Cowboys Grab More NCAA Marks in Seattle

SEATTLE — Oklahoma State’s Cowboy track team finished its second day of competition at the Husky Classic on Saturday and it was a productive one for the youthful Cowboys, who claimed three NCAA qualifying marks.

Sophomore German Fernandez notched an NCAA automatic qualifying mark in the 3,000 meters, freshman Tom Farrell hit an NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the 3,000 meters and sophomore Raul Botezan grabbed an NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the mile.

In his season debut, Fernandez’s time of 7:51.02 was good for third place and more than two seconds below the NCAA automatic qualifying mark of 7:54.50.

His time was more than four second better than the previous NCAA best in the 3,000 meters for the season, giving him one of the fastest times in the nation in his first race.

Northern Arizona’s David McNeill won the event and broke Fernandez’s track record from last year’s Husky Classic in the process.

Also in the 3,000 meters, freshman Tom Farrell notched his second NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the event with a 7:58.68 that was good for 18th place. The Carlisle, U.K., native bettered his previous provisional qualifying time by more than three seconds and was well below the NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 8:05.00.

Botezan picked up another NCAA provisional qualifying mark for the Cowboys, with a time of 4:00.73 in the mile. The NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the indoor mile is 4:03.50.

With Colby Lowe and Farrell’s provisional marks in the 3,000 meters earlier this season and Lowe’s NCAA automatic qualifying mark in the 5,000 meters on Friday, the Cowboys now have five runners that have notched NCAA marks on the season.

The Cowboys return to action next Saturday at the Sooner Open I in Norman, Okla.

Husky Classic – Seattle

Mile Run

6Johnathan Stublaski 4:06.93

Mile Run Invite

16Raul Botezan 4:00.73*

3000 Meters Invite

3German Fernandez7.51.02**

18Tom Farrell7:58.68*

45Sean Fleming8:15.39

52David Chirchir 8:19.04

64Ryan Prentice8:34.10