TOPEKA, Kan. – Oklahoma City University gets an early jump on its track & field season in the Washburn Alumni Invitational at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Washburn Indoor Athletic Facility.
The Stars take to the track for the first time in December since the Oklahoma Baptist Early Qualifier on Dec. 5, 2015 in Shawnee, Okla.
Washburn will offer live results and video of the meet. OCU returns to Topeka, Kan., for the Washburn Alumni Invitational on Jan. 15.
Shimales Abebe will be the first Oklahoma City runner to compete Saturday in the mile race at 2:15 p.m. Abebe, a sophomore from Los Angeles, produced two all-American performances in 2020-21 by earning runner-up in the 3,000 meters in the NAIA indoor championships on March 4-6 in Yankton, S.D., and second place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in the NAIA outdoor championships on May 26-28 in Gulf Shores, Ala.
OCU's
Zouhair Talbi collected the outstanding performer of the NAIA indoor meet after capturing the 5,000 meters while breaking the meet record in the event. Talbi, a junior from Tighassaline, Khenifra, Morocco, anchored the Stars' distance medley relay team, which took the national title. Abebe, Talbi,
Antravius Perkins and
Milan Todorovic rounded out the relay squad.
Todorovic scooped up all-American honors in the 800 meters with a third-place showing in the national indoor meet. The NAIA indoor championships take place March 3-5 in Brookings, S.D.
OCU's contingent of 12 individuals will take on 13 teams in the meet with Friends (Kan.), Hastings (Neb.), Northwest Kansas Tech, Saint Mary's (Kan.) and Washburn (Kan.) comprising the field in the meet.
Washburn Alumni Invitational
Oklahoma City Entries |
| MEN |
| Name |
Events |
| Shimales Abebe |
Mile |
| Andrew Barker |
60 meters, Long Jump |
| Anthony Carranza |
5,000 meters |
| Cody Cothran |
200 meters, 400 meters, 4x400-meter relay |
| Jordan Iwuchukwu |
Shot Put |
| Fares Marrouf |
800 meters, Mile, 4x400-meter relay |
| Bryce McConnell |
60 meters, 200 meters |
| Kolton McGaha |
200 meters, 4x400-meter relay |
| William Peetoom |
Shot Put |
| Brendan Robeaux |
800 meters, Mile, 4x400-meter relay |
| Tate Smithhart |
800 meters, Mile, 4x400-meter relay |
| Seth Vail |
200 meters, Long Jump, 4x400-mter relay |
| WOMEN |
| Tia Gonzalez |
Shot Put |
| Cailen Jolley |
800 meters, Mile |
| Shawna Smith |
200 meters, 400 meters |
| Stephanie Towle |
High Jump |
