May 19, 2008
Oklahoma Baptist, winners of three national track and field national championships since 2005, set off to defend its latest national championship - the men's outdoor title - with action beginning Thursday.
The OBU men just missed claiming the 2008 indoor national title by three-quarters of a point in March, losing by a heartbeat to Azusa Pacific. Last year in the outdoor championships, the Bison ended Dickinson State's three-year run of national championships.
Twenty-two Bison and 17 Lady Bison boarded a bus Monday to head north to the meet in St. Louis, with some training stops along the way.
The OBU men have some strong contenders in several events and are ranked No. 1 in the NAIA in the 4x100 and 4x800 relays. Lamar Baskin is the Bison's lone top-ranked individual with his specialty being the 110 high hurdles.
Dominique Matthews is ranked third in the 200 and fourth in the 100 meters, Jonathan Hilton is ranked third in the decathlon, and the 4x400 relay team is ranked third.
OBU also hopes for points from John Armstrong in the hammer throw, Olasubomi Bashorun in the 100 meters; Baskin, Adam Betterton, Tracey Drew and Ross Harlan in the 400 hurdles; Seth Brown in the pole vault; Justin Duncan and Durrell Williams in the 800, Lance Goodwin in the marathon, Bradley Jimerson and T.J. Lightsey in the 400; Ethan Mignard in the 200; Brock Stoltzfus in the 3000 meter steeplechase; and Justin Stroup in the 1500 meters.
Prophet Bailey, A.J. Carter, Billy Christy and Jack Coppedge are also on board in the relay events.
The Lady Bison, who captured indoor titles in 2005 and 2007, the final event - hope the championship is determined in the meet's final event - the 4x400 - where OBU is ranked No. 1. The 4x100 is ranked second in the nation and Sherene Pinnock, who runs on both, is also No. 1 in the 400 meter hurdles and No. 2 in the 200.
Marissa Moseley also runs on both relays and is ranked atop the 400 meters.
Also headed to St. Louis for the Lady Bison are Optimum Baker Montouya Moore and McKenzie Battershell- in the 400 hurdles; Battershell in the 100 hurdles; Olivia Boisse in the hammer throw; Nicole Cummins in the triple jump; Jessica Herbert and Becca Murdoch in the marathon; Aletha Hubbard in the 200 meters; and Brianna Shippey in the pole vault.
Relay team members also include Yesenia Avila, Melissa Farias, Emily Haynes, Shayna Legg, Andrea Melontree and Sarah Patterson.
OBU Schedule
Thursday
Combined Events
10:00 a.m.Men's Decathlon - Jonathan Hilton
100m/Long Jump/Shot Put/High Jump/400m
Field Events
10:00 a.m.Women's Hammer FINAL - Olivia Boisse
1:00 p.m. Men's Hammer FINAL - John Armstrong
Women's Pole Vault FINAL - Brianna Shippey
Track Events
1:00 p.m. Women's 4x100m Trials - OBU
1:20 p.m. Men's 4x100m Trials - OBU
1:55 p.m. Men's 1500m Trials - Justin Stroup
2:15 p.m. Women's 100m Hurdles Trials - McKenzie Battershell
2:40 p.m. Men's 110m Hurdles Trials - Lamar Baskin
2:55 p.m. Women's 400m Trials - Marissa Moseley
3:10 p.m. Men's 400m Trials - TJ Lightsey, Bradley Jimerson
3:50 p.m. Men's 100m Trials - Dominique Matthews, BJ Bashorun
4:30 p.m. Men's 800m Trials - Justin Duncan, Durrell Williams
4:45 p.m. OPENING CEREMONIES
5:15 p.m. Women's 400m Hurdles Trials - Sherene Pinnock, Montyoua Moore, Optimum Baker, McKenzie Battershell
5:35 p.m. Men's 400m Hurdles Trials - Ross Harlan, Tracey Drew, Lamar Baskin, Adam Betterton
5:55 p.m. Women's 200m Trials - Sherene Pinnock, Aletha Hubbard
6:10 p.m. Men's 200m Trials - Dominique Matthews, Ethan Mignard, Derek Nettles
6:30 p.m. Women's 3200m Relay Trials-OBU
7:00 p.m. Men's 3200m Relay Trials - OBU
8:00 p.m. Men's Steeplechase Trials - Brock Stoltzfus
Friday
Combined Events
9:30 a.m.Men's Decathlon - Jonathan Hilton
110m Hurdles/Discus/Pole Vault/Javelin / 1500m
Field Events
5:30 p.m. Women's Triple Jump FINAL - Nicole Cummins
Track Events
1:00 p.m. Men's 110m Hurdles Semi - Lamar Baskin
1:20 p.m. Women's 100m Hurdles Semi - McKenzie Battershell
2:50 p.m. Men's 100m Semi - Dominique Matthews, BJ Bashorun
3:00 p.m. Women's 400m Semi - Marissa Moseley
3:10 p.m. Men's 400m Semi - TJ Lightsey, Bradley Jimerson
3:35 p.m. Men's 800m Semi - Justin Duncan, Durrell Williams
3:50 p.m. Women's 4x100m Semi - OBU
4:05 p.m. Men's 4x100m Semi - OBU
4:25 p.m. Women's 100m Hurdles FINAL - McKenzie Battershell
4:40 p.m. Men's 110m Hurdles FINAL - Lamar Baskin
5:00 p.m. Men's 100m FINAL - - Dominique Matthews, BJ Bashorun
5:15 p.m. Women's 400m Hurdles Semi - Sherene Pinnock, Montyoua Moore, Optimum Baker, McKenzie Battershell
5:35 p.m. Men's 400m Hurdles Semi - Ross Harlan, Tracey Drew, Lamar Baskin, Adam Betterton
5:45 p.m. SENIOR RECOGNITION
6:00 p.m. Women's 3200m Relay FINAL-OBU
6:20 p.m. Men's 3200m Relay FINAL-OBU
8:15 p.m. Women's 1600, Relay Semi - OBU
8:35 p.m. Men's 1600m Relay Semi - OBU
Saturday
Field Events
Men's Pole Vault FINAL - Seth Brown
Track Events
6:00 a.m.Women's and Men's Marathon - Lance Goodwin, Becca Murdoch, Jessica Herbert
2:20 p.m. Men's Steeplechase FINAL - Brock Stoltzfus
2:40 p.m. Women's 4x100m FINAL - OBU
2:50 p.m. Men's 4x100m FINAL - OBU
3:10 p.m. Men's 1500m FINAL - Justin Stroup
3:20 p.m. Women's 200m Semi - Sherene Pinnock, Aletha Hubbard
3:30 p.m. Men's 200m Semi - Dominique Matthews, Ethan Mignard, Derek Nettles
3:50 p.m. Women's 400m Hurdles FINAL - Sherene Pinnock, Montyoua Moore, Optimum Baker, McKenzie Battershell
4:00 p.m. Men's 400m Hurdles FINAL - Ross Harlan, Tracey Drew, Lamar Baskin, Adam Betterton
4:10 p.m. Women's 400m FINAL - Marissa Moseley
4:20 p.m. Men's 400m FINAL - TJ Lightsey, Bradley Jimerson
4:40 p.m. Men's 800m FINAL - Justin Duncan, Durrell Williams
4:50 p.m. Women's 200m FINAL - Sherene Pinnock, Aletha Hubbard
5:00 p.m. Men's 200m FINAL - Dominique Matthews, Ethan Mignard, Derek Nettles
5:55 p.m. Women's 4x400m FINAL - OBU
6:05 p.m. Men's 4x400m FINAL - OBU