Nineteen Bison and a dozen Lady Bison represent Oklahoma Baptist University at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships Thursday through Saturday in Fresno, Calif.
OBU opens at 3:20 p.m. Thursday with the men's 4x100 meter trials with the last event of the meet set for 8:05 p.m. (Central Time) on Saturday.
Both squads enter with several top eight times in the nation.
The men's 4x400 relay team of Clint Goodson, James Hall, Leonarde Smith and T.J. Lightsey will try to defend OBU's national title in the event with Goodson, Smith and Lightsey back from last year's title squad. The men are ranked second nationally in the 4x400.
The women's 4x400 will also be out to defend its national title. Chandra Huckabay and Kyta Willets are back for that team with Kyli Bean and Nickiesha Wilson on board for this year. The team this season has the best time in the nation heading into the championship.
The women's 4x800 team of Emily Haynes, Amanda Mayfield, Willets and Huckabay has the second-best time of the year. Both the men's 4x800 and 4x100 are ranked third. The 4x800 consists of Landon Willets, A.J. Carter, Durrell Williams and Prophet Bailey with Bryce Bell ready to move onto the team if needed. The 4x100 squad is Goodson, Olabusomi Bashorun, James Hall and Derek Nettles.
While OBU is known for its relays, the hurdle events are becoming a recognizable tradition for the Bison and Lady Bison as well.
Nickiesha Wilson is ranked No. 1 in both the women's 100 and 400 hurdles, with LaToya Greaves ranked third in the 100 hurdles. Lamar Baskin is ranked third in the men's 110 hurdles with Smith ranked second and Baskin fourth in the men's 400 hurdles.
OBU marathoners could be big scorers. Bekah Brock has the best marathon time and Sarah Hale is fifth for the Lady Bison, while Daniel Ellis is ranked second in the men's marathon.
Bean has the second-best time in the women's 400 meters this season and Willets has the third-fastest time this year in the 800 meters.
The Bison also have top eight marks in the 800 meters (A.J. Carter 6th), 1500 meters (Landon Willets, 4th) and the discus (Jeremiah Campo, 7th).
OBU Schedule (all times Central)
Thursday
3:20 p.m. – Men's 4x100 Trials (Clint Goodson, Olasubomi Bashorun, James Hall, Derek Nettles)
4 p.m. – Men's 1500 Trials (Landon Willets, Michael Elizondo)
4:25 p.m. – Women's 100 Hurdles Trials (Latoya Greaves, Nickiesha Wilson)
4:50 p.m. – Men's 110 Hurdles Trials (Lamar Baskin)
5:05 p.m. – Women's 400 Trials (Kyli Bean)
5:25 p.m. – Men's 400 Trials (Clint Goodson)
6:25 p.m. – Women's 800 Trials (Kyta Willets, Amanda Mayfield)
6:45 p.m. – Men's 800 Trials (A.J. Carter, Durrell Williams)
7:10 p.m. – Women's 400 Hurdles Trials (Nickiesha Wilson, Jessica Haynes)
7:30 p.m. – Men's 400 Hurdles Trials (Lamar Baskin, Tracey Drew, Leonarde Smith)
8:40 p.m. Women's 4x800 Relay Trials (Emily Haynes, Amanda Mayfield, Kyta Willets, Chandra Huckabay)
9:10 p.m. – Men's 4x800 Relay Trials (Landon Willets, A.J. Carter, Durrelly Williams, Prophet Bailey, Byrce Bell)
11:20 p.m. – Men's 10,000 FINAL (Theron Stoltzfus)
Friday
3 p.m. – Men's Shot Put FINAL (Seth Ilaoa)
3 p.m. – Men's 110 Hurdles Semi (Lamar Baskin)
3:20 p.m. – Women's 100 Hurdles Semi (LaToya Greaves, Nickiesha Wilson)
5 p.m. – Women's 400 Semi (Kyli Bean)
5:10 p.m. – Men's 400 Semi (Clint Goodson)
5:20 p.m. – Women's 800 Semi (Kyta Willets, Amanda Mayfield)
5:35 p.m. – Men's 800 Semi (A.J. Carter, Durrell Williams)
6:05 p.m. – Men's 4x100 Relay (Clint Goodson, Olasubomi Bashorun, James Hall, Derek Nettles)
6:25 p.m. – Women's 100 Hurdle FINAL (LaToya Greaves, Nickiesha Wilson)
6:40 p.m. – Men's 110 Hurdle FINAL (Lamar Baskin)
7:15 p.m. – Women's 400 Hurdle Semi (Nickiesha Wilson, Jessica Haynes)
7:30 p.m. – Women's Triple Jump FINAL (Mai Fukada)
7:35 p.m. – Men's 400 Hurdle Semi (Lamar Baskin, Tracey Drew, Leonarde Smith)
8 p.m. – Women's 4x800 FINAL (Emily Haynes, Amanda Mayfield, Kyta Willets, Chandra Huckabay)
8:20 p.m. – Men's 4x800 FINAL (Landon Willets, A.J. Carter, Durrell Williams, Prophet Bailey)
9:30 p.m. – Men's 5000 Semi (Theron Stloltzfus)
10:15 p.m. – Women's 4x400 Semi (Kyli Bean, Chandra Huckabay, Kyta Willets, Nickiesha Wilson)
10:35 p.m. – Men's 4x400 Semi (Clint Goodson, James Hall, Leonarde Smith, T.J. Lightsey)
Saturday
8 a.m. – Marathon FINAL (Bekah Brock, Sarah Hale, Daniel Ellis, Jacob Wright)
4 p.m. – Women's High Jump FINAL (Michelle Carpenter)
4:50 p.m. – Men's 4x100 FINAL (Clint Goodson, Olasubomi Bashorun, James Hall, Derek Nettles)
5 p.m. – Men's Discus FINAL (Jeremiah Campo)
5:10 p.m. – Men's 1500 FINAL (Landon Willets)
5:50 p.m. – Women's 400 Hurdles FINAL (Nickiesha Wilson, Jessica Haynes)
6 p.m. – Men's 400 Hurdles FINAL (Lamar Baskin, Tracey Drew, Leonarde Smith)
6:10 p.m. – Women's 400 FINAL (Kyli Bean)
6:20 p.m. – Men's 400 FINAL (Clint Goodson)
6:30 p.m. – Women's 800 FINAL (Kyta Willets, Amanda Mayfield)
6:40 p.m. – Men's 800 FINAL (A.J. Carter, Durrell Williams)
7:35 p.m. – Men's 5000 FINAL (Theron Stoltzfus)
7:55 p.m. – Women's 4x400 Relay FINAL (Kyli Bean, Chandra Huckabay, Kyta Willets, Nickiesha Wilson)
8:05 p.m. – Men's 4x400 Relay FINAL (Clint Goodson, James Hall, Leonarde Smith, T.J. Lightsey)