OBU Teams Fare Well At Drake Relays

April 24, 2004

Oklahoma Baptist University wrapped up a successful stay at the Drake Relays Saturday with a pair of school records added to an already historic weekend.

The women's 4x800 relay team of Chandra Huckabay, Melissa Mount, Andrea Mount and Kyta Ferrer finished second with a school record time of 9:05.

Pat Brown ran the 110 high hurdles in a school record 13.99. Brown finished third in the event.

Brown won the 400 hurdles Friday at the Drake Relays, giving OBU a historic second win at the prestigious meet.

Brown ran the event in 51.62 seconds, knocking off runners from Illinois, Nebraska, Texas-Arlington, Wisconsin, Iowa and Iowa State.

His win gave OBU two individual victories in the same Drake Relays for the first time in school history. Fifteen other OBU relay teams have won at Drake, but never two individual eventists in the same meet.

Mirriam Kaumba became the first OBU woman to win a Drake event on Thursday, winning the 10,000 meters.

The OBU men's distance medley relay team of Michael Elizondo, Jeff Thompson, Travis Pearman and Landon Willets took sixth in 10:10.62.

The women's sprint medley relay team of Keyonna Hornbuckle, Kyli Bean, Amanda Vaughan and Kari Nunneley took sixth at 4:06.02.

Oklahoma Baptist University distance runner Mirriam Kaumba won the 10,000 meter race at the prestigious Drake Relays Thursday, giving OBU its first ever women's victory at that meet.

Kaumba, a junior from Zambia, won her event in 35:29.82, setting a new school record and edging rival Janet Kogo by two seconds. Kogo, a native of Kenya attending Harding University, had beaten Kaumba in cross country and in the 5,000 meters at the Texas Relays.

Finishing behind Kaumba and Kogo were Jennifer Kintzley of Colorado State, Lauren Burks of Georgia, Katrina Rundhaug of Minnesota, and others.

"It's a pretty big deal," said OBU coach Ford Mastin. "She had a good kick. They passed each other for the first 24 laps, but Mirriam passed her in the last 200 meters. There was a good crowd there and they were very appreciative of what was going on in the race."

Kaumba's big kick at the end saw her cover the final lap in 70 seconds. Kaumba's run beats by nearly 20 seconds the previous fastest time in the event in the NAIA this season.

For her efforts, Kaumba was awarded a championship watch.

Also on Friday, OBU's Travis Pearman, Landon Willets, Michael Elizondo and Jeff Thompson took fourth in the 2-mile relay with a NAIA national qualifying time of 7:35.

Keyonna Hornbuckle, Melissa Mount, Kyli Bean and Amanda Vaughan qualified for the NAIA Meet with a time of 3:47.91 in the mile relay, qualifying for the finals.

Kari Nunneley finished fifth in the 3,000 meter steeplechase with a school record 10:54.01.