TULSA, Okla. - Entering the weekend
23rd in the west
region, sophomore Madison Reynolds ran a personal best at the NCAA
West Preliminary Meet and emerged as one of the top 12 to advance
to the NCAA National Championship in Eugene, Ore., which begin
Wednesday, June 11. In doing so, Reynolds made it 17 years in a row
in which Oral Roberts University has had at least one
student-athlete qualify for the NCAA Championships, and continues
the proud tradition of 400m runners at ORU.
Including a men's NCAA National Champion and Olympic silver
medalist in Andretti Bain, an Olympic bronze medalist in Garth
Robinson, an NCAA All-American in Marsha Dawkins, who still holds
the ORU women's indoor and outdoor 400m dash records, and an elite
400m hurdler in All-American Jeffery Gibson, who currently holds
the sixth fastest time in the world in the event, ORU is no
stranger to success when it comes to the quarter mile.
"It is crazy to hear my name lumped in with names like that,"
said Reynolds. "I remember watching them compete when I was growing
up. I try to take it in stride, but it definitely leaves me a
little shell shocked."
En route to a sixth place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Track and
Field Championships with a school record time of 51.43, Dawkins set
a conference championship record (53.87) at the 2003 Mid-Continent
championships, a mark that Reynolds will have one eye on as ORU
returns to the Summit League next season. Only a sophomore,
Reynolds has already gotten below the 53.87 mark five times during
the outdoor season.
"I've known about the record since I came to ORU and have always
kind of kept an eye on it," said Reynolds. "It is definitely a goal
of mine."
Most recently, Reynolds hit a personal best of 53.02 in
Fayetteville to punch her ticket to Eugene. It was the fourth
fastest time in Southland Conference history.
"What Madison has already done is remarkable," said Coach Joe
Dial. "She's only a sophomore and I really believe that she has the
talent and ability to threaten Marsha's record very soon."
Before she worries about conference championships again,
Reynolds will face another tough field with the best in the nation
from schools such as Texas, Florida, Baylor and Tennessee.
Reynolds will compete in the semifinals of the women's 400m dash
on Wednesday, June 11 at 7:15 p.m. (Central Time). The top eight
will move on to the finals on Friday, June 13 at 8 p.m.
For the latest information on ORU track and field, follow @ORUTrack on Twitter or go to www.ORUGoldenEagles.com.
---www.ORUGoldenEagles.com---
