OBU Gears Up for NAIA Meet

Article Date

May 24, 2005

Oklahoma Baptist University's sports season will wind down this weekend with the men and women's track teams heading to Kentucky for the 2005 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Both the Bison and Lady Bison have hopes of finishing in the top five and with some upsets, both have chances to challenge for the national title.

If the events played out according to the final performance lists, OBU's women would be tied for second with Missouri Baptist and 20 points behind Simon Fraser. The OBU men, who are smarting from the injury to talented freshman T.J. Lightsey, would finish fourth, but within eight points of top-ranked Lindenwood and only a point behind Virginia Intermont and Dickinson State.

The OBU women, coming off their 2005 NAIA Indoor national championship, will have to overcome Simon Fraser University's prowess in the field events.

The Lady Bison leave town with the top ranking in four events. Mirriam Kaumba is ranked first in both the 5000 meters and 10,000 meters and is expected to win both races.

Keyonna Hornbuckle, Melissa Mount, Kyta Ferrer and Kyli Bean are ranked first in the 4x400. Chandra Huckabay, Mount, Bean and Ferrer are ranked atop the 4x800 list.

OBU also is hopeful of points from Bean in the 400, Ferrer in the 800, Hornbuckle in the 400 hurdles and Sara Thurber in the 100 meter hurdles and heptathlon.

The OBU women have several opportunities to make up some ground. If Mai Fukada, ranked 20th in the triple jump, can match her indoor performance, it could mean unexpected points for the Lady Bison.

OBU also could score in the marathon, where Sarah Hale and Rebekah Brock are unranked. Michelle Carpenter and Deena Almohandis are ranked 22nd and 26th, respectively, in the high jump, but could pull an upset. OBU also has Chandra Huckabay in the 800 and Jennifer Jenckes in the 400 hurdles, as well as Andrea Mount standing by for relay runs.

In the 800, Ferrer could steal points with a great performance. She is ranked third behind two runners from Simon Fraser. The 100 hurdles could also be crucial with Thurber ranked nine one-hundredths of a second and two places back of Simon Fraser's Ruky Abdulai in fifth. Abdulai is also scheduled to compete in three field events in which she is ranked first or second.

The Bison also head to Kentucky with four top-ranked events, including Pat Brown in three. Brown is ranked No. 1 in the 110 high hurdles and the 400 intermediate hurdles, and is a member of the top-ranked 4x400 relay team with Clint Goodson, Bryce Bell and Leonarde Smith. OBU's 4x800 relay team of Prophet Bailey, Bryce Bell, Michael Elizondo and Landon Willets also is ranked No. 1.

The 400 hurdles will be a big event for the Bison, who have Brown ranked first, Lamar Baskin fifth and Leonarde Smith sixth. Baskin also is ranked fifth in the 100 high hurdles.

Also expected to score are Daniel Ellis in the marathon, where Ellis is ranked third, Mitch Henry, who is ranked fourth in the decathlon, and Jeremiah Campo, who is ranked fifth in the discus.

The 4x100 relay team of Brown, Goodson, Everett Rusher and Derek Nettles is ranked fourth.

OBU could also capture points from Landon Willets in the 1500 meters (ranked ninth). Michael Chavez also is ranked 17th in the javelin, Campo 16th in the shot, Dominique Chan-Low 15th in the triple jump and Theron Stoltzfus 24th in the 5000 meters. Any points from that group might push OBU forward.

Some key races for OBU could be both hurdle events, the marathon and the 4x100 relay. Lindenwood and Dickinson State are both ranked ahead of OBU's 4x100 team.

Lindenwood has the No. 2 hurdler in Juan Walker. Lindenwood also has three entrants in the marathon and Ellis' performance will be critical.

Henry, ranked fourth in the decathlon, has two Dickinson athletes ranked ahead of him.