Bison Third, Lady Bison Fifth at NAIA Nationals

May 24, 2008

Though it had its heroes, Oklahoma Baptist University will remember the 2008 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Meet as the one that limped away.

With a third big hamstring injury in as many days for the Bison, OBU was tied for first with Azusa Pacific with 51 points each, with Dickinson State just a point back at 50.

APU's Aron Rono won the 5,000 meters, his third championship of the meet, to put APU in first with 60 points.

Derek Nettles pulled a hamstring near the end of the 4x100 relay, but managed to get his team a fourth-place finish with Lamar Baskin, Ethan Mignard and B.J. Bashorun in 41.24 seconds.

Baskin would collapse with stomach cramps after finishing the 200 meters in eighth place in 52.93 seconds. Tracey Drew got All-America honors in the 200 with a fifth-place 52.26.

Nettles and Baskin joined T.J. Lightsey and Dominique Matthews on the all-too-populated injured list. Those four represent 16 combined outdoor All-America honors in their careers.

"Too many misses," said OBU Coach Ford Mastin. "Sometimes when it goes bad, it just continues to go bad. But we had some good things happen, too. It was tough, but it's a life experience."

The day got off strong with Lance Goodwin taking third in the men's marathon at 2:29.55.

Nettles, however, had to drop out of the men's 200 and Mignard missed the finals with a 21.74 in the semifinals.

Durrell Williams was second in the men's 800 meters in 1:51.67. Justin Stroup gave the Bison a point in the 1500 with an eighth-place 3:54.53.

Seth Brown was 11th for the Bison in the pole vault at 14-11.

Sophomores Sherene Pinnock and Marissa Moseley were the centers of OBU's positive attention, propelling the Lady Bison to a fifth-place finish with their successes Saturday with 51 points. Both scored individual and relay national championships. Pinnock captured four All-America honors and Moseley three in the meet.

Pinnock successfully defended her 400 hurdles title. She claimed the event in 59.50 seconds, coasting the last few steps with a commanding lead. Optimum Baker was sixth in the event at 1:04.61, giving the Lady Bison 13 points in the event.

Pinnock also took fourth in the 200 meters at 24.43.

Moseley upset defending champion and senior NAIA legend Ruky Abdulai. Moseley claimed the title with a 52.87 to give OBU its first women's 400 meter champion and a school record.

Moseley, Aletha Hubbard, Montouya Moore and Pinnock took second in the 4x100 relay in 46.44 seconds. Moseley, Sarah Patterson, Hubbard and Pinnock won the 4x400 relay in 3:42.11.

Becca Murdoch was seventh in the marathon and Jessica Herbert 10th at 3:06:48 and 3:13:14, respectively.

Azusa Pacific won the men's title with 60 points, while Wayland Baptist claimed the women's championship.

OBU Final Results
Men
Team Results: 3. OBU, 55
Decathlon - 1. Jonathan Hilton, 7,012
110 Hurdles - 2. Lamar Baskin, 14.27
4x800 Relay - 2. Prophet Bailey, A.J. Carter, Billy Christy, Lamar Baskin, 7:33.84
4x100 Relay - 4. Lamar Baskin, Ethan Mignard, BJ Bashorun, Derek Nettles, 41.24
4x400 Relay - 5. Billy Christy, Ethan Mignard, Bradley Jimerson, Ross Harlan , 3:13.55
400 Hurdles - 5. Tracey Drew, 52.26; 8. Lamar Baskin, 53.93
Marathon - 7. Lance Goodwin, 2:29:55
1500 - 8. Justin Stroup, 3:54.53
Pole Vault - 11. Seth Brown, 14-11
Men's Hammer - 20. John Armstrong, 163-1

Women
Team Results: 5. OBU 41
400 Hurdles - National Champion Sherene Pinnock, 24.43; 6. Optimum Baker, 1:04.61
400 Meters - National Champion Marissa Moseley, 52.87
4x400 Relay - National Champion Marissa Moseley, Sarah Patterson, Aletha Hubbard, Sherene Pinnock, 3:42.11
4x100 Relay - 2. Marissa Moseley, Aletha Hubbard, Montouya Moore, Sherene Pinnock, 46.44
200 Meters - 4. Sherene Pinnock, 24.43
Triple Jump - 6. Nicole Cummins, 38-10.75
Marathon - 7. Becca Murdoch, 3:06:48; 10. Jessica Herbert, 3:13:14
Women's Hammer - 11. Olivia Boisse, 150-3
Women's Pole Vault - 10. Brianna Shippey, 11-3.75