# Oklahoma State Cowboys men's track and field

The Oklahoma State Cowboys track and field program represents the Oklahoma State University in the sport of track and field. The program competes in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Big 12. The Cowboys host their home indoor and outdoor meets at the OSU Track and Field Complex, both located on the university's Stillwater, Oklahoma campus. The Oklahoma State track and field teams are currently led by head coach Dave Smith.

## History
### Indoor History

The Oklahoma State men's indoor track and field team was organized in 1926, first competing in the Missouri Valley Conference before moving to the Big Eight Conference. The team finished runner-up at the Missouri Valley conference meet twice, in 1929 and 1937. Ralph Higgins was hired as head coach in 1935 and would go on to lead the Cowboys for 32 years, the longest tenure of any coach in Oklahoma State track and field history.
The program's most successful season came in 1965, when the team claimed a 2nd place finish in the inaugural NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship. Along with the runner-up finish, Oklahoma State also won their first individual national titles with Tom Von Ruden in the 880 yards and the two–mile relay team.
Dave Smith took over the track and field program in 2009, with the Cowboys searching for their first indoor conference title and first national top–10 finish since 1984. In 2013, Oklahoma State scored an 8th place finish at the NCAA Championship, their best result in 29 years. A year later, Oklahoma State would claim their first indoor conference championship, winning the Big 12 title over Texas, 112.5–108.5, along with a 6th place finish at the NCAA Championship. The Cowboys would add another Big 12 title in 2016, again beating Texas by a score of 130–128.5.
The 2023 season marked the beginning of a three year stretch of Oklahoma State runners scoring individual national championships. In 2023, Fouad Messaoudi won the national title in the men's 3,000 meters, while the men's DMR team won their own national title in 2023 before successfully defending their championship and winning the title again in 2024. Brian Musau would keep the streak alive, winning the men's 5000 meters title in 2025 and helping the team secure a 5th place finish, the program's first top–5 finish since 1965.

### Outdoor History

The Oklahoma State men's outdoor track and field team was organized in 1900, first competing in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate and Southwest conferences before moving to the Missouri Valley. The Cowboys would win their first Missouri Valley conference championship in 1929, before adding two more in 1932 and 1934. Oklahoma State would then dominate the rest of the conference, winning the conference title 17 straight times from 1938–1957.
After moving to the Big Eight Conference, the Cowboys would score their first top–5 national finish in program history in 1959, earning a 5th place finish at the NCAA Championship.
Since moving to the Big 12, the Cowboys most successful season was in 2014, when Oklahoma State finished 3rd in the conference and scored a 13th place finish at the NCAA Championships.

## NCAA Individual Event Champions
### Indoor

| Year | Event | Athlete(s) |
| 1965 | 880 yards | Tom von Ruden |
| 1965 | Two–mile relay | Jim Metcalf, John Perry, Tom von Ruden, Dave Perry |
| 1966 | Two–mile relay | Arnold Droke, Jim Metcalf, John Perry, Tom von Ruden |
| 1984 | High Jump | Joe Dial |
| 1985 | Pole Vault | Joe Dial |
| 1986 | Mile | Paul Larkins |
| 2023 | 3,000 meters | Fouad Messaoudi |
| 2023 | DMR | Fouad Messaoudi, Charlie Bartholomew, Juan Diego Castro, Ryan Schoppe |
| 2024 | DMR | Brian Musau, DJ McArthur, Mehdi Yanouri, Ryan Schoppe |
| 2025 | 5,000 meters | Brian Musau |

### Outdoor

| Year | Event | Athlete(s) |
| 1955 | 440 yards | J.W. Mashburn |
| 1956 | 440 yards | J.W Mashburn |
| 1956 | 400 meters | J.W. Mashburn |
| 1956 | Pole Vault | Jim Graham |
| 1959 | Pole Vault | Jim Graham |
| 1961 | Pole Vault | George Davies |
| 1967 | Steeplechase | Chris McCubbins |
| 1972 | 10,000 meters | John Halberstadt |
| 1982 | 200 meters | James Butler |
| 1984 | Pole Vault | Joe Dial |
| 1985 | Pole Vault | Joe Dial |
| 2009 | 1,500 meters | German Fernandez |
| 2015 | 1,500 meters | Chad Noelle |
| 2016 | Hammer Throw | Nick Miller |

## Olympic track and field medalists

The following Oklahoma State men's athletes have earned medals in one or more track and field events at the Summer Olympics:
* J.W. Mashburn, American gold medalist at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics

## OSU Track and Field Complex

Built in 2013 at a cost of about $9 million, the complex features a nine-lane 400-meter track with a steeplechase turnout along with infield and adjacent areas for field events, including shot put, discus, hammer throw, pole vault, high jump and long jump.