Track & Field 1/27/2024 10:40:00 PM Chris Brannick

Bronchos Continue Hitting Marks

Central Oklahoma Hits Provisional Qualifying Mark And Sets School Indoor Record

PITTSBURG, Kan. – Three performances highlighted Central Oklahoma's Saturday at Pittsburg State's Wendy's Invitational at the Plaster Center.

Treasure Vallerie hit an NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the 400 meters and almost did the same in the 200. Then she was part of the 4x400 relay team that set a new school record for the second week in a row.

Vallerie, a freshman from San Antonio, finished ninth in the 400 meters, just a half-second off fifth, in what was a stacked field of 49 competitors. The top 13 all hit provisional marks (57 seconds). Vallerie's 56.62-second time won her section and met the provisional mark. She has now ran the event twice in her rookie season – both at Pitt the last two weekends – and has a 57.30 and a 56.62.

She also ran the 200 meters and put together another standout performance. Vallerie finished 10th at 24.85 seconds. The UCO school record is 24.84 seconds and the NCAA provisional mark is 24.81 this season. She improved from her debut last week of 25.36 seconds.

The 4x400 relay closed out a long day of highlights for the Bronchos. The group of Sai Brookins-Fleming, Kerrigan Huynh, Vallerie, and Jakayla Swanson last week set a new school record with a 3.57 second performance. Saturday, back at Pitt, the Broncho relay team clocked 3:54.61 to set the record again. The provisional mark in the relay is 3:52.92.

Brookins-Fleming also ran the 400 with Vallerie. The freshman from Mesquite, Texas clocked a 57.92, finishing first in her section and 20th overall out of 49 competitors. Huynh joined them and ran a 59.58 seconds for a 39th place finish.

Genevieve Young finished second in her section of the 800 meters with a time of 2:20.55, earning her a 18th place finish overall. She beat her previous best time by four seconds Saturday.

Brookins-Fleming again joined Vallerie, this time in the 200, where she PRd again. The rookie clocked 25.32 seconds to finish 19th.

Mikayla Stephenson competed in the 60-meter dash earlier Saturday and finished in 8.06 seconds. An 8.08 in her collegiate debut earned her 21st at OU, and an 8.05 at Pitt State last week earned her 20th, but Saturday's 8.06 put her 54th among 88 entries. Stephenson finished fourth in the 12th heat.

Deriayah Lee finished fourth (9.28 seconds) in her heat for the 60-meter hurdles and was left with a 20th-place finish competing as one of 49 entries in the event. Noel Buckhaults finished 47th in the Mile with a 6:06.06 run time, a season best for the senior from Hooker, Oklahoma. She also finished 25th in the 3,000 meters in 12:33.35.

Just three field athletes competed for the Bronchos in two events – the pole vault and the long jump.

For the first time this season, Mattison Thetford did not increase her height in the pole vault. The sophomore from Moore, Oklahoma was 0.02 meters off her Indoor career high on Saturday. Her 3.49-meter vault earned her a 10th place finish. She cleared 3.49 on her first try but couldn't get the next mark at 3.64 meters. Talyn Been finished tied for 18th (3.14m).

Kelsey Drapeau finished outside of the top 10 in the long jump with an 11th place finish. Drapeau hit 5.25 meters, 5.36 meters, and then 5.38 meters, the latter 0.02 meters off a Top 10 finish.

Central Oklahoma has one more regular season meet on the schedule before conference. The Bronchos visit Topeka, Kansas for the Ichabod Invitational Feb. 10 and will return to Washburn's Indoor Athletic Facility for the 2024 MIAA Indoor Track & Field Championships February 23-25.

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Players Mentioned

Talyn Been: Pole Vault; Sophomore

Noel Buckhaults: Distance; Senior

Mattison Thetford: Pole Vault; Sophomore

Sai Brookins-Fleming: Sprints; Freshman

Kelsey Drapeau: Jumps; Senior

Kerrigan Huynh: Sprints; Freshman

Deriayah Lee: Hurdles; 5' 3"; Freshman

Treasure Vallerie: Sprints; Freshman

Mikayla Stephenson: Sprints; 5' 5"; Freshman

Jakayla Swanson: Sprints; 5' 5"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Talyn Been
: Sophomore
: Pole Vault

Noel Buckhaults
: Senior
: Distance

Mattison Thetford
: Sophomore
: Pole Vault

Sai Brookins-Fleming
: Freshman
: Sprints

Kelsey Drapeau
: Senior
: Jumps

Kerrigan Huynh
: Freshman
: Sprints

Deriayah Lee
: 5' 3"; Freshman
: Hurdles

Treasure Vallerie
: Freshman
: Sprints

Mikayla Stephenson
: 5' 5"; Freshman
: Sprints

Jakayla Swanson
: 5' 5"; Freshman
: Sprints