THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA SCOTTESHA MILLER. oklahoma track & field Big 12 Champions University of Oklahoma Track & Field

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1 THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA SCOTTESHA MILLER oklahoma track & field 2007 Big 12 Champions University of Oklahoma Track & Field 181

2 administration UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA D AV I D A N D M O L LY S H I B O R E N For more than 10 years, he led the fight for congressional campaign finance reform and for legislation discouraging administration and congressional staff from cashing in on government experience and contacts by becoming lobbyists. In addition, he introduced legislation seeking to limit gifts and travel subsidies that government workers, including members of Congress, can receive from lobbyists. Boren also chaired the special Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress, which produced proposals to make Congress more efficient and responsive by streamlining congressional bureaucracy, reducing staff sizes and reforming procedures to end legislative gridlock. Boren left the U.S. Senate in 1994 with an approval rating of 9l percent after being reelected with 83 percent of the vote in 1990, the highest percentage in the nation in a U.S. Senate contest in that election year. Boren served from 1988 to 1997 as a member of the Yale University Board of Trustees. His university experience also includes four years on the faculty of Oklahoma Baptist University, where he was chairman of the Department of Political Science and chairman of the Division of Social Sciences. In 1993, the American Association of University Professors presented Boren with the Henry Yost Award as Education Advocate of the Year. David L. Boren 13th President, The University of Oklahoma David L. Boren, who has served Oklahoma as governor and U.S. senator, became the thirteenth president of the University of Oklahoma in November He is the first person in state history to have served in all three positions. Boren is widely respected for his academic credentials, his longtime support of education, and for his distinguished political career as a reformer of the American political system. A graduate of Yale University in 1963, Boren majored in American history, graduated in the top one percent of his class and was elected Phi Beta Kappa. He was selected as a Rhodes Scholar and earned a master s degree in politics, philosophy and economics from Oxford University, England, in In 1968, he received a law degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where he was on the Law Review, elected to the Order of the Coif, and won the Bledsoe Prize as the outstanding graduate by a vote of the faculty. As Oklahoma s governor from 1974 through 1978, Boren promoted key educational initiatives that have had an enduring impact on Oklahoma. Established during his tenure were the Oklahoma Arts Institute, the Scholar-Leadership Enrichment Program, and the Oklahoma Physicians Manpower Training Program, which provides scholarships for medical students and medical personnel who commit to practice in underserved rural areas. Also, the first state funding for Gifted and Talented classes was provided in 1976 and, from 1976 through 1978, Oklahoma ranked first among all states in the percentage increases of funding for higher education. One of Boren s most far-reaching projects in promoting quality education at all levels is the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, which he founded in The foundation recognizes outstanding public school students and teachers and helps establish private local foundations to help give academic endowment grants to local public schools. As a senator, he was the author of the National Security Education Act in 1992, which provides scholarships for study abroad and for learning additional languages, as well as legislation to restore the tax deductibility of gifts of appreciated property to universities in Boren, also a former state legislator, spent nearly three decades in elective politics before becoming the president of the University of Oklahoma. Boren was the youngest governor in the nation when he served from 1974 to Known as a reformer, Boren campaigned with a broom as his symbol. During his term, he instituted many progressive programs, including conflict-of-interest rules, campaign-financing disclosure, stronger open meeting laws for public bodies, more competitive bidding on state government contracts, and reform of the state s prison system, including expanded education programs for first-time offenders and the largest expansion of the work-release program in state history. During his time in the U.S. Senate from 1979 to 1994, Boren served on the Senate Finance and Agriculture Committees and was the longest-serving chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. From his days as a state legislator and governor of Oklahoma to Washington, Boren carried a commitment to reform, leading numerous efforts to make government work better for American citizens. As chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, he strengthened oversight of secret government programs and reformed the procedures for Presidential notice of such programs to Congress. In April 2004, Boren received the Mory s Cup from the Mory s Association at Yale University. In making the presentation to Boren it was noted that he was the first Yale graduate in the university s history extending over three centuries to have served as a Governor, U.S. Senator and President of a major university. Under Boren s leadership, the University of Oklahoma has developed and emerged as a pacesetter university in American public higher education, with 20 major new programs initiated since his inauguration. They include establishment of the Honors College, the Charles M. Russell Center for the Study of Art of the American West, a new expository writing program for freshmen modeled on the program at Harvard, an interdisciplinary religious studies program, the Artist-in-Residence Program, the International Programs Center, and the Faculty-in-Residence Program putting faculty family apartments in student residence halls. The Retired Professors Program has been started, bringing 50 retired full professors back to the University to teach freshmen. The number of new facilities started or completed on the campus during the Boren years has matched the explosion in new programs. Since 1994, almost $1 billion in construction projects have been completed or are under way on OU s three campuses. Among the largest of the recent projects are the $18.7 million renovation and expansion of historic Holmberg Hall, home of music and dance programs; the $67 million National Weather Center; the $19 million addition to the Michael F. Price College of Business; the $17 million Gaylord Hall for journalism and mass communication; the $27 million Stephenson Research and Technology Center; and the $83.5 million stadium project. The Health Sciences Center has a new Student Union, and the new $24 million Stanton L. Young Biomedical Research Center. Presidential Travel Scholarships, students from 111 countries on campus, more reciprocal international exchange agreements than any other university and the new International Programs Center are all making OU more international. The new Honors College helps to assure that no students need to leave Oklahoma to find an educational experience to match their potential. In 1995, Boren launched the Reach for Excellence fundraising campaign with a five-year goal of $200 million, which was twice as large as any fundraising drive in Oklahoma history. The drive exceeded $500 million, raising OU into the top 15 public universities in the United States in private endowment per capita. Since 1994, endowed professorships have more than quadrupled and the OU donor base has grown from 18,000 to more than 107,000 friends and alumni. During the first 10 years of Boren s tenure over $1 billion in private gifts were donated to the university. Above all, the Boren years have been marked by an emphasis on putting students first. There is not a university president in the country that is more committed to students as his number one priority. He teaches a freshman-level course in political science each semester and is one of the few presidents of major universities to teach. Boren is married to Molly Shi Boren, a former judge and English teacher. Mrs. Boren is President Emeritus of the Oklahoma Arts Institute, which provides education programs in nine arts disciplines for high school students from across the state who are gifted in the arts. Molly Boren has two degrees from the University of Oklahoma, a master s degree in English and a Juris Doctorate from the OU College of Law. A native of Seminole, Boren has two children, Carrie Christine Boren, an Episcopal minister, and David Daniel Boren, a member of the United States Congress from Oklahoma. The Borens are the pround grandparents of Janna Lou Boren. Devoting much of his life to public service, Boren drew from the example of his parents, the late Congressman Lyle H. Boren and Christine Boren. 182 University of Oklahoma Track & Field 2009 Oklahoma Sooners

3 Joe Castiglione Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Programs, Director of Athletics, The University of Oklahoma Principle Centered Leader Visionary... Passionate Advocate for Student-Athletes... Establishes Standards of Excellence & Cultural Values... Builder of Championship Programs Each of those characteristics, standing alone, describes the 11th director of athletics in University of Oklahoma history. However, just as he has brought together different groups who are committed to one goal, you must combine those traits to get the complete picture of the person who has led the OU athletics department since Joe Castiglione has established a pattern of excellence that few in his profession can match. In an environment where every decision is made reflecting the department s mission statement Inspiring champions today Preparing leaders for tomorrow, forming the background, Castiglione is leading the department that has written one of the most successful eras in school history. Quick to give credit to the student-athletes and coaches, the staff and the university administration, the donors and the fans, Castiglione was the one who implemented the changes that led to success. When he was hired in 1998, the search committee believed they had found a rising star in the field of intercollegiate athletics administration. Everything that has happened since his arrival at OU has cemented that reputation. The accomplishments of the department and its student-athletes, coaches and staff have earned national recognition for the university and the department. Recognized as the 2007 PRISM Award winner by the School of Sports Management at the University of Massachusetts, OU was just the second Division I winner and all of the programs recognized by the selection panel were started under Castiglione s leadership. The PRISM Award annually recognizes one Division I intercollegiate athletics department that demonstrates industry-leading excellence and innovation in sports management. His commitment to the success of student-athletes led NCAA President Dr. Myles Brand to appoint him as chair of the Football Academic Progress Rate (APR) Working Group in June of This group, which includes presidents, chancellors, conference commissioners, faculty athletics representatives, athletics directors and head football coaches, has been given the charge to review the APR as it pertains to Division I football student-athletes. When the study is complete, the group will report back to Dr. Brand and the NCAA Board of Directors with their findings, evaluations and recommendations for improvement. His peers have honored him for the department s achievements as well. In October 2004, the Bobby Dodd Foundation named him Athletics Director of the Year. In 2003, he was inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators Hall of Fame. In June 2001, he received the General Robert R. Neyland Athletic Director Award for lifetime achievement from the All-American Football Foundation. The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) named him Central Region AD of the Year in Perhaps his most unique achievement over the last 10 years for Castiglione, though, came when he received his master s of education degree from OU in May To understand the need for education and lifelong learning, OU s student-athletes just have to look at their AD who started and completed his master s degree while running the department and maintaining his priorities to his family. He quickly put his experience to use as an adjunct professor in the College of Education teaching a graduate class in Marketing & Development. The 11th director of athletics at the University of Oklahoma has celebrated seven national team championships and over 40 conference team titles; record numbers of graduating student-athletes and record-setting grade point averages for Sooner teams; dramatically increased donor giving; huge increases in ticket sales for all sports; major facility improvements, and development and construction of new facilities. And, as aggressive as the push to improve, expand and excel has been, he has produced a balanced budget in every year of his tenure, a first since the early 1980s. A Division I record of 74 combined victories produced by the football team and both basketball squads in the school year. An average of more than 17 out of 20 OU teams per year represented in postseason play. A total of 18 of OU s 20 teams advanced to NCAA competition in and conference titles were produced by football, men s gymnastics and women s gymnastics. Credited with energizing OU s fund-raising efforts, Castiglione was instrumental in the athletics department s major campaign, Great Expectations: The Campaign For Sooner Sports. The campaign ended in November of 2003 with more than $125 million raised. The figure has grown to almost $200 million since then as the department continues its approach, and largest fund-raising effort in OU athletics history including projects that impact each of OU s nearly 500 student-athletes. It has become a national model for intercollegiate athletics. Castiglione has cultivated over 20 multi-million dollar gifts, including the largest capital gifts in history for athletics at OU, and some of the largest ever for the university as a whole. He has driven dramatic facilities projects, including a $70 million renovation and expansion of Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Others include a $17.2 million renovation of Lloyd Noble Center; phase I of The Headington Family Tennis Complex; John Jacobs Track and Field Complex; the Everest Training Facility, one of the largest indoor practice areas in the country; and construction of the Gregg & Betsy Wadley Indoor Tennis Center. Other projects completed in his tenure have included the redesign of the Sooner football practice fields; the Port Robertson Wrestling Facility; phase I & II of the Sooner Soccer Complex, expansion of the Viersen Gymnastics Pavilion as well as additional renovations to the McCasland Field House; L. Dale Mitchell Park, the Charlie Coe Golf Learning Center, the OU Softball Complex and Barry Switzer Center. His administrative work, which has seen significant reorganization and the hiring of 12 head coaches, also included the negotiation of multi-million dollar multi-media rights contract that produces more than $8 million in annual revenue for the athletics department. His leadership was instrumental as well as the Sooners added their 21st athletics team to the OU family, women s rowing (which will begin competition in the fall of 2008) and the design and construction of the new McClendon Boathouse on the Oklahoma River. Castiglione was hired on April 30, 1998, after serving as athletics director at Missouri. In his 17-year career with the Tigers, Castiglione, who was named director of athletics at Missouri on Dec. 15, 1993, was credited with rebuilding sports programs, hiring outstanding coaches, implementing an innovative master plan for facilities, inspiring record-setting increases in fund-raising and balancing the budget in each of his five years as athletics director. A 1979 Maryland graduate, Castiglione received the University s Distinguished Alumnus Award in April He began his career as the sports promotions director at Rice. He then worked a year as director of athletic fund-raising at Georgetown before being hired in 1981 at Missouri as director of communications and marketing. Active on the national and conference level, he is currently serving on the Gatorade Collegiate Advisory Board and the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame Board of Directors. He served two terms as chair of the Big 12 Board of Athletics Directors and is a past president of the Division I-A Athletic Directors Association and NACDA. He served a four-year term on the NCAA Championship/ Competition Cabinet and the NCAA Baseball Committee and is a past member of the NCAA Football Special Events Certification Committee. He recently agreed to serve on the NCAA Diversity Leadership Strategic Planning Committee and the NCAA Division I Women s Basketball Discussion Group. In 2007, he was named to the Phi Delta Theta Foundation Board of Trustees. He is a highly requested speaker at annual conventions and continuing education institutes. A native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Castiglione was born Oct. 8, He is married to the former Kristen Bartel, a 1990 graduate of the University of Missouri. They are the parents of two sons, Joseph Robert, Jr., born on December 20, 1996, and Jonathan Edmund, born on March 21, THE CASTIGLIONE FAMILY administration Other highlights of Castiglione s tenure include: An annual finish among the top 25 in the standings for the Director s Cup which measures overall athletics success in eight of the last nine years, including an alltime program best of 15th in OU ranked 23rd in the standings. The Sooner men s gymnastics team won its eighth NCAA title in It marked the fifth national championship for the program in the last seven years. The Sooners were led by OU s most decorated gymnast in school history and latest Olympian, Jonathan Horton, who will be representing the U.S. in Beijing in August. A total of 29 OU teams that have ranked among the top 10 in season-ending polls. A school-record and Big 12-best graduation rate of 74% in Three appearances in the BCS National Championship Game and the college football national championship in Appearances by the men s and women s basketball teams in their respective Final Fours in Big 12 Champions University of Oklahoma Track & Field 183

4 administration What is a Sooner? Oklahoma boasts of the most unique nicknames in all of sports, and one that is directly tied to the state s history. The Oklahoma Territory opened with the Land Run of Settlers from across the globe, seeking free land, made their way to the plains to stake their claim. One of the few rules to claiming a plot of land was that all participants were to start at the same time, on the boom of a cannon. Settlers who went too early were called Sooners. OU athletics teams were called either Rough Riders or Boomers for 10 years before the current Sooner nickname emerged in The university actually derived its name from a pep club called The Sooner Rooters. The success of University of Oklahoma athletics teams over the years has made the nickname synonymous with winning. Crimson & Cream In the fall of 1895, Miss May Overstreet, was asked to chair a committee to select the colors of the university. The committee decided the colors should be crimson and cream and an elaborate display of the colors was draped above a platform before the student body. The students approved with great enthusiasm and immediately pennants, banners and decorations of every description appeared on the streets, in the windows, at chapel, in classrooms and all public places around campus. Sooner Schooner The Sooner Schooner is a Conestoga, or covered, wagon reminiscent of the mode of travel used by pioneers who settled Oklahoma. The Schooner is powered by matching white ponies named Boomer and Sooner, and it ventures onto Owen Field in a triumphant victory ride after OU scores. Although the Schooner was introduced in 1964, it did not become the official mascot until The Schooner is well-recognized by college athletics fans across the country and makes regular appearances at university functions. In 2005, two students bedecked in horse costumes appropriately named Boomer and Sooner were introduced as additional university mascots. Boomer Sooner! In 1905, Arthur M. Alden, a student in history and physiology, whose father was a Norman jeweler, wrote the lyrics to the fight song, borrowing the tune from Yale University s Boola Boola but improvising the words. A year later, an addition was made from North Carolina s I m a Tarheel Born and the two combined to form the university s fight song today. Though the tune was first made known by Yale, the everlasting success of Sooner squads has taken the melody of Boomer Sooner to national popularity. Oklahoma! The Pride of Oklahoma plays perhaps the most popular and recognizable state song in history. Oklahoma! is the final rousing chorus of Rodgers and Hammerstein s epic musical. Breaking all Broadway box office records when it opened in 1943, Oklahoma! was the first collaboration between the legendary pair, who were awarded a Pulitzer Prize for their seminal work. The OU Chant Every fan, each current student and student-athlete and all OU alumni are encouraged to stand and raise the right index finger in the air during the playing of the Chant -- a symbolic gesture that shows the greatness of the university and the unity between all Sooners. The Chant was written in 1936 by Jessie Lone Clarkson Gilkey, who directed the OU girl s glee club from 1936 to 1938 and was voted Outstanding Faculty Woman in O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A Our chant rolls on and on! Thousands strong Join heart and song In alma mater s praise Of campus beautiful by day and night Of colors proudly gleaming Red and White Neath a western sky OU s chant will never die. Live on University! SOONER SCHOONER 184 University of Oklahoma Track & Field 2009 Oklahoma Sooners

5 UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA DR. GERALD GURNEY Executive Associate Director of Athletics Sr. Associate A.D./Academic Programs JASON D. LEONARD KENNY MOSSMAN Executive Director/Compliance Sr. Associate A.D./Communications GREG PHILLIPS GLORIA NEVAREZ Sr. Associate A.D./Chief Financial Officer Sr. Associate A.D./Administration BILLY RAY JOHNSON LUTHER LEE Associate A.D./Ticket Operations Assistant A.D./Business MATT ROBERTS DR. NICKI MOORE Assistant A.D./Development Assistant A.D./Psychological Resources GREG TIPTON CHARLIE TAYLOR Assistant A.D./Lloyd Noble Center GM Assistant A.D./Marketing MERV JOHNSON DR. CONNIE DILLON Special Assistant to the Athletics Director Faculty Athletics Representative 2007 Big 12 Champions University of Oklahoma Track & Field administration LARRY NAIFEH 185

6 media information OKLAHOMA MEDIA RELATIONS The University of Oklahoma Athletics Media Relations office is located on the northwest corner of the second floor of Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, directly west of the John Jacobs Track & Field Complex. The men s and women s track & field contact is David Bassity. Contact: David Bassity (dbassity@ou.edu) Office: (405) Mobile: (405) Fax: (405) Address: McClendon Center for Intercollegiate Athletics 180 W. Brooks, Suite 2525 Norman, OK Associate A.D. for Communications: Kenny Mossman (kmossman@ou.edu) Associate Directors: Mike Houck (mhouck@ou.edu) and Jared Thompson (jaredthompson@ou.edu) Assistant Directors: David Bassity (dbassity@ou.edu), Craig Moran (cmoran@ ou.edu) and Cassie Gage (cassie@ou.edu) Director of Internet Services: Jason Matheson (jmatheson@ou.edu) Director of Publications: Debbie Copp (dcopp@ou.edu) Director of Graphic Design: Scott Matthews (smatthews@ou.edu) Graduate Assistant: Mitch Heckart (mitch86@ou.edu) Graduate Assistant: Phillip Rogers (philliprogers@ou.edu) INTERVIEWING POLICIES Non-event interviews with University of Oklahoma track & field athletes or coaches must be arranged through David Bassity of the OU Athletics Media Relations office. Requests should be made at least 24 hours in advance of the desired interview time. Practices are scheduled by groups between the hours of 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Media who wish to attend practice must be cleared through David Bassity. Requests to attend practice must be made at least 24 hours in advance of the date. Practices are held at either the Mosier Indoor Facility or John Jacobs Field. MEET-DAY INTERVIEWS Interviews with athletes during track meets are generally unrestricted following a 10-minute cool down period. Media should check with David Bassity on availability of athletes prior to a meet. Interviews with coaches during track meets is allowed only upon request through David Bassity. No coach may be interviewed while events are taking place. CREDENTIAL REQUESTS Credentials for track meets hosted by Oklahoma are issued to working media only and should be requested no later than 48 hours before an event. Media may pick up their credentials as they arrive at the John Jacobs Facility Box Office with a valid photo ID. Big 12 Conference Contact: Bonnie Ryan (bryan@big12sports.com) 400 John Carpenter Freeway Irving, TX (469) Baylor Contact: Jon Brown (Jonathan_Brown@baylor.edu) 150 South University Parks Drive Waco, TX (254) Colorado Contact: Linda Poncin (linda.poncin@colorado.edu) Fieldhouse Annex UCB Boulder, CO (303) Iowa State Contact: Erin Heissel (eheissel@iastate.edu) Contact: Sean Sullivan (sully87@iastate.edu) Jacobson Athletics Building 1800 S. Fourth Street Ames, IA (515) Kansas Contact: Kellen Coleman (kellencoleman@ku.edu) Allen Fieldhouse 1651 Naismith Drive, Room 104 Lawrence, KS (785) Kansas State Contact: David Wiechmann (dwiech@ksu.edu) Bramlage Coliseum 1800 College Avenue, Suite 37 Manhattan, KS (785) Missouri Contact: TBA 260 Hearnes Center P.O. Box 677 Columbia, MO (573) Nebraska Contact: Jeremy Foote (jfoote@huskers.com) One Memorial Stadium P.O. Box Lincoln, NE (402) Oklahoma State Contact: Gavin Lang (gavin.lang@okstate.edu) 220 Athletic Center Stillwater, OK (405) Texas Contact: Jeremy Sharpe (jeremy.sharpe@athletics.utexas.edu) Contact: Ashley Walker (ashley.walker@athletics.utexas.edu) 2102 San Jacinto Bellmont Hall, Room 237 Austin, TX (512) (512) Texas A&M Contact: Shawn Price (sprice@athletics.tamu.edu) P.O. Box College Station, TX (979) Texas Tech Contact: Brandon Ireton (brandon.ireton@ttu.edu) Box Lubbock, TX (806) University of Oklahoma Track & Field 2009 Oklahoma Sooners

7 maps & directions DIRECTIONS FROM OKC AIRPORT Follow directions from airport terminal to Interstate 44. Travel west on I-44 (to Lawton). Merge to I-240 east. Take exit 4A south on Interstate 35. Norman is 17 miles south of the airport. Once in Norman, exit I-35 at Lindsey Street. Turn left (east) at the top of the ramp onto Lindsey. The John Jacobs Track & Field Complex is located approximately three miles east of I-35 just past the corner of Asp and Lindsey (circled on map to right). DIRECTIONS FROM DALLAS Travel north on Interstate 35 to Norman. Once in Norman, exit at Lindsey Street. Turn right (east) at the top of the ramp onto Lindsey. The John Jacobs Track & Field Complex is located approximately three miles east of I-35 just past the corner of Asp and Lindsey (circled on map to right). RETURN TO OKC AIRPORT Drive I-35 north from Norman to I-240 west. Follow I-240 west to I-44 (I-240 automatically merges with I-44 just west of May Avenue). Take Exit 116B, Airport Road, exit on the left. Follow Airport Road west to Meridian Ave. Take the Meridian Avenue southbound exit and follow Meridian south approximately one mile to the airport Big 12 Champions University of Oklahoma Track & Field 187

8 soonersports.com SOONERSPORTS.COM SoonerSports.com, the official website of the OU Athletics Department, supplies Oklahoma fans across the country and around the world with the latest news and features on OU track and field direct from Norman. Originating from inside Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, the website provides the latest and most accurate press releases, rosters, bios, schedules, team statistics, meet notes, quotes, photo galleries, audio, video and Podcasts available to Sooner fans and the media. The premium content Oklahoma All-Access at SoonerSports.com provides even greater insight to the Sooners for OU fans. SoonerSports.com also provides coach and player quotes, photos, video and audio clips and the latest weekly notes from OU Athletics Media Relations in advance of the game. After track meets, SoonerSports.com is the first place to get recaps and results from the day s events. SOONERSPORTSMEDIA.COM The OU Athletics Department has action photos, headshots and logos available for membes of the media for download via the internet at SoonerSportsMedia.com. Visit the site for details and to request access. 188 University of Oklahoma Track & Field 2009 Oklahoma Sooners