Okolo wins 400-meter title at NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

EUGENE, Ore. – Sophomore Courtney Okolo accomplished a feat only two other women in the storied history of Texas track and field have achieved by winning the 400-meter title Friday at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Okolo, who set the collegiate record (50.03 seconds) in the event at last month's Big 12 Championships, clocked a time of 50.23 to lead a 1-3-4 finish for the top-ranked Texas women who ended the day with 29 points, good for a third-place tie in the team standings.

"It feels really good. I've been dreaming about this all year, even last year," Okolo said of her first NCAA title. "To know that's it's finally here, it feels so amazing. I feel so blessed to be in this position."

Okolo held off Phyllis Francis of Oregon, who clocked a 50.59. Francis set the American record in winning the 400-meter title at the 2014 NCAA Indoor Championships in March.

"I just tried to stay relaxed in the first 200 meters," Okolo said. "I know where my mark is to kick. I kind of feel like I broke down a little at the end, but I can't complain. I got the win."

Okolo's time is tied for the fifth-best performance in collegiate history and is third in school history.

Freshman Kendall Baisden was third in 51.32 and senior Briana Nelson fourth (51.59) to help the Longhorns pile up 21 points in the event. All three will compete in the 4x400-meter relay final Saturday. Okolo and Baisden are also on the 4x100m relay.

Baisden was fifth in the 400 at this year's NCAA Indoor meet. A 12-time All-American entering the week, Nelson scored for the first time in the 400 at the national outdoor meet.

Ashley Spencer, the two-time defending champion, would likely have also scored in the 400 meters for the Longhorns, but she reinjured her leg during Wednesday's semifinal and is out of the meet. Spencer won both titles at Illinois before transferring to Texas before the season.

Okolo joins Suziann Reid and Sanya Richards as NCAA outdoor 400-meter champions at Texas. Reid won the NCAA outdoor crown 400 three times (1996, '98-99) and Richards claimed the title in 2003. Richards also has the school record in the event. Her time of 49.89 was posted at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Okolo's title is the first by a Longhorn woman at an NCAA outdoor meet since the 2009 season.

Morolake Akinosun was the first UT woman into the scoring column at the four-day meet, which is being held at Oregon's Hayward Field for the second-straight year. The meet concludes Saturday.

Akinosun was second in Friday's 100-meter final in a time of 11.33 seconds. Remona Burchell of Alabama won in 11.25.

The women's team point total was dealt a blow when Kaitlin Petrillose bowed out of the pole vault without clearing a bar. The 2014 NCAA indoor champion passed the first three heights, but was unable to get over on three attempts at 13 feet, 9 1/4 (4.20m), nearly a foot below her outdoor career best.

"The conditions were very challenging so pole selection and standard placement all of those types of things came into play," head coach Mario Sategna said. "Two of her three attempts she was running straight into a head wind. It was kind of luck of the draw. Probably her best attempt was her second one, she had more of a cross or tail wind so then the pole was too small. So we made an adjustment on the third attempt and then the wind turned back around. That's the nature of that event."

Petrillose's school-record clearance of 14-9 (4.50m) at this year's Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays tied for the top mark in the nation during the regular season.

"She's had a phenomenal year and she'll learn and draw from this experience down the road," Sategna said.

The women were in action in three events Friday and the fifth-ranked men just one.

Will Spence was the lone male competitor of the day and finished 16th in the discus with a toss of 187-4 (57.10)

Ryan Crouser, who won his third-straight NCAA shot put title Wednesday, was scratched from the discus due to injury. He suffered a left foot strain on his final attempt in the shot put.

While not as skilled in the discus as in the shot put, Crouser did rank No. 7 on the 2014 NCAA performer's list with his personal-best and school-record toss of 209 feet, 8 inches at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships.

The men have only one competitor left – Fabian Jara Dohmann will participate in the javelin Saturday. Dohmann, a freshman who won the Big 12 title, ranked No. 6 on the 2014 NCAA performer's list.

The men are fifth in the team standings with 19.50 points after 13 events. Oregon leads the way with 53.

The Longhorn women will be chasing Oregon and Texas A&M on the final day of the competition. The Ducks are first with 43 points after 13 scored events. The Aggies are second with 41.

The women will have a chance to score in six events Saturday.

Broadcast/Webcast Schedule: ESPN3/ESPNU has exclusive rights for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The remaining schedule is as follows (all times Central):

• Saturday, June 14 - ESPNU (4-6 p.m.)
Note: The meet is also available on WatchESPN

Social Media: Check the Texas track and field twitter (@UTexasTrack) for team updates during the meet. More information can also be found at #NCAATF and on the Oregon track and field account (@OregonTF).

Longhorn Notes
• Texas was the first team to advance three to the women's 400-meter final at the NCAA outdoor meet in 12 years, according to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). South Carolina last did it in 2002 and went on to win the national title. The Gamecocks had a 2-3-4 finish in the 400m final.
• The Longhorn women last won an individual title at the NCAA Outdoor meet in 2009. Destinee Hooker won the high jump, Alexandria Anderson captured the 100 and the 4x400-meter relay of Judy Nwosu, Angele Cooper, Anderson and Chantel Malone were victorious.
• Last season, Johannes Hock became just the second freshman to win the NCAA decathlon title (Tito Steiner of BYU, 1977) when he posted the ninth-best total in collegiate history (8,267). This year he was seeking to become only the fourth athlete to repeat as champion. Previous repeat decathlon champions include Rob Muzzio of George Mason (1984-85), Jake Arnold of BYU (2007-07) and Ashton Eaton of Oregon (2008-10). The decathlon has been an NCAA event since 1970.
• Johannes Hock is only the fourth Longhorn to score twice in the decathlon at the NCAA Championships and his 18 points over the last two years is a school record. Greg Hackney was eighth in 1972 and seventh two years later. Donovan Kilmartin was fourth in 2005 and fifth the next season. Isaac Murphy was seventh in 2012 and fourth last year. Trey Hardee's 10 points for winning the 2005 decathlon crown are the most in a Longhorn career.
• On Wednesday, the men's 4x100-meter relay was unable to advance to Saturday's final, but this was just the second time in the last 11 years (also 2011) the Horns advanced both relay units to the national meet. The 4x400-meter relay did not make it out of Thursday's semifinals.
• With his tie for seventh showing on Wednesday, Reese Watson became the ninth Longhorn to score in the men's pole vault at the NCAA Outdoor Championships (Ralph Hammond, 1927; Baylus Bennett; Doug Jones, 1986; Warren Smith, 1990; Scotty Miller, 1991; Wayne Guidry, 1994; Jacob Davis, 1998-99; Brian Hunter, 2002; Maston Wallace, 2008). Davis (1999), Hunter and Wallace won NCAA titles.
• Senior Katie Hoaldridge capped off her career Wednesday. She finished 23rd in the 800-meter semifinal in 2:08.46. Hoaldridge, who was seeded No. 20 in the race and making her first appearance at a national meet, was a four-time All-Big 12 performer. She clocked a personal-best 2:05.68 at the NCAA West Preliminary Round to advance to the national meet.
• Senior Danielle Dowie finished her career Wednesday. Dowie did not advance out of the 400-meter hurdles semifinal. She finished 14th in 58.08 and ends her career as a 10-time All-American (six first team/four second team).
• Texas has won four NCAA shot put titles and Ryan Crouser has three of them. Crouser has won the last two outdoor crowns as well as the 2014 indoor title. Dana LeDuc captured the shot put at the 1977 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

TEAM STANDINGS – NCAA Outdoor Championships
Eugene, Oregon • Hayward Field

Men (13 Scored Events)
1. Oregon - 53.0
2. Florida - 28.0
3. Georgia - 24.0
4. Wisconsin - 20.0
5. Texas - 19.50
6. Texas A&M - 17.50
7. Oklahoma State - 16.0
Nebraska - 16.0
9. Arizona - 15.50
10. Baylor - 15.0

Women (13 Scored Events)
1. Oregon - 43.0
2. Texas A&M - 41.0
3. Texas - 29.0
Florida - 29.0
5. Georgia - 25.0
6. Akron - 20.0
7. Kentucky - 18.0
    LSU - 18.0
    San Diego St. - 18.0
    Boise State - 18.0

TEXAS ENTRIES/RESULTS - NCAA Outdoor Championships
Eugene, Oregon • Hayward Field • All Times Central

Wednesday, June 11

Women
• 100 Meters - Semifinal: 2. Morolake Akinosun, 11.04q
• 400 Meters - Semifinal: 1. Courtney Okolo, 50.78q; 3. Briana Nelson, 51.40q; 4. Kendall Baisden, 51.67q; -- Ashley Spencer, DNF
• 800 Meters - Semifinal: 23. Katie Hoaldridge, 2:08.46
• 400-Meter Hurdles - Semifinal: 14. Danielle Dowie, 58.18; 22. Melissa Gonzalez, 1:01.28
• 4x100-Meter Relay - Semifinal: 4. Morgan Snow, Kendall Baisden, Courtney Okolo, Morolake Akinosun, 43.69q

Men
• 100 Meters - Semifinal: 9. Senoj-Jay Givans, 10.15 (w2.2)
• 400 Meters - Semifinal: 12. Zack Bilderback, 46.28
• 4x100-Meter Relay - Semifinal: 19. Charles Anumnu, Zack Bilderback, Senoj-Jay Givans, Chris Irvin, 39.95
• Pole Vault: t7. Reese Watson, 18-0.50 (5.50m)
• Shot Put: 1. Ryan Crouser, 69-3.50 (21.12m)
• 100 Meters - Decathlon: 1. Johannes Hock, 10.69/w2.4 (931); 4. Wolf Mahler, 10.83/w2.4 (899)
• Long Jump - Decathlon: 4. Johannes Hock, 24-3.75/7.41m (913); 21. Wolf Mahler, 22.3.75/6.80m (767)
• Shot Put - Decathlon: 1. Johannes Hock, 49.5/15.06m (793); 19. Wolf Mahler, 38-11.50/11.87m (599)
• High Jump - Decathlon: 11. Johannes Hock, 6-5/1.96m (767); 21. Wolf Mahler, 6-0.50/1.84m (661)
• 400 Meters – Decathlon: 2. Wolf Mahler, 48.33 (893); 3. Johannes Hock, 49.48 (839)
• Decathlon (Five Events): 1. Johannes Hock, 4243; 17. Wolf Mahler, 3819

Thursday, June 12

Women
• 200 Meters - Semifinal: 4. Morolake Akinosun, 23.00q
• 100-Meter Hurdles - Semifinal: 5. Morgan Snow, 13.00q
• 4x400-Meter Relay - Semifinal: 1. Briana Nelson, Kendall Baisden, Melissa Gonzalez, Courtney Okolo, 3:28.89q
• 10,000 Meters - Final: 16. Olivia Mickle, 33:33.30$

Men
• 200 Meters - Semifinal: -- Senoj-Jay Givans, DNF
• 4x400-Meter Relay - Semifinal: 21. Chris Irvin, Pieter Conradie, Josh Brudnick, Zack Bilderback, 3:09.84
• 110-Meter Hurdles - Decathlon: 4. Johannes Hock, 14.77 (878); 15. Wolf Mahler, 15.23 (822)
• Discus - Decathlon: 1. Johannes Hock, 160-7/48.94m (848); 11. Wolf Mahler, 132-6/40.38m (672)
• Pole Vault - Decathlon (4 p.m.): t15. Johannes Hock, 14-5.25/4.40m (731); t15. Wolf Mahler, 14-5.25/4.40m (731)
• Javelin - Decathlon: 4. Johannes Hock, 200-5/61.08m (743); 14. Wolf Mahler, 174-2/53.08m (634)
• 1,500 Meters - Decathlon: 1. Wolf Mahler, 4:26.70 (766); 12. Johannes Hock, 4:46.83 (638)
• Decathlon (10 Events): 2. Johannes Hock, 8092; 14. Wolf Mahler, 7444

Friday, June 13

Women
• 100 Meters - Final: 2. Morolake Akinosun, 11.33
• 400 Meters - Final: 1. Courtney Okolo, 50.23; 3. Kendall Baisden, 51.32; 4. Briana Nelson, 51.59
• Pole Vault: -- Kaitlin Petrillose, NH

Men
• Discus: 16. Will Spence, 187-4 (57.10m); -- Ryan Crouser, DNS#

Saturday, June 14

Women
• High Jump (2:45 p.m.): Shanay Briscoe
• 4x100-Meter Relay - Final (4:10 p.m.): Morgan Snow, Kendall Baisden, Courtney Okolo, Morolake Akinosun
• 200 Meters - Final (4:49 p.m.): Morolake Akinosun
• 100-Meter Hurdles - Final (5:19 p.m.): Morgan Snow
• 5,000 Meters - Final (5:24 p.m.): Marielle Hall
• 4x400-Meter Relay - Final (5:55 p.m.): Briana Nelson, Kendall Baisden, Melissa Gonzalez, Courtney Okolo

Men
• Javelin (2:35 p.m.): Fabian Jara Dohmann

q – qualified for final
$ - school record
# - scratched due to injury

The University of Texas at Austin Athletics

Okolo wins 400-meter title at NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

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