia Zach Dawson, OU Dusty Jonas Paul Gill, OU Shardae Boutte, OU Tydree Lewis, OU meter Dash 1. Simone Facey, Texas A&M Scottesha Miller, OU meter Dash 1. Porscha Lucas, Texas A&M Scottesha Miller, OU meter Dash 1. Jessica Beard, Texas A&M Leslie Cole, OU Tijahnni Newton, OU meter Run 1. A. Johnson, Cal...2: Kristi Cook, OU...2: ,500-meter Run 1. B. Felnagle, North Carolina...4: Jessica Eldridge, OU...4: x100-meter Relay 1. LSU OU x400-meter Relay 1. LSU...3: OU...3: meter Hurdles 1. Kristi Castlin, Virginia Tech Latoya Greaves, OU Latoya Heath, OU Sharon Day, Cal Poly Katherine Johnson, OU Long Jump 1. Brittany Reese, Mississippi Toni Smith, OU Scottesha Miller, OU Blessing Okagbare, UTEP Toni Smith, OU Latoya Heath, OU K. Patterson, Purdue Amy Backel, OU Greaves did not stop there, one-upping herself at the Big 12 Championships with a blistering Greaves school record in Boulder was one of five by Oklahoma athletes on the weekend. Scottesha Miller packed a pen on the trip to the Rocky Mountains, rewriting the record books in both the 100- and 200-meter dash. The sophomore reeled off a time of in the 100 followed by a in the 200. The times broke records held by Laverne Jones in the 100 (11.25) and 200 (22.81). Although the triple jump records were changed on both the men s and women s sides at the Big 12 Championships, the names did not change. Shardae Boutte claimed the men s title with a jump of (16.58) to break his own record in the event while Toni Smith finished third, breaking her own record in the process, with a jump of (13.39)

5 OU Top-25 Women in Big 12 Rankings 100-Meter Dash 5. Scottesha Miller 11.24* 19. Missy Barnes Jalesa Walker Ti Anca Mock Meter Dash 7. Scottesha Miller 22.86* 8. Leslie Cole 23.01* 17. Tijahnni Newton 23.62* 23. Jalesa Walker Meter Dash 2. Leslie Cole 52.05* 4. Tijahnni Newton 53.31* 13. Jalesa Walker Jasmine Still Meter Run 3. Kristi Cook 2:07.17* 4. Catherine Odell 2:07.70* 1,500-Meter Run 4. Jessica Eldridge 4:19.06* 10. Catherine Odell 4:26.87* 10,000-Meter Run 18. Kelly Waters 37: Meter Hurdles 1. Latoya Greaves 13.03* 4. Latoya Heath 13.46* 4x100 Relay 3. 4/26/ * 4x400 Relay 4. 4/5/2008 3:37.22* Katherine Johnson Ashley Hagensick 1.75* 1.60 Pole Vault 15. Jessica Brown 3.65 Long Jump 1. Toni Smith 6.35* 3. Scottesha Miller 6.31* 7. Ti Anca Mock 6.12* 11. Latoya Heath 6.02* 15. Dominique Jacobs Carli Wester Toni Smith 13.39* 7. Latoya Heath Dominique Jacobs Ti Anca Mock Shot Put 13. Amy Backel Amy Backel 51.09* * - NCAA Regional Qualifying Marks LATOYA, LATOYA Sophomores Latoya Heath and Latoya Greaves both arrived on the campus of the University of Oklahoma via the junior college route and both have excelled in their first season on the Divison I level. Heath, from Lindenwood University in St. Louis, Mo., and Greaves, from Oklahoma Baptist University, have both made their marks on the OU Track & Field Program, including the Sooner record books. Greaves is currently the top-ranked 100-meter hurdler in the Big 12 Conference with a top time of while Heath is fourth (13.46). Greaves time also marks an Oklahoma school record for the Big 12 champion in the indoor 60-meter hurdles and outdoor 100-meter hurdles. Heath is also a force in the horizontal jumps as the seventh-ranked triple jumper in the Big 12 and 11th in the long jump. Heath s triple jump mark of 42 feet and two inches (12.90 meters) ranks third in the OU record books. ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-THREE TOP-THREE MARKS Throughout the 2008 outdoor track & field season, 32 University of Oklahoma individual athletes and five relays have accounted for 133 top-three finishes including 48 first-place finishes. Scottesha Miller leads all Sooners with 11 top-three finishes. Miller is tied with Leslie Cole for second-most event titles with five. Latoya Greaves leads all Sooners with seven individual titles. Cole, along with Toni Smith, has nine top-three finishes. Smith also has three individual event titles. Three Sooners have eight top-three places as Amy Backel, Greaves and Marcus Pugh have eclipsed the mark. SPRINTING UP THE RANKINGS A quick look at the women s Big 12 performance list for sprints and its hard to miss the University of Oklahoma. Four Sooners appear in the top 25 for all of the short sprints, including five in the top 10. Leslie Cole leads the way with a top-10 ranking in both the 200 (No. 8) and 400 (No. 2). Tijahnni Newton is No. 4 in the 400 while Scottesha Miller is No. 5 in the 100 and No. 7 in the 200. Another event dominated by Oklahoma athletes is the women s long jump. Six Sooners appear in the top 17, including three in the top seven. Toni Smith is the Conference s top long jumper with Miller (No. 3) and Ti Anca Mock (No. 7) not far behind. CAREER DAY FOR COLE...AGAIN The John McDonnell Invitational on April 19 was beneficial for all Oklahoma athletes, it was especially rewarding for one Sooner though as Leslie Cole recorded personal-best times in both the 200- and 400-meter dash. Cole, competing in the Invitational division of both races, raced to a win in the 200 with an NCAA Regional qualifiying time of Not long afterwards, the junior sprinter finished third in the 400 behind two unattached runners with another regional qualifying time of SOONERS TOP-THREE FINISHES Athlete TOTAL Scottesha Miller Leslie Cole Toni Smith Amy Backel Latoya Greaves Katherine Johnson Latoya Heath x100-meter Relay Jessica Eldridge Tijahnni Newton 3 3 Catherine Odell Missy Barnes Jessica Brown Kristi Cook 2 2 Ti Anca Mock x400-meter Relay Ashley Hagensick 1 1 Jasmine Still 1 1 Jalesa Walker 1 1 Carli Wester 1 1 4x200-meter Relay 1 1 TOTAL Athlete TOTAL Marcus Pugh Shardae Boutte Zach Dawson Chip Heuser Buck Sullivan Mitch Henry Tydree Lewis D Andre Fisher Paul Gill Frankie Green 2 2 Jamie Alexander 1 1 Brayon Brown 1 1 Sheldon Leith 1 1 Adrian Wiltshire 1 1 4x100-meter Relay 1 1 4x400-meter Relay 1 1 TOTAL The time, the fifth fastest in Oklahoma program history, bested Cole s personal best entering the season by more than two seconds. The effort was just a foreshadow of what Cole would accomplish one week later at home. Taking first in both the 200- and 400-meter dash by once again boosting her career-best times in each race. Cole s time of in the 200 is the second-fastest in Oklahoma program history and the fourth-fastest this season in the Big 12 Conference. Cole followed that up with the Conference s then second-fastest 400 of the season with a time of The junior from Idabel, Okla., would top the time once again at the Big 12 Championships, running a lap in only 51.94, the second fastest in the Big 12 and the second-fastest time in the history of the Oklahoma program.

6 MILLER TIME After helping Leslie Cole to an outstanding showing by the OU women at the John McDonnell Invitational, sophomore Scottesha Miller placed her name atop the leader board in a wide array of events. Miller began the day by recording the fastest time in the women s 100-meter dash prelims, 11.64, before improving on the time, 11.52, to capture the event s title. The short sprinter specialist continued her impressive day under sunny skies with a second title, this time in the women s 200-meter dash with a time of Her time on the track wasn t done as she anchored the women s 4x100-meter relay to a firstplace finish with a time of Shifting from the track to the infield, the defending Big 12 outdoor champion in the long jump finished second in the event with a jump of (6.08) to finish as the highest collegiate competitor. All three times and the long jump distance marked NCAA Regional qualifiers while Miller s 200 time allowed the sophomore to crack the OU all-time performance list at No. 10. The performance was just precursor, however, to what Miller would accomplish later in the season. A return trip to Fayetteville and Miller bested herself in the long jump, reeling off the Big 12 s longest jump of the season in (6.31). Miller didn t stop there, running a in the 200 at the Sooner Twilight on May 10. The real fireworks didn t explode until the Big 12 Championships however as Miller grabbed control of the Oklahoma history books with records in both the 100- and 200-meter dash. The Florida native secured OU s first U.S. Olympic Trials A standard with a time of in the 200-meter dash. Miller then added her name to the growing list to B standard qualifiers with a time of in the 100-meter dash. TRIPLE JUMPING TO THE TOP For assistant coach Jeremy Fischer, a trio of triple jumpers is making his life a whole lot easier. Sooner men Shardae Boutte and Tydree Lewis along with Toni Smith on the women s side all rank in the top eight nationally in the event. Boutte, who has won the last three Big 12 Conference titles in the event ( 07 Outdoor, 08 Indoor & Outdoor), enters the weekend as the nation s top-ranked triple jumper after leaping a school-record distance of (16.58) to claim the Big 12 title in Boulder. Lewis, who finished second at the NCAA Championships in the event during the 2008 indoor season, is ranked fifth in the conference and 12th nationally with a season-best jump of (16.08). On the women s side, Smith enters the Midwest Regional as the Big 12 Conference s thirdranked triple jumper. The school-record holder in the event, Smith s top jump this season of (13.39 meters) ranks 12th nationally. AWESOME DAWSON For Zach Dawson, the 2008 outdoor track & field season has marked another step in the sophomore s progression to the top. The Edmond, Okla., native has improved each season including two All-Big 12 honors in the 2008 indoor season after receiving one during the 2007 outdoor season. In his first action of the outdoor season at the Bobby Lane Invitational, Dawson ran an NCAA Regional qualifying time of in the 400-meter hurdles, his first-ever time to compete in the race. Dawson improved his time at last week s meet, running a 51.12, just off the Olympic Trial B standard of The 400 hurdles was just the first regional qualifying mark for Dawson, who reeled off a time of in his first race in the 200-meter dash at the John Jacobs Invitational. A return home to Norman was all Dawson needed to record a regional qualifying mark in his third event of the season, the 400-meter dash. Dawson claimed the event title at the Sooner Invitational with a personal-best time of 46.61, under the NCAA Regional qualifying time of Dawson has since eclipsed the U.S. Olympic Trials B standard in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of in the Big 12 Outdoor Championships. The sophomore will only compete in the 400-meter hurdles in the most competitive of all regions in the event as nine of the top-20 athletes in the nation will run in the Midwest Region. TWICE AROUND, TWICE AS NICE Three...two...one. One could almost say out loud a countdown as Kristi Cook begins her kick in the women s 800-meter run. The senior rode her strong kick to a first-place finish in the Invitational event at the John McDonnell Invitational with career-best times. Cook s time of 2:07.17, the sixth-fastest time in Oklahoma program history, ranks third in the Big 12 Conference. 1,500 METERS TO SUCCESS For redshirt-freshmen Jacob Boone and Rob Sorrell, the first season under head coach Martin Smith has been one of steadily improvement and a climb up the OU records list. After opening the season with NCAA Regional qualifying times in the 1,500-meter run at the Stanford Invitational (Sorrell - 3:47.34, Boone - 3:47.43), the two did not rest, but only improved on their times. At the John McDonnell Invitational Boone shaved close to four seconds off his previous time with a fourth-place finish in 3: Sorrell also picked up the pace, finishing the race in 3: One weekend later at the Oregon Relays Sorrell lowered his time even further, running 3: The time marks the third fastest in Oklahoma program history. Despite posting slower times in part of the altitude in Boulder, Colo., the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships were highlighted by Boone coming close to pulling off an upset of two-time NCAA champion Leonel Manzano of Texas in the event s prelims. Boone (3:51.35) crossed the finish line just after Manzano (3:51.19) in the event s second heat, hanging back just behind Manzano before finishing with a strong kick to push the eventual Big 12 champion to the finish.

7 PROJECTED TO MAKE IT With the top-five finishers in each event in each region automatically qualifying for the NCAA National Championships, one could take a look at the nationall descending order list and make predictions on advancements out of the Midwest Region. While anything can happen on the track and any given athlete can break off a career performance, below is a listing of OU athletes, based on the descending order lists, projected to automatically qualify for Des Moines. Athlete Event Leslie Cole meter dash Kristi Cook meter run Jessica Eldridge... 1,500-meter run Latoya Greaves meter hurdles Latoya Heath meter hurdles OU Women... 4x100-meter relay Toni Smith...Long jump Toni Smith...Triple jump Amy Backel... Marcus Pugh meter dash Marcus Pugh meter dash Shardae Boutte...Triple jump AMY S AIMING HIGH In her first season as a full-time thrower after spending a season-and-a-half as a multievent athlete, Amy Backel has quickly made a name for herself in the Big 12 Conference and provides a much-needed threat for conference championship points in events that were not necessarily counted on in the past. Backel broke the Oklahoma javelin record in the first outdoor event of the season, Tulsa Relays, before rewriting her own record a week later at the Bobby Lane Invitational. Backel returned home to Norman for the Sooner Invitational and one-upped herself again with a toss of (51.09). The mark is currently the No. 2 mark in the Big 12 and 13th nationally. The sophomore has also posted a personal best in the shot put at the Sooner Twilight with a toss of 47 feet and 10 inches (14.58), good for 13th in the Big 12. RACING TO THE BOOKS Eleven student-athletes from the University of Oklahoma track and field program were named to the Big 12 Conference s 2008 Academic All-Big 12 Track and field teams on May 14. Amy Backel, a civil engineering sophomore, and Catherine Odell, an instructional leadership senior, led the way with perfect 4.0 grade point averages. Other Sooners on the first team included Jamie Alexander (human relations), Brayon Brown (human relations), Jason Coleman (multidisciplinary studies), Kristi Cook (marketing), Frankie Green (human relations), Chip Heuser (zoology) and Rob Sorrell (aviation). Leslie Cole (sociology) and Carli Wester (undecided major) were named to the second team. COLE HONORED BY BIG 12 Junior sprinter Leslie Cole was named Big 12 Athlete of the Week by the Conference on Tuesday, April 29. Cole received the honor, the first of her career, after recording a career day at home in Saturday s Sooner Invitational. The meet marked the second consecutive week that Cole posted career marks after doing so at the John McDonnell Invitational on April 19. The three-time All-American recorded personal bests in both the 200- and 400-meter dash at the Sooner Invitational en route to taking first with NCAA Regional qualifying times in each event. Cole s time in the 400 (52.70) marked a new Sooner Invitational record and is the third-fastest time in program history. Cole s winning time of in the 200 was also a meet record and second on OU s all-time performance list. The junior also ran the opening leg of the 4x100-meter relay that finished first with a regional-qualifying time of She currently is ranked seventh nationally in the 200 and fifth in the 400. The Idabel, Okla., native shares the honor with thrower D Andra Carter of Texas Tech. Distance runner Leonel Manzano of Texas received the men s honor. OU WOMEN REACH HIGHEST RANKING The Oklahoma women s outdoor track and field team has reached its highest position in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) rankings released on Tuesday by the organization. Performances at the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships enabled six female Sooners to climb in individual event rankings to help OU jump five spots in the rankings to No. 15. The OU women are the third-ranked Big 12 team behind the nation s No. 2 team and conference champion, Texas A&M, and No. 4 Texas Tech. The USTFCCCA Division I indoor track and field rankings are compiled solely from NCAA descending order lists. FAYETTEVILLE IS FAMILIAR Travel 244 miles northeast of Norman and you ll find what is becoming a home-away-fromhome for the Oklahoma Track & Field program. Fayetteville, Ark., home of the University of Arkansas, was the site of Oklahoma s last outdoor meet, the 2008 John McDonnell Invitational, and is the site of two outdoor meets of the 2008 outdoor OU season with this week s Arkansas Twilight being the other. It was the 2008 indoor season though that Oklahoma athletes began to learn the ins-andouts of Fayetteville, traveling to Northwest Arkansas on five different occassions for indoor meets, including the 2008 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in March. The Randal Tyson Track Center was a friendly welcome to some OU athletes including triple jumpers Shardae Boutte and Tydree Lewis as both broke Oklahoma program records in the facility. Boutte first broke the Oklahoma program record on Feb. 15 at the Tyson Invitational with a jump of (16.48) to become the nation s top-ranked athlete in the event, a claim he would hold until the NCAA Championships. It was at the NCAA Championships though that Lewis leapfrogged Boutte for the top spot in the OU record book. A jump of (16.52) not only gave Lewis a second-place finish, but the Oklahoma program record.

8 2008 Oklahoma Sooners Outdoor Track & Field Performance List (Updated: May 12, 2008) Men 100-Meter Dash (Regional Qualifying Standard: 10.55) QW Marcus Pugh, Sr. Boulder, Colo. May Jacobi Mitchell, Sr. Fayetteville, Ark. April Shardae Boutte, Sr. Norman, Okla. April Jamie Alexander, Jr. Boulder, Colo. May Mitch Henry, Sr. Boulder, Colo. May Adrian Wiltshire, Jr. Norman, Okla. April Matt O Connor, Sr. Fayetteville, Ark. April Meter Dash (21.35) Q Marcus Pugh, Sr. Boulder, Colo. May QW Zach Dawson, So. Norman, Okla. April Jacobi Mitchell, Sr. Norman, Okla. April Chris Gilchrist, Jr. Norman, Okla. April Sheldon Leith, Sr. Fayetteville, Ark. May W D Andre Fisher, Fr. Norman, Okla. April Adrian Wiltshire, Jr. Norman, Okla. April Shardae Boutte, Sr. Arlington, Texas March Matt O Connor, Sr. Norman, Okla. April Tydree Lewis, Sr. Arlington, Texas March Jamie Alexander, Jr. Norman, Okla. April Mitch Henry, Sr. Norman, Okla. April Kevin Snyder, So. Arlington, Texas March Paul Gill, So. Arlington, Texas March Frankie Green, Jr. Arlington, Texas March Meter Dash (47.20) Q Zach Dawson, So. Norman, Okla. April Marcus Pugh, Sr. Norman, Okla. April Chris Gilchrist, Jr. Norman, Okla. May Brayon Brown, Sr. Palo Alto, Calif. April Sheldon Leith, Sr. Norman, Okla. May Mitch Henry, Sr. Fayetteville, Ark. April Jamie Alexander, Jr. Boulder, Colo. May Meter Run (1:50.40) 1:49.47-Q Brayon Brown, Sr. Norman, Okla. April 26 1:51.76 Chris Sweeney, RS-Fr. Fayetteville, Ark. May 2 1:51.77 Kyle Eckman, Sr. Fayetteville, Ark. May 2 1:52.01 Jacob Boone, RS-Fr. Norman, Okla. April 26 1:54.55 Jason Coleman, Sr. Norman, Okla. April 26 1:55.29 Rob Sorrell, RS-Fr. Norman, Okla. May 10 1,500-Meter Run (3:47.80) 3:43.96-Q Jacob Boone, RS-Fr. Fayetteville, Ark. April 19 3:44.29-Q Rob Sorrell, RS-Fr. Eugene, Ore. April 25 3:54.76 Jason Coleman, Sr. Fayetteville, Ark. May 2 4:00.37 Chris Sweeney, RS-Fr. Palo Alto, Calif. April 5 5:06.51 Mitch Henry, Sr. Boulder, Colo. May 17 5:07.26 Jamie Alexander, Jr. Fayetteville, Ark. April Meter High Hurdles (14.30) Q Sheldon Leith, Sr. Boulder, Colo. May Q D Andre Fisher, Fr. Boulder, Colo. May Matt O Connor, Sr. Norman, Okla. April Mitch Henry, Sr. Fayetteville, Ark. April Jamie Alexander, Jr. Fayetteville, Ark. April Meter Intermediate Hurdles (52.51) Q Zach Dawson, So. Boulder, Colo. May 18 4x100-Meter Relay (40.66) Q Lewis, Pugh, Leith, Mitchell Norman, Okla. April Q Leith, Mitchell, Pugh, Lewis Austin, Texas April Q Lewis, Pugh, Leith, Mitchell Austin, Texas April 5 4x400-Meter Relay (3:10.00) 3:11.47 Dawson, Leith, Mitchell, Pugh Norman, Okla. April 26 ( [2.10]) (2.15)-Q Paul Gill, So. Norman, Okla. April (1.95) Mitch Henry, Sr. Boulder, Colo. May (1.80) Jamie Alexander, Jr. Boulder, Colo. May 16 Pole Vault ( [5.05]) (5.20)-Q Chip Heuser, Sr. Boulder, Colo. May (4.60) Mitch Henry, Sr. Norman, Okla. May (4.45) Matt O Connor, Sr. Norman, Okla. April (4.35) Jamie Alexander, Jr. Boulder, Colo. May 17 Long Jump ( [7.34]) (7.50)-QW Shardae Boutte, Sr. Norman, Okla. April (7.40)-Q Adrian Wiltshire, Jr. Fayetteville, Ark. April (7.13) Mitch Henry, Sr. Norman, Okla. May (7.09)-W Tydree Lewis, Sr. Norman, Okla. April (6.80) Jamie Alexander, Jr. Norman, Okla. May 10 ( [15.00]) (16.58)-Q* Shardae Boutte, Sr. Boulder, Colo. May (16.08)-Q Tydree Lewis, Sr. Norman, Okla. April (15.30)-Q Frankie Green, Jr. Boulder, Colo. May 18 Shot Put ( [16.80]) (13.02) Mitch Henry, Sr. Boulder, Colo. May (12.13) Jamie Alexander, Jr. Boulder, Colo. May (11.67) Matt O Connor, Sr. Norman, Okla. May 10 Discus (169-7 [51.70]) (41.42) Mitch Henry, Sr. Arlington, Texas March (40.10) Jamie Alexander, Jr. Norman, Okla. May (39.74) Buck Sullivan, Jr. Norman, Okla. April (35.91) Matt O Connor, Sr. Arlington, Texas March 29 (202-1 [61.60]) (62.02)-Q Mitch Henry, Sr. Fayetteville, Ark. April (51.99) Jamie Alexander, Jr. Fayetteville, Ark. April (49.53) Chase Bridgforth, Jr. Tulsa, Okla. March 22 Hammer (186-4 [56.80]) (59.60)-Q* Buck Sullivan, Jr. Austin, Texas April 3 Decathlon (NCAA Auto: 7,500; Prov: 6,900) 7,144-PQ Mitch Henry, Sr. Boulder, Colo. May 17 6,638 Jamie Alexander, Jr. Boulder, Colo. May 17 Women 100-Meter Dash (Regional Qualifying Standard: 11.75) Q* Scottesha Miller, So. Boulder, Colo. May Missy Barnes, Fr. Boulder, Colo. May Jalesa Walker, Fr. Norman, Okla. April Ti Anca Mock, Fr. Norman, Okla. April W Toni Smith, Sr. Norman, Okla. April Latoya Heath, So. Norman, Okla. April Meter Dash (23.96) Q* Scottesha Miller, So. Boulder, Colo. May Q Leslie Cole, Jr. Norman, Okla. April Q Tijahnni Newton, Sr. Norman, Okla. April Jalesa Walker, Fr. Norman, Okla. April Latoya Greaves, So. Norman, Okla. April Missy Barnes, Fr. Norman, Okla. April Jasmine Still, So. Norman, Okla. April Carli Wester, RS-Fr. Arlington, Texas March Toni Smith, Sr. Arlington, Texas March Katherine Johnson, Jr. Arlington, Texas March Ashley Hagensick, So. Arlington, Texas March Meter Dash (54.61) Q Leslie Cole, Jr. Boulder, Colo. May Q Tijahnni Newton, Sr. Norman, Okla. April Jalesa Walker, Fr. Fayetteville, Ark. May Jasmine Still, So. Arlington, Texas March Kristi Cook, Sr. Norman, Okla. April Meter Run (2:09.80) 2:07.17-Q Kristi Cook, Sr. Fayetteville, Ark. April 19 2:07.70-Q Catherine Odell, Sr. Fayetteville, Ark. April 19 1,500-Meter Run (4:27.80) 4:19.06-Q Jessica Eldridge, Sr. Palo Alto, Calif. April 5 4:26.87-Q Catherine Odell, Sr. Palo Alto, Calif. April 5 4:39.11 Kelly Waters, Fr. Palo Alto, Calif. April 5 4:48.01 Kristi Cook, Sr. Palo Alto, Calif. April 5 10,000-Meter Run (33:30.00) 38:29.32 Kelly Waters, Fr. Boulder, Colo. May Meter High Hurdles (13.92) *Q Latoya Greaves, So. Boulder, Colo. May Q Latoya Heath, So. Boulder, Colo. May 18 4x100-Meter Relay (45.70) Q Cole, Walker, Barnes, Miller Boulder, Colo. May Q Cole, Walker, Barnes, Miller Fayetteville, Ark. May Q Cole, Walker, Barnes, Miller Norman, Okla. April Q Cole, Walker, Barnes, Miller Fayetteville, Ark. April Barnes, Cole, Miller, Walker Arlington, Texas March 29 4x400-Meter Relay (3:42.00) 3:37.22-Q Mock, Still, Greaves, Cole Austin, Texas April 5 3:38.73-Q Newton, Greaves, Walker, Cole Boulder, Colo. May 18 3:41.16-Q Cole, Greaves, Newton, Walker Arlington, Texas March 29 ( [1.75]) (1.75)-Q Katherine Johnson, Jr. Fayetteville, Ark. April (1.60) Ashley Hagensick, So. Fayetteville, Ark. May 2 Pole Vault ( [3.85]) (3.65) Jessica Brown, So. Arlington, Texas March 29 Long Jump ( [6.00]) (6.35)-Q Toni Smith, Sr. Boulder, Colo. May (6.31)-Q Scottesha Miller, So. Fayetteville, Ark. May (6.12)-Q Ti Anca Mock, Fr. Fayetteville, Ark. May (6.02)-QW Latoya Heath, So. Norman, Okla. April (5.93) Dominique Jacobs, Jr. Fayetteville, Ark. April (5.92)-W Carli Wester, RS-Fr. Norman, Okla. May 10 ( [12.32]) (13.39)-Q Toni Smith, Sr. Boulder, Colo. May (12.90)-Q Latoya Heath, So. Norman, Okla. May (11.98) Dominique Jacobs, Jr. Norman, Okla. April (11.86) Ti Anca Mock, Fr. Boulder, Colo. May 18 Shot Put ( [14.30]) (14.58)-Q Amy Backel, So. Arlington, Texas May 10 (142-7 [43.45]) (51.09)-Q* Amy Backel, So. Norman, Okla. April 26 Key to Codes (-Q) - NCAA Regional Qualifying Mark (W) - Wind-Aided Legal Mark ( meters per second) (Z) - Wind-Aided Mark (+4.0 meters per second) (A) - Adjusted for Altitude (^) - Mark Posted in Combined Event (*) - Oklahoma Program Record