University of Department of Athletics McClendon Center for Intercollegiate Athletics 180 West Brooks St. | Norman, Oklahoma 73019 Telephone: (405) 325-8000 | Fax: (405) 325-7003 SoonerSports.com

MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Department of Athletics is to inspire champions today and prepare leaders for tomorrow by providing an excellent environment to enable student-athletes to achieve their highest academic, athletic and personal aspirations. CORE VALUES

U Respect

U Accountability for Self and Others

U Passion for Comprehensive Excellence

U Commitment to Continuous Improvement

U Celebration of Diversity

U Integrity in All of Our Affairs

“Our individual talents and collective efforts create our competitive advantage .” “The Athletics Department makes an important contribution to the spirit of our entire institution and our determination to be the best in every area. The ability to win at life is the most important impact of the department and all of its staff members on our student-athletes. The Athletics Department is dedicated not only to the development of athletic talent, but also to academic skills, personal values and character.”

-President David L. Boren University of Oklahoma

President David L. Boren and Molly Shi Boren t’s hard to believe that we have come to the end of another year for the University of Okla - homa Athletics Department. The year goes by so quickly that it is hard to truly appreciate OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES the depth of success we had over the past 12 months. Putting together our annual report al - I lows all of us time to reflect on the victories claimed in the classroom and in competition. Our annual report, like those produced by corporations, is created to share our story and report on the return on your investment. The major difference – your dividends are represented by the graduates, national champions, and conference winners. That dividend continues to grow with OUR SPORTS each additional graduate, championship, and achievement. JOE CASTIGLIONE This has been another incredible year for Sooner student-athletes. The men’s team won its eighth national title, the fifth in the last seven years. We won conference titles in football, men’s gymnastics and women’s gymnastics. The combined success of our programs led to another top 25 ranking in the annual Director’s Cup standings, the eighth time in the last nine years for OU to rank in the top 25. A total of 18 of our 20 teams experienced the joy of postseason compe - tition and we used the year to lay the foundation for our 21st team, women’s rowing, which will begin competition in the fall of 2008. Our teams recorded an all-time best spring semester grade point average. We continue to gradu - ate record numbers of student-athletes, many of whom go on to pursue advanced degrees. The National Consortium for Academics and Sports recognized OU for having the nation’s best de - gree completion program for student-athletes. Your are among the campus leaders in community service, setting the standard for others to follow. We finished the fiscal year in the black for the 10th consecutive year. More than $26 million in OUR STAFF facility improvements will have been completed by September. We have more than $75 million in renovation and construction projects in progress or in the planning stages as we continue to re - view our facility needs to ensure that our student-athletes and coaches have the best environ - ment possible in which to pursue championships and degrees. You can learn more about these projects within this report. OUR STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS These accomplishments are possible because we have the most amazing partners, you, our Sooner donors and supporters. You have been with us every step of the way and your loyalty knows no limits. Without your support, a year like the past one is a dream, not a reality. On behalf of your Sooner student-athletes, coaches and athletics staff, I invite you to spend some time remembering our victories and how they have added to the Sooner legacy. Putting this re - port together for you allowed us to reflect on the successes of the past year as we position our - selves for continued success in the future. At Oklahoma, we take our dreams and turn them into realities as we work with you to support and advance our mission – Inspiring Champions Today and Preparing Leaders for Tomorrow. I think you will be pleased with the results. The 2007-08 University of Oklahoma Athletics Department Annual Report Should you have any questions or comments, please contact our department. Again, thank you was produced under the supervision of Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Programs and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione and for your continued support of our dreams and aspirations for the wonderful people we represent. Senior Associate Athletics Director for Communications Kenny Mossman with writing assistance from Director of Publications Debbie Copp. The report was designed by Director of Graphic Design Scott Matthews.

This publication was printed by University Printing Services and distrib - uted at no cost to the taxpayers of Oklahoma. Joe Castiglione Photo Credits: Photos courtesy of Jerry Laizure, Lisa Hall, Stacy West, She - Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Programs vaun Williams & Associates, Ty Russell, Rick A. Kolodziej, Jeff Hadenthauer, Scott Schneider, Steve Moakley, Bob Solorio, Chris Machian, Walt Beazley and Director of Athletics and John Cheng. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity in - stitution. (August 2008) Women’s Gymnastics Habitat for Humanity

Facilitating career, personal, and interpersonal development in a diverse environment comprised of people who care about student-athletes. Successful student-athlete experiences include a model of integration with the student body fully engaging them in the fabric of the university. ACADEMICS/ COMMUNITY SERVICE

ACADEMICS • Involved with Special Spectators, a national organi - • Had more than 150 student-athletes from various • Team cumulative GPAs averaged 2.95 for spring zation that invites seriously ill children to attend a teams participate in a Habitat for Humanity build in 2008 semester, the highest spring term in OU his - sporting event and meet the players and coaches. Noble, Okla. tory, and second highest overall. Included were Hosted more than 20 children from several Okla - earning its highest cumulative GPA in its homa City hospitals who attended events hosted by • Celebrated the baseball team as the 2008 history with a 2.90 GPA and women’s track tying its football, , baseball, and gymnastics teams CHAMPS/Life Skills Team Competition Award win - highest cumulative average GPA with a 3.20 in ner. Earned points through community service • Participated in the Adopt-an-Angel Toy Drive in spring ‘08 hours, attendance at life skills events, athletics com - which toys and clothing were given by student-ath - petitions, BridgeBuilder and SAAC events as well as • Had 46 student-athletes earn a perfect 4.0 during letes and department staff to the Salvation Army, participation in campus cultural events. Also earned the spring ’08 semester and 37 earn a 4.0 Women’s Resource Center and individuals in need points for individual GPAs during fall ’07 during the holiday season Carlee Roethlisberger and OU Women’s • Had several teams participate in the campus-wide • Had 240 student-athletes named to the Big 12 Com - Basketball team volunteer time at the Children’s missioner’s Honor Roll for the spring ’08 term after cleanup efforts after the devastating December Hospital. 242 earned the honor for the fall ’ 07 term 2007 ice storm ravaged the Norman campus • Implemented a targeted Learning Specialist program • Sponsored a campus-wide blood drive with the to manage the academic performance of at-risk stu - American Red Cross with more than 100 donors dent-athletes whose donations will help save the lives of more than 500 people • Received recognition for the nation’s best degree completion program for student-athletes from the • Made contact with more than 1,000 Norman National Consortium for Academics and Sport Public School students in 20 schools, partici - pating in tutoring, mentoring, speaking en - • Received national recognition for innovations in gagements, and other special events through NCAA APR best practices through participation in the Life Skills Program numerous national and regional NCAA and N4A workshops, chairmanship of an NCAA/N4A Partner - • Involved the women’s basketball team in ship Task Force on Consulting, and a professional the Sooner Big Sis program which publication allows a Sooner student-athlete to select a Norman elemen - • Enhanced academic screening process which tested tary school class and visits every incoming scholarship student-athlete from the class once a week for June 2007 - January 2008 about an hour COMMUNITY SERVICE • Involved the baseball team in • Recorded more than 550 hours of community serv - several Miracle League games ice by OU student-athletes through the Life Skills with special needs children in the Program. Events included reading to school chil - Edmond area, giving special needs dren, leading middle school FCA meetings, speaking children the opportunity to play baseball to elementary school children, and visits to chil - dren’s hospital SoonerSports.com 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report ••• 3 007 r 25, 2 Octobe

m for lassroo to my c they oming ful job been c onder us. n, d have hat a w ed to . Mora ubbar know w assign Mrs onie H hould ey were d Antw t you s that th dez an ght tha rateful Hernan I thou very g ryant weeks. . I am B everal hildren t have past s h my c ren tha the ing wit l child ch- oth do severa ive Atta are b ome! e have React time e awes year w and/or quality hey ar s. This rome spent t- T bilitie ss Synd ek and ommi ith disa ic Stre ery we Their c ren w aumat ome ev ldren. an’t h child Post Tr have c he chi dren c I teac d with twonie know t he chil ing. agnose and An ting to rent. T em com een di ryant nd get e appa see th b rder. B mes, a ach ar lway to nt Diso ying ga l appro he hal me ies, pla ssiona ing in t g stor d profe n, wait nt and sharin on, an te ofte th Brya edicati re, qui hat bo ent, d y and a pact t m hursda itive im ing it for T the pos emand wa reciate hat a d here ly app know w ey are or, I tru lass. I , yet th educat n my c ractice e, as a As an made i l and p to com e have schoo anning stars” ntwoni ve with are pl “super A hey ha me. We ee our edule t k on ti ing to s sch ery wee the spr and ev ame in each eball g tes to o a bas e athle class, t ing th ! in send action volved in t was in ne tha l! everyo nderfu e thank een wo Pleas t has b ools. I our sch

, M.Ed. n Wolfe Marily entary y Elem Kenned Football Back-to-Back Big 12 Champions

Providing every sports program the leadership, environment and resources to win titles at the Conference, Regional and National levels, while remaining committed to continuous improvement in academic achievement. FOOTBALL

The accomplishments were im - upset loss at Colorado preceded a 28-21 win over pressive, but the circumstances , launching a five-game winning streak. easily trumped the accomplish - ments. One week after turning back the Longhorns, OU hosted upstart and No. 11-ranked Missouri in Nor - In 2007, Oklahoma won its fifth Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year man. The Sooners trailed 24-23 late in the third quar - Consensus All-American Big 12 Football Championship and became the first ter, but reeled off 18 unanswered points and coasted program to win the crown in back-to-back seasons. to a 41-31 victory. No other league member can make similar claims. But as is often the case in intercollegiate athletics it was The Tigers were vocal in the desire for a rematch and the particulars leading up to the pinnacle that made that game was staged 50 days later when the two the season so special. teams descended on San Antonio for the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship Game. The physical OU The Sooners opened the campaign with a redshirt rushing attack, riding a 6.8-yard average from freshman of fairy tale proportions. A Na - Allen Patrick, piled up 166 yards, while Bradford tive American and the son of a former OU player, Sam outshined Heisman finalist Chase Daniel by - Bradford was long on story lines, but short, really ting 18-of-26 passes for 209 yards and two touch - short, on playing time. In fact, he had none on the downs with no interceptions. college level. Conversely, Missouri, ranked No. 1 at the time, When he threw five touchdowns in his first game, posted its lowest scoring (17) and total yardage then five more against Miami, he shot straight from (317) figures of the year in a 38-17 Sooner victory. fantasy to reality. By the time the season was over, he had shattered the NCAA’s freshman touchdown passes OU dropped the Fiesta Bowl to West Virginia, but record with 36, eclipsed Jason White’s school record garnered its ninth straight bowl appearance; its for consecutive completions with 22 and led the na - sixth in the BCS. tion in passing efficiency, finishing one spot ahead of winner Tim Tebow. Linebacker and offensive guard Duke Robinson both earned consensus All- Oklahoma raced through the non-conference portion America honors to become the 143 rd and of its schedule with an average victory of 61-12. An 144 th All-Americans in school history.

Oklahoma won 11 or more games for the seventh time in Bob Stoops’ nine seasons. The head coach finished the season with a career mark of 97-22.

Sam Bradford Duke Robinson Allen Patrick

6 ••• 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report SoonerSports.com CROSS COUNTRY

Jessica Eldridge closed out her impressive Despite losing five seniors, the Oklahoma volleyball team continued to escalate OU cross country career with a fourth con - its program in 2007 under the helm of fourth-year coach Santiago Restrepo. secutive trip to the NCAA Cross Country Restrepo led the Sooners to another successful regular season as they finished Championships. Eldridge completed her with an overall record of 22-10, including a 13-7 mark in the Big 12. Okla - cross country eligibility as just the sixth homa returned just two starters from the 2006 record-breaking squad and was woman in OU history to earn All-America picked to finish ninth in the preseason Big 12 poll. Once again, the Sooners honors after finishing 18th in the 2006 Sarah Weiland were the surprise of the Big 12 as they finished fourth in the league and fin - NCAA Cross Country Championships. ished the regular season ranked No. 21 in the country. Eldridge was named to the 2007 Divi - The Sooners advanced to their second consecutive NCAA Regional, marking sion I Midwest All-Region Cross only the second time in OU history that an OU volleyball team had made back- Country team along with sopho - to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament. The 2007 team also became the more Jon Grey and freshman first squad in OU history to win back-to-back first round matches as Oklahoma Kevin Schwab after the trio defeated Florida A&M in first-round action of the Gainesville Regional. recorded top-25 finishes in the Francie Ekwerekwu Senior Sarah Weiland represented Oklahoma on the All-Big 12 squad as she NCAA Midwest Regional. All was an honorable mention selection. Redshirt freshman Francie Ekwerekwu scoring Sooner men finished also earned All-Freshman team honors for her efforts during the 2007 season. Academically, in the top 50 at the NCAA five Sooners were named to the Academic All-Big 12 squads. Highlighting the first team were Midwest Regional as the team senior Hannah Sharp, junior Lacy Barnes, sophomore Bridget Laplante and Ekwerekwu. finished fifth. Eldridge also recorded her fourth All-Big SOCCER 12 honor with a seventh-place finish at the Big 12 Championships, leading her team to a sixth-place finish. Freshman Whitney Palmer became the third Sooner in program history to be Eldridge and classmate Catherine Odell, named to the All-Big 12 Newcomer team following a stellar 2007 season. along with sophomores Rob Sorrell and Palmer is the fourth freshman in school history to lead the team in goals (6) Chris Sweeney, received first team Aca - and the third to lead in overall points (13). Palmer ranked 10th in the Big 12 demic All-Big 12 honors. Conference in goals scored and was tied for third in game-winning goals (4). The Sooners finished the season at 6-10-3 overall and placed ninth in the Big Sorrell and Eldridge also were named the 12 standings with a 2-7-1 mark. Whitney Palmer conference’s runners of the week after In addition to Palmer’s honor, nine Sooners were named to the Academic All- both took first at the season-opening Big 12 teams. Included in that group was senior Jenny Nichols and juniors Helen Ajufo and Hurricane Festival. Katie Corbitt. The trio was named to ESPN The Magazine’s Academic All-District VI third team. On December 21, 2007, following the season, the University of Oklahoma made Nicole Nelson the third head coach in the history of the soccer program. Nelson comes to Norman after an impressive three-year run as the head coach at Stephen F. Austin and successful stints as an as - sistant coach at Texas and Baylor. All-American SoonerSports.com 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report ••• 7 MEN’S BASKETBALL

What a difference a year and a McDonald’s All-American in a final 9-7 conference mark and a first round Big 12 make. After posting a 16-15 record in 2006-07 and missing Championship bye. the postseason for the first time since 1981, men’s basket - ball in 2007-08 returned to a familiar destination – the Highlighting February were a 66-64 triumph at Texas NCAA Tournament. and a 92-91 home overtime thriller over Baylor. At Tech, Godbold’s desperation 28-footer with 1.4 sec - Behind a first team All-Big 12 performance from freshman onds remaining gave OU the dramatic win. Tony forward , head coach Jeff Capel’s Sooners Crocker’s unlikely 4-point play with 7.3 seconds left posted a 23-12 overall record, finished in fourth place in against Baylor marked the game’s final points as the the conference race and participated in the program’s 21st Sooners endured two Bears’ free throw misses with NCAA Tournament in the past 26 years (only six schools a second remaining. have made more appearances during the span). The Sooners capped the regular season with March A No. 6 seed in the NCAA East Regional, OU disposed of wins over Texas A&M (OU held the No. 11 seed Saint Joseph’s 72-64 in Birmingham, Ala., be - Aggies scoreless over an NCAA- hind a career-high 25 points from David Godbold to be - record period of 16:12), at come one of the last 32 teams standing. A second-round Oklahoma State (they played loss to No. 3 seed Louisville wasn’t enough to strip the lus - without an injured Griffin) First Team All-Big 12 ter from a season full of accomplishments. and at home against Missouri before beating Colorado in Highlighting the non-conference portion of the campaign the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals. were three consecutive December victories over eventual NCAA Tournament teams. OU thumped Arkansas 83-72 in Griffin capped one of the most successful sea - Norman, handled No. 18 Gonzaga 72-68 in sons in school history by averaging team highs and edged No. 23 West Virginia 88-82 in overtime of 14.7 points and 9.1 rebounds a game. He on the road. also ranked third in the Big 12 with his .568 field goal percentage. Injuries to Griffin and fellow big man Longar Longar – the team’s two leading scorers on the year – contributed to a 3- Longar, a senior, averaged 11.4 points while 5 start in Big 12 play. A persevering attitude, however, led to sophomore Crocker averaged 11.3. Taylor Grif - a 6-2 mark over the second half of league play that resulted fin and Austin Johnson were second team Aca - demic All-Big 12 selections.

Longar Longar David Godbold Tony Crocker

8 ••• 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report SoonerSports.com WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The University of Oklahoma women’s basketball team finished Coale became the Big 12 leader in coaching victories and the 2007-08 season with a 22-9 overall record, a No. 19 rank - winning percentage during the year. ing and a 10th straight postseason appearance. Courtney Paris earned consensus All-America honors for a OU reached the NCAA Tournament for the ninth straight third straight season, becoming the first Sooner to do so, and year, defeating Illinois State to advance past the first was named the Big 12’s Player of the Year and Defensive round for the third straight year before falling in an over - Player of the Year. Paris snagged record after record in her time thriller to Notre Dame in the second round. junior season, including becoming the fastest player in school or Big 12 history to score 2,000 career points, She Oklahoma ranked No. 3 nationally in average home atten - also became both the conference and program career leader dance, trailing only Tennessee and in blocks, total rebounds, offensive rebounds and defensive Connecticut, with 10,254 fans in at - rebounds. She finished the year as the owner of 32 Big 12 tendance per game at the Lloyd Conference records and was a finalist for the Naismith, Wade Noble Center. OU also played in and Wooden awards. front of the largest crowd to watch a women’s basketball game in the Danielle Robinson, who was the only freshman on a ranked First Team All-American Big 12 Player of the Year state of Oklahoma when 13,611 team to lead her team in assists and steals, was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year attended the first edition of Bed - conference’s freshman of the year and was the only first year lam in Stillwater. player on its all-defensive team. Ashley Paris and Robinson were honorable mention All-Big 12 honorees. Ashley Paris A program record was set when the was named to the Academic All-District VI first team. Sooners’ final three home games sold out, including a 30-day advance sellout of round two With no seniors to say goodbye to, the entire team will return with Oklahoma State that saw a Lloyd Noble Cen - for 2008-09 as the program welcomes freshmen Jasmine ter women’s basketball record 12,205 pour Hartman (Bellaire, Texas) and Whitney Hand (Fort Worth, through its doors to standing-room only capac - Texas). The season opener will mark OU’s 1,000 game since ity. The Sooners were also a hot ticket on the the program was started in 1974-75. road, increasing opponents’ attendance by 42 percent over their single-game season averages.

Head coach earned her 250th win as the Sooners’ head coach and was named the “Most Fun to Watch” head coach by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. Danielle Robinson Ashley Paris Sherri Coale

SoonerSports.com 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report ••• 9 MEN’S GYMNASTICS

After narrowly missing a third gendre, junior Russell Czeschin earned his second Horton put together the top overall score and perform - straight NCAA title in 2007, straight honor on the floor exercise and junior Jason ance in front of the selection committee, which takes Oklahoma senior co-captains Laughton claimed his first career award on pommel into account the scores at the Visa Championships NNATIONALATIONAL CCHAMPIONSHAMPIONS Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons and horse. Sophomore Reed Pitts reclaimed his All-Amer - (last May) and the Olympic Trials. Jonathan Horton were commit - ica status on floor, while junior Chris Brooks earned Horton will be the top ted to ending their OU careers as champions. Ranked his second consecutive honor on the high bar as well gymnast on the U.S. second heading into the 2008 NCAA Championships as the first of his career honor on the parallel bars. and facing No. 1 Stanford on its home floor in Palo Olympic team in Beijing. Alto, Calif., the Sooners surged ahead of the Cardinal Following the national championships, OU head coach on the final routine of the night to claim their eighth Mark Williams was named the National Coach of the national championship and fifth in the last seven Year, while assistants Daniel Furney and Rustam years. Sharipov were honored as National Co-Assistant Coaches of the Year. Horton, who won the 2008 Nissen-Emery Award, con - cluded his career as the most decorated gymnast in Horton was one of two gymnasts selected to the OU history by claiming an individual national champi - 2008 U.S. Olympic Team following the second day onship on the still rings and earning All-America hon - of the men's all-around finals at the Olympic ors for his runner-up finish in the all-around as well as Trials at the Wachovia Center 2008 Nissen Emery Award Winner on rings and parallel bars. The Houston, Texas, native 18 Career All-America Honors in Philadelphia. finished with six career individual NCAA titles and 18 career All-America honors during his time in Norman. Freshman Steven Legendre also made history in his first appearance at the NCAA Championships. Legendre became the first freshman in program his - tory to win multiple national titles, claiming top hon - ors on the floor exercise and vault while being named All-American on floor, vault and high bar. Six OU gymnasts accounted for 11 All-America honors at the NCAA meet. In addition to Horton and Le -

Steve Legendre Russell Czeschin Chris Brooks

10 ••• 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report SoonerSports.com WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

The 2008 season proved to be a sto - Redmond claimed her seventh Big 12 Gymnast of the Week rybook one for OU women’s gymnas - honor on March 25, setting a conference high for single season tics as the team cemented itself as weekly accolades. one of the program’s all-time best. OU claimed a conference-leading nine spots on the 2008 All- Etching its name in the record books Big 12 Team (Redmond – vault, bars, beam and floor; Hollie on multiple occasions, the Sooners clinched their first Big Vise – bars, beam; Haley DeProspero – beam; Jackie Flanery – 12 title since 2004 in dramatic come-from-behind fashion floor; Ashley Jackson – floor). and placed eighth at the NCAA Championships, tying the ‘07 squad for the best finish in program history at the sea - All told, the Sooners made their mark atop the record book for son-ending event. wins (28), consecutive victories (21), wins to start a season (21), regular season winning percentage (1.000), home winning per - OU made its fifth straight NCAA Championships appearance, centage (.917) and regular-season road winning percentage adding to its program-record streak. Prior to the current five (1.000). consecutive showings, the Sooners hadn’t been in the field in back-to-back seasons in the 27-year history of the program. In addition, the Sooners posted their second consecutive season with at least 21 wins. The first time in school history that the Senior Kiara Redmond capped off her illustrious career with team has recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons. four additional All-America honors to move her career total to nine - the highest number of any gymnast in program history. Six University of Oklahoma student-athletes were named to the 2008 Academic All-Big 12 team, including four first team hon - The ’08 campaign started orees. First team awards went to DeProspero (zoology), Caitlin with 21 straight victories, in - Hinkis (psychology), Jessica Kinder (health and exercise sci - cluding all 18 regular-season ence) and Jackson (zoology). The second team included Flanery Big 12 Gymnast of the Year meetings. The Sooners be - and Mary Mantle, both human relations majors. came the only team in the country to post an unde - DeProspero also earned Academic All-District honors from feated regular season. CoSIDA, making the second team list.

Following OU’s come-from- behind heroics in the confer - ence championship, second year head coach K.J. Kindler was named the 2008 Big 12 Coach of the Year while Red - mond garnered Big 12 Gym - nast of the Year honors. Haley DeProspero Ashley Jackson Jackie Flanery

SoonerSports.com 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report ••• 11 WRESTING TRACK AND FIELD

The Sooner wrestling squad completed the 2007-08 The 2008 Oklahoma track and field sea - regular season with a 14-5 dual record, its most wins son marked the third under head coach since winning 14 in 2004. It also marked the 13th Martin Smith and the third year of con - straight season that head coach Jack Spates had led tinued growth, both on and off the track. the OU program to at least 10 wins. The Sooners reached the double-digit Big 12 Champion- Jump mark in All-America honors with six The 14-5 record included a 1-4 record in the Big 12 coming at the NCAA Outdoor Champi - Josh Weitzel Conference with the victory coming against arch- onships and four at the NCAA Indoor rival Oklahoma State on Feb. 21. The 18-15 triumph Championships. Two of the All-Ameri - against the then-No. 3 Cowboys broke a 19-year win - cans, Shardae Boutte and Latoya Greaves, ning streak by the grapplers from Stillwater. The recorded a sweep of the Big 12 Confer - largest crowd recorded in Norman on the season ence titles, claiming indoor and outdoor (1,734) watched Oklahoma build an 18-9 lead on the titles in the triple jump and hurdles, re - Cowboys and eventually hold on for the top-five spectively. upset. After the victory, the Sooners climbed to their Will Rowe highest ranking of the season at No. 14. Both the men’s and women’s teams reached their highest national rankings, Four wrestlers qualified for the NCAA in St. Louis, the men at No. 3 during the indoor sea - Mo., by placing in the top three at the Big 12 Championships in Stillwa - son and the women at No. 16 in the out - ter, Okla. Josh Weitzel won his opening match before falling to eventual door season. The Oklahoma men closed national runner-up Jake Varner of Iowa State to take second place at 184 out the indoor season with a 15th-place fin - pounds. Redshirt freshman Zack Bailey and true freshman Joey Fio took ish at the NCAA Indoor Championships. third after going 2-1 at 125 and 141 pounds, respectively, as did junior Will Rowe at 149 pounds. Joel Flaggert qualified for the NCAA following a Once the NCAA season ended, a number of wild card vote from league coaches. Oklahoma athletes continued to compete over the summer. Eight athletes from this year’s Sooner At the NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo., Rowe rallied after drop - squad traveled to Eugene, Ore., for the U.S. Track ping his opening match to post a 3-2 record, falling one win short of be - & Field Olympic Trials. coming an All-American. During his final competition in an OU uniform, Despite no members on the U.S. Olympic Team, two-time All-American Flaggert surpassed 100 victories on the season, OU will still be represented in Beijing as four Okla - ending with a 106-23 overall record as a Sooner. homa alums qualified for the 2008 Games. Former Sooner Laverne Jones-Ferrette (Virgin Islands) and the Jamaican trio Weitzel was named to the Academic All-Big 12 first team for the second of Michael Blackwood, Danny McFarlane and Aldwyn Sappleton will consecutive year. Fio was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week earlier all compete under their native flags. in the season after a pair of conference wins that included a victory over the defending national champion. Eleven student-athletes were named to the ’s 2008 Academic All-Big 12 Track and field teams including Amy Backel and Catherine Odell with perfect 4.0 GPAs. Chip Heuser, Backel and Odell were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District first team. Backel and Heuser were named Academic All-Americans.

12 ••• 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report SoonerSports.com WOMEN’S GOLF MEN’S GOLF

Coming into the season, the OU women’s golf team hadn’t won a tournament since 2004. Nine of the 10 roster spots on the 2007-08 men’s golf When all was said and done, the 2007-08 Sooners had captured three tournament champi - squad were filled by underclassmen, yet eighth-year onships and qualified for the NCAA West Regional, their first appearance in the NCAA Re - head coach Jim Ragan led the Sooners to nine top-10 gional Championships since 2004. finishes and a spot in the NCAA West Regional to close the season. The Sooners were victorious at the season-opening Badger Invitational Sept. 9-10 in Madi - son, Wis., the Price’s “Give ‘Em Lone upperclassman Phillip Bryan paced the team, car - Five” Intercollegiate Oct. 15-17 Phillip Bryan rying a 73.71 stroke average for the season. The Mus - in Las Cruces, N.M., and at tang, Okla., senior also made a name for himself off the their home tournament, the Susie course, earning Academic All-Big 12 honors for the Maxwell Berning Classic April 6-7. third consecutive season and a spot on the PING All- Region team. OU also had a runner-up finish, at the University of Colorado Heather Farr Me - Bryan earned the Charlie Coe Award as OU’s most valu - morial Invitational Oct. 1-2 in Boulder, able player on the year, but the younger players cer - Colo. Eric Durbin tainly made their presence known. Senior Kelly Jacques recorded eight top- 15 finishes in OU’s 11 tournaments. Jun - Sophomore Eric Durbin fired an opening-round 7-under-par 64 at the ior Kendall Dye recorded her first career Scenic City Invitational in early September to take the first-round lead. tournament victory at the Susie Maxwell The round marked the lowest score for an OU golfer since John Kidwell Berning Classic with a 2-under-par score shot the same score in the 2001 Big 12 Championship. It was just one of 214, and made the all-tournament team stroke shy of three-time All-American Todd Hamilton’s 63 in the Big at the Big 12 Championship with a ninth- Eight Championship in 1987. place finish. Fellow sophomore Jesse Schutte carded the second lowest round of the Senior Heather Wright had five top-25 fin - year with a 5-under-par 65 in the second round of the UH-Hilo Intercol - ishes, including two top 10s. Freshman legiate on Feb. 7. Ellen Mueller had one of the best fresh - man seasons in women’s golf history. She The squad concluded the 2007-08 season with a 13th-place finish at started all 11 tournaments for the Sooners, the NCAA West Regional in Bremerton, Wash. The Sooners narrowly recording seven top-25s, four top 20s, two missed a berth in the NCAA Championships, finishing just four strokes top 10s and a top five finishes. behind Pepperdine.

Jacques was named to the ESPN The Maga - Bryan was named the program’s assistant coach on May 30. A four-year zine Academic All-District Women’s At- OU letterman, Bryan was a member of the 2006 Big 12 Championship Large second team by the College Sports squad that took home the conference title at Southern Hills in Tulsa. Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Kendall Dye, Jacques and Syd - ney Lee were named to the Academic All- Big 12 first team as well. SoonerSports.com 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report ••• 13 WOMEN’S TENNIS

The University of Oklahoma women’s with a 4-3 win over the University of Alabama at the tennis team went 11-12 and 4-8 in Greens Golf and Country Club in Oklahoma City. The the Big 12 with a young squad. The win gave OU its first over the Crimson Tide. Okla - Sooners had three true freshmen homa earned its biggest upset of the season while in playing in the top six, including Lubbock, Texas, where the Sooners knocked off then standout Ana-Maria Constantinescu, No. 64 Texas Tech, 4-3. who was named the ITA Central Re - Several Sooners earned Academic All-Big 12 honors. gional Rookie of the Year after the Christi Baxley Senior Christi Baxley was named to the first team for season ended. the third consecutive year and senior Rachel Cox Constantinescu led the Sooners at the No. 1 position, earned second team honors for the second straight earning a 15-5 overall record and a 7-4 Big 12 mark. season. Combined with her play in the fall, the Romania na - Oklahoma said goodbye to longtime head coach Mark tive went 24-9 during her freshman year. Constanti - Johnson, who announced his retirement at the con - nescu earned a spot on the 2008 All-Big 12 team and clusion of the season. The award-winning coach was also honored by the OU Athletics Department called it a career after 20 years of coaching at OU. with the Jay Meyers Award. David Mullins, the 2008 ITA National Assistant The Sooners were best on the road, going 6-5 while Coach of the Year, was named to the head coach posi - away from Norman. The Sooners started the season tion in early June. MEN’S TENNIS

With a squad led by only two sen - Andrei Daescu was the lone Sooner selected to play in iors and that included one junior, the NCAA Championships. The sophomore was de - one sophomore and three fresh - feated in the first round by Clancy Shields of Boise men, the 2008 men’s tennis team State, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 to finish the season with a record faced a tough test during the sea - of 28-12. son. Still, the experience gained in primes the Sooners for a future OU finished the season with a record of 11-13 and which promises to be exciting and ended Big 12 play with a record of 1-5. Andrei Daescu is filled with potential. Ryan Thomas earned his third consecutive Academic All-Big 12 honor during his senior season. The mar - The Sooners excelled on their home court where they keting major was one of 14 Big 12 student-athletes to won eight matches, including their lone Big 12 vic - earn a GPA of 3.2 or better. tory. The Sooners flirted with a top-30 ranking all season but the inexperience did not work to the Daescu and Federico Chavarria earned All-Big 12 Sooners’ favor as the young squad struggled in Big 12 honors. Daescu was a unanimous All-Big 12 singles play. team member and he and Chavarria combined to earn All-Big 12 doubles team honors for their performances.

14 ••• 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report SoonerSports.com SOFTBALL

The Oklahoma softball program added another stellar to force a third and deciding game, but Arizona topped season to its résumé in 2008 under the direction of 14- OU, 5-2, to end the Sooners’ season. However, OU’s win year head coach . over Arizona in Tucson marked its first Super Regional win in school history. The Sooners advanced to their third Super Regional in the last four years and finished the season with an over - Individually, Oklahoma added to its tradition as three all record of 47-14, marking the 15th straight season Sooners earned second team All-America honors. Amber Flores DJ Mathis Samantha Ricketts that the Oklahoma program has notched a 40-win sea - Sophomore utility player Amber Flores, junior pitcher son. The Sooners are the only team in Big 12 Confer - D.J. Mathis and senior shortstop Savannah Long repre - ence history to notch 40-win seasons in each of the 13 sented OU as All-Americans. years since the league began. In addition, five Sooners were named All-Midwest Re - Oklahoma was solid in conference action as the Soon - gion as Lindsey Vandever and Samantha Ricketts joined Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year ers produced a 16-2 record in the Big 12, with its only Flores, Mathis and Long on the all-region squad. two losses coming to regular season and postseason champion Texas A&M. OU’s 16-2 league record marked In conference play, Long highlighted the squad as she its second best Big 12 winning percentage in school was named the Big 12’s Defensive Player of the Year history, second only to the 2000 National Champi - and became the first non-catcher to win the award in onship team. The Sooners finished second in the Big its five-year history. Oklahoma also added seven All-Big 12 race and have finished in the top two in the league 12 selections as Flores, Long, Mathis, Ricketts and Van - in 10 of the 13 years of the league’s existence. dever earned first team honors and Susan Ogden and Lauren Eckermann represented OU on the All-Big 12 Following conference action, the Sooners advanced to second team. their 15th straight NCAA Regional as the Sooners were a No. 10 overall seed and hosted the four-team regional Eckermann was recognized for her efforts in the com - at the OU Softball Complex in Norman. Oklahoma re - munity and the classroom as she was named one of 10 mained perfect in regional action at the OU Softball finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award and also Complex as it topped Oregon, Arkansas and Oregon earned first team Academic All-District honors. again in the finals. OU claimed its eighth regional championship in the last nine years to advance to its third Super Regional in the last four years.

Oklahoma had to travel to Tucson to take on host and seventh-seeded Arizona in the best-of-three Super Regional. The Sooners won the second game, 2-0,

SoonerSports.com 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report ••• 15 BASEBALL

In 2008, head coach Sunny Freeman was also recognized for his efforts in the com - Golloway led the OU baseball munity and the classroom as he was named one of 10 fi - team into the championship nalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. round of an NCAA Regional for Best Team Performance the third time in his four years It's very hard to trump a national championship. The Schooner goes at the helm. to the men's gymnastics team, which has now won eight NCAA crowns. Jarod Freeman The Sooners advanced to their Best Athlete Moment 31st NCAA Tournament after a This is tough, real tough, but since there were championship implica - strong finish to the season which included an tions the Schooner goes to Kiara Redmond. At the Big 12 Champi - appearance in the Big 12 Championship where onships in the , she needed a 9.875 or higher on OU was one game away from playing for the the vault if OU was to win the league crown. She stuck a 9.95, and conference title. In the Tempe Regional, OU de - the atmosphere was electric. feated No. 22 Vanderbilt twice and was elimi - Best Performance in a Rivalry nated by the host school and fourth-ranked Yes, Murray's run against Texas was spell-binding and the Bedlam team in the country, Arizona State. wrestling win was impressive, but the Schooner goes to the men's basketball team for going to Stillwater, sans Blake Griffin, and posting OU was one of four Big 12 schools to advance to a double-digit win over the Cowboys. the final game of NCAA Regional play. Three Best Performance by a Freshman Sooners, Aljay Davis, Aaron Baker and Mike He led the nation in passing efficiency, one spot ahead of Heisman Gosse, were named to the all-tournament team, winner Tim Tebow, so with a tip of the cap to big-time Blake Griffin giving OU 13 regional honorees since Golloway and All-American gymnast Steven Legendre, the Schooner goes to took over at the end of the 2005 season. . Best Team Comeback Oklahoma finished 36-26-1 overall in 2008 and Down three points with only 7.3 seconds remaining, the men's bas - was the top hitting program in Big 12 action. ketball team got a four-point play from Tony Crocker and, hence, re - Davis was named to the all-conference second ceives the Schooner. team as voted on by the league’s coaches. Gosse Best Team Statistic and Jamie Johnson received honorable mention. This Schooner goes to the softball team. OU has been ranked in the The trio ranked in the top 10 in hitting in the NFCA Top 25 poll for 185 consecutive weeks. OU and Arizona are the Big 12 throughout the 2008 season. only two Division I schools to be ranked in the poll every week of its existence. The Sooners also excelled in the classroom. The Best Individual Statistic baseball team won the Life Skills Competition Courtney Paris' double-double streak is at an incredible 92. She gets on campus after giving back to the community the Schooner. through several different avenues. Three Sooners Best Individual Turnaround Season were named to the Academic All-Big 12 teams. He hit .247 with 13 RBI in 2007, then came back in 2008 to hit a Jarod Freeman was a first team selection while team-high .368 with eight home runs and 51 RBI ... the Schooner Baker and Drew Roberts earned second team goes to Mike Gosse. honors.

16 ••• 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report SoonerSports.com KJ Kindler Big 12 Coach of the Year Women’s Gymnastics

Attracting and retaining professionals to our department who have demonstrated a commitment to our core values, who accept our mission as their own, and who are highly skilled in their respective disciplines. The Oklahoma Athletics Department introduced three new coaches to the Sooner family this past year. Leeanne Crain became the first head coach of Oklahoma’s new Women’s Rowing program. Crain spent the last four seasons as head coach at the University of Central Florida. Nicole Nelson takes over the Sooner soccer program after an impres - sive three-year run as the head coach at Stephen F. Austin and successful stints as an assistant coach at Texas and Baylor. David Mullins replaces long-time women’s tennis coach Mark Johnson who retired this past year. Mullins just completed his third season as the assistant coach for the women's team at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., where he was named the 2008 ITA Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year. The three coaches sat down and answered some questions regarding their programs and their feelings on becoming Sooners.

How do you plan to implement your coaching NN: Our goal every year will be to win championships. style into the OU program? Another goal for this season is to advance farther than LC: Being the first head coach of the program has its any OU Soccer history. We want to make winning a advantages. I won't be following in the footsteps of an - tradition for OU Soccer. other coach which will make it easier to implement my program. DM: My #1 goal this year is to develop the culture and expectations for the program. Initially, we are looking Leeanne Crain Nicole Nelson David Mullins NN: Culture change has been our mantra this spring; to for players who possess the traits necessary to become implement culture change you we have to reset any pre - successful college players down the road. If we can get What drew you to the coaching position at OU? vious standards. My expectations for myself, my staff these players in place in the next three to four months, LC: The opportunity to build a program from the and our team are set very high. I believe by asking peo - then we can focus our efforts on the 2010 and 2011 re - ground up at a premier Division I program was intrigu - ple to achieve more than they may think they are capa - cruiting classes. ing initially. Once I stepped foot on campus, I knew I ble of it will force them to grow. Development on and wanted to be a Sooner. off the field will always be the focus of our program. What does coaching at Oklahoma and becoming a Sooner mean to you? NN: Growing up as an Oklahoma native and an avid DM: For the most part, just being myself. I know a lot LC: I've always taken pride in my profession, but be - Sooner fan, I feel a tremendous amount of pride to - about what works and doesn't work at this level. Fortu - coming part of the Sooner family adds a whole new di - ward the University of Oklahoma. OU’s commitment to nately tennis teams are typically made up of 10-12 play - mension. To be part of a program with such a rich excellence in every avenue of the university is very at - ers which gives me the freedom to adapt my coaching tradition of excellence and to be surrounded by in - tractive and something I believe in selling. The soccer style for each player while maintaining my core beliefs. credibly talented people every day makes my job that facility, which is is second to none, and the support much more enjoyable. that we receive in this athletics department also What do you hope to accomplish in your first greatly influenced my desire to represent the Sooner season with the team? NN: I’ve been a Sooner all my life; putting the crimson Soccer program. LC: We got off to a late start recruiting for the 2008- and cream back on means I get to throw away all the 09 season, but we've managed to bring in some tal - other colors that helped my get to this point ... DM: The opportunity to be a part of an athletics de - ented recruits in a fairly short period of time. We will for good. partment that truly provides the support and re - have a small varsity team this first season, so we will sources needed to achieve the goals of both their focus our efforts on our freshmen "novice" squad. If DM: It means a great deal to me. I have worked ex - student-athletes and coaches. our on-campus recruiting efforts go as well as planned, tremely hard and sacrificed a lot in order to one day we should be in a position to field a competitive novice be a head coach at a school like OU. A school that em - team in the spring. bodies both the highest levels of academic and athletic success. I am very honored to be a Sooner, and I take a tremendous amount of pride in representing this great University.

18 ••• 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report SoonerSports.com NEW HIRES/STAFF HONORS

NEW HIRES STAFF NATIONAL HONORS STAFF ACCOMPLISHMENTS Rowing National Coach of the Year College Sports Information Director’s Leanne Crain - Head Coach Mark Williams, Men’s Gymnastics of America (C OSIDA) Publication Andy Derrick - Assistant Coach Award Winners Co-Assistant Coaches of the Year Kris Muhl - Assistant Coach Daniel Furney and Rustam Sharipov Wrestling Guide- First in the nation Women’s Soccer Men’s Gymnastics Multi-sport Guide (men’s and women’s Nicole Nelson - Head Coach 2008 N4A’s Professional Promise Award track and field) – First in the nation Kara Lowery - Assistant Coach Dr. Nicki Moore Graeme Abel - Assistant Coach Multi-sport Guide (men’s and women’s 2008 N4A’s Professional Promise Award Women’s Tennis track and field) – Best cover Annette Moran David Mullins - Head Coach Football Bowl Guide - First in the nation Brook Buck-Connelly - Assistant Coach 2008 CoSIDA Bob Kenworthy Award (for civic involvement and accomplishments Football Bowl Guide - Best cover Administration outside the office) Gloria Nevarez - Sr. Associate A.D./ Debbie Copp Women’s Gymnastics - Best cover Administration COACHING/ADMINISTRATOR Men’s Gymnastics - Best cover HONORS Conference Coach of the Year COSIDA Writing Award Winners K.J. Kindler, Big 12 Women’s Gymnastics Best in the district - Brian Dude, Stephanie Turner, Debbie Copp Coach of the Year Mark Williams, Co-MPSF Men’s Gymnastics Coach of the Year NCAA South Central Gymnastics Administrator of the Year Stephanie Rempe Head Coach Mark Williams was named the National Men’s Gymnastics Coach of the Year. The honor is the fifth for Williams in his nine years at the helm of the OU program. He also received the award after guiding the Sooners to national titles in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006.

Gloria Nevarez Daniel Furney Rustam Sharipov Dr. Nicki Moore Annette Moran Debbie Copp K.J. Kindler Stephanie Rempe

SoonerSports.com 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report ••• 19 Women’s Basketball “Pack the Place” Pink Night

Remaining consistent with the missions of the University and Athletics Department while maintaining and developing positive relationships. ATHLETICS DEVELOPMENT

SOONER CLUB – ANNUAL GIVING • Renewed stadium suites and skyboxes. Increased an - • Solicited and processed an all-time high in annual nual lease rate for lease renewals at pre-determined giving – $18.8 million in cash contributions which amounts – maintained 100% capacity. Continue to included: maintain a waiting list for suite interest - $12.5M in football giving • Continued partnership with the OU Alumni Associa - - $1.4M in men’s basketball giving tion with the Sooner Caravan Series and held 10 - $140,000 in women’s basketball giving (a successful Sooner Caravan stops including Houston, 164% increase) , Fort Worth, San Antonio, Albuquerque, - $4.7M in additional athletics support Nashville, Lawton, Wichita, Tulsa and Oklahoma City • Increased total active Sooner Club membership to • Established a positive relationship, in conjunction 9,780 accounts, another all-time high. Also, in - with the OU Alumni Association, with Premier creased the number of Society mem - Sports Travel as the official travel partner of the Uni - bers to 484 total members, a figure that represents versity of Oklahoma. Successfully traveled 737 fans 63 new members and supporters to the Big 12 Football Champi - onships and Fiesta Bowl games • Received $529,000 through Gift-in-Kind support • Conducted customer satisfaction survey of Sooner which included food, lodging, air and ground trans - Club members and season ticket holders in an ongo - portation, medical and dental services, construction ing effort to improve customer service materials and labor Women’s Basketball Alumni Reunion

• Individual sport booster clubs accumulated a com - bined total donations of $345,000

SPECIAL EVENTS AND PROJECTS, REUNIONS, SUITE OPERATIONS • Successfully coordinated reunion and special events, including Women’s Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball, Wrestling and 20-year Men’s Basketball Final Four and 40-year Football Orange Bowl Champions re - unions • Recognized the annual Beat Texas Golf Tournament as the primary funding source for the Prentice Gautt Football Scholarship

• Continued and enhanced the hospitality at the Kerr- McGee Courtside Club program for men’s and 20-Year Men’s Basketball Final Four Reunion women’s basketball. “Tailgate” style was implemented which allowed staff to feed more than 400 fans per game SoonerSports.com 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report ••• 21 ATHLETICS DEVELOPMENT

MAJOR GIFTS – CAPITAL, SCHOLARSHIPS, • Received $18.72 million in pledges for capital - A $2.5 million capital gift from the SPECIAL PROJECTS improvements and special projects. McCasland Foundation in continued • Secured eight fully-endowed scholarships, totaling $2 million Total included: support of the renovation of the Howard in pledged gifts McCasland Field House - A $5 million capital gift in support of the - The Mark Weibel Family Men’s Golf Scholarship Sooner Housing Center project - More than $1.3 million in commitments - The Dick Askew Men’s Golf Scholarship for support of football, tennis, gymnastics, - The Touchdown Club Football Scholarship - A $5 million capital gift from Aubrey and men’s basketball and women’s basketball - The Andrews Family Football Scholarship Katie McClendon in support of the Sooner capital - The Whitten-Newman Foundation Football Scholarship Housing Center project - The Sooner Sports Properties Men’s Basketball Scholarship • Received $20.7M in new pledges for capital, - A $2 million capital gift from Aubrey and - The Griffin Family Football Scholarship special projects, and scholarship gifts Katie McClendon in support of the new OU - The Halverstadt Men’s Basketball Scholarship Boathouse • Donation amounts received and processed through Athletics Development totaled $33.6M - A $3 million capital gift in support of the Sooner Vision Studio renovation. VARSITY O ASSOCIATION

• Instituted a Varsity “O” branding initiative and • Established a Varsity “O” Advisory Committee image development that included a new logo, that, while working directly with Athletics De - in-game video and recognition through TV, partment staff, assisted with continued develop - radio, and print media ment and service to the OU letterwinner’s organization • Developed a plan and administered athletics ticket opportunities for all letterwinners • Developed an internet presence and the ability to more effectively keep up with letterwinners, • Hosted another successful Varsity “O” Spring including increased ability to manage, monitor Weekend, which included a golf tournament, and track letterwinners through joint efforts evening reception, recognition of former foot - with the OU Alumni Association and University ball players from a wider range of decades at the Development spring football game, and the Roast • Continued football tailgate party while expand - Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione and Varsity ing and developing events at other sports O Association Executive Director • Enhanced communication with membership via honor the late Jack Mildren before a game last e-mail, newsletters, direct contact, and events fall. Mildren passed away in May. • Increased community involvement and support in the city of Norman and state of Oklahoma 22 ••• 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report SoonerSports.com EVENT MANAGEMENT

• Managed or coordinated facility usage of more than • Hosted the 2008 Saturn Challenge Cup on March 22 • Coordinated the completion of Phase I of the Dak - 160 home athletic events and more than 500 non- at John Crain Field tronics scoreboard upgrades in Gaylord Family-Okla - athletic events in various departments or facilities • Hosted the 2008 Big 12 Women’s Gymnastics Cham - homa Memorial Stadium that added a video display • Hosted annual Norman vs. Norman North football pionships in March to the north end zone scoreboard and six additional game in August 2007 full color displays in August of 2007 • Hosted the 2008 NCAA South Central Regional • Hosted Centennial Follies with Larry Gatlin at the Women’s Gymnastics Championships in April • Coordinated the installation of a state-of-the-art, in - Lloyd Noble Center in conjunction with the Okla - tegrated center-hung scoring and video display sys - homa Centennial Commission in September 2007 • Hosted the AAU Sooner Cage Classic May 2-4, 2008, tem at the Lloyd Noble Center in October 2007 at the Lloyd Noble Center • Hosted speech by former President who • Coordinated Phase II of the Gaylord Family-Okla - addressed a standing-room-only crowd of students, • Hosted the OSSAA 5A & 6A baseball championships homa Memorial Stadium Daktronics scoreboard up - faculty, staff and campus visitors on January 30, at L. Dale Mitchell on May 13 grades which included a super-wide, fully-digital, 2008, in the McCasland Field House • Hosted 2008 NCAA Softball Regional in May high resolution video board that is scheduled to be completed in August of 2008 • Hosted the 2007 OSSAA cheer state championships • Co-hosted the 2008 Women’s in October in Oklahoma City May 29-June 3 • Coordinated Phase II in HOK Facility Assessment Study which included the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma • Honored the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the • Hosted the 2008 OCA Fast Pitch and Slow Pitch All- Memorial Stadium, Switzer Center, Everest Indoor Oklahoma Army National Guard during a sendoff cere - State softball games at OU Softball Complex in June mony held on October 18, 2007, in Lloyd Noble Center Training Facility, L. Dale Mitchell Park, OU Softball • Hosted the 2007 Super 2 Tennis Tournament at the Complex and Charlie Coe Center • Hosted OSSAA 4A/5A football state championships Headington Family Tennis Center in June in December 2007 TICKET OFFICE

• Grossed more than $40 million in ticket sales • Used electronic communication to inform season ticket • Hosted 5,000 fans for baseball series with Texas holders their priority point status for the first time • Hosted more that one million fans who attended OU • Implemented reserved Oklahoma player guests’ tick - events • Partnered with the OU Parents Association to sell ets for home baseball games 1,656 tickets for the Baylor football game. • Began Boomerblast as the official e-mail newsletter • Hosted Big 12 and NCAA Regional Women’s Gym - of the • Began a “Go Green” campaign that encouraged on - nastics Championships line renewals for season ticket holders that resulted • Had ninth consecutive season of home football • Had the sixth sellout of a Sooner trip to the Dr Pep - in a record 41 percent online renewals game sellouts per/Big 12 football championship game • Sold a record number of season ticket packages • Set single-game attendance record during • Developed and communicated new OU/Texas seat - (6,596) for women’s basketball OU/Miami football game with 85,357 in attendance ing plan following renovations and construction at • Hosted a single-game record crowd (12,205 for OU- the which resulted in 7,000-plus addi - • Created a partnership with Varsity “O” Association OSU) for women’s basketball tional tickets for OU supporters that provided opportunity for all letterwinners to buy season tickets to all sports. SoonerSports.com 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report ••• 23 MARKETING & BRANDING

MARKETING • Drew more than 2,500 fans to the OU - Texas softball • Attracted over one million people to OU events. weekend series • Set a football average attendance record (84,857) and a • Celebrated Boomer and Sooner V retirement with football single-game attendance record (85,357) pregame ceremony and introduced Boomer and Sooner VI to the Sooner nation • Recorded the highest total home attendance (133,308) and second highest average home attendance (10,254) • Created marketing plan that resulted in a sellout of the marks in the history of the women’s basketball program – Bedlam softball game three days in advance of the contest total included four capacity crowds. • Produced plan that resulted in 2,515 group tickets sold for • Ranked third in women’s basketball average attendance in softball (highest in OU history and three times more than the country (behind only Tennessee and Connecticut). were sold in 2007) • Sold a record 6,596 season tickets for women’s basketball • Hosted the initial “Beauty and the Beast” meet with women’s gymnastics and wrestling • Successfully lobbied the NCAA for nearly $20,000 in grant money for 2008-09 women’s basketball marketing • Launched Sooner Nation Rewards Program to encourage initiatives student attendance at all OU athletics events • Promoted group sales that resulted in more than 21,000 • Instituted “Coach Capel’s Attendance Challenge” to en - tickets sold for men’s and women’s basketball courage student attendance at men’s basketball games. Sold CrimZone reservations to student groups to assist • Attracted more than 30,000 fans to the three-game Bed - with this promotion lam baseball series • Remained active in the community serving on committees • Created marketing plan that attracted an average of 1,228 with the NCVB and the Norman Centennial Celebration fans for women’s gymnastics (highest average ever and and as a member of the Norman and OKC Chambers of first time over 1,000 per meet) Commerce • Continued increasingly popular “Pack the Place Pink” day • Worked to launch SoonerSports.com online auctions to at women’s basketball game vs. Texas A&M; distributed generate addition revenue for the Athletics Department. 12,000 pink t-shirts to fans to build awareness for breast cancer research and raise money via online auction. Inaugural experience auction, “Meet the Sooners Day,” grossed $5,050 (second highest experience auction in CSTV’s history.)

Women’s Basketball-Average Home Attendance Collegiate Sports Licensing-Annual Gross Royalties 1. Tennessee 15,796 6. Texas Tech 9,308 1999-00 - $472,416 2004-05 - $3,162,247 2. Connecticut 10,876 7. New Mexico 8,491 2000-01 - $1,800,582 2005-06 - $2,806,149 3. Oklahoma 10,254 8. Maryland 7,926 2001-02 - $1,517,482 2006-07 - $3,138,297 4. Purdue 9,434 9. Notre Dame 7,016 2002-03 - $2,042,770 2007-08 - $3,211,278 5. Iowa State 9,388 10. Michigan State 6,937 2003-04 - $2,922,154

24 ••• 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report SoonerSports.com • Worked with new soccer coaching staff to host a free LICENSING SOONERVISION clinic for Norman youth soccer players which at - • Produced net royalties of $2.8M, the second highest • Produced more than 80 televi - tracted nearly 400 players total in history sion shows including Inside Sooner Football with Bob Stoops, Sooner • Successfully integrated the Ruf/Neks under the spirit • Continued to develop partnerships with top Football 2007, Sooner Hoops with Jeff program and conducted interviews and selections for licensees including NIKE, EA Sports, Top of the Capel, Sooner Basketball with Sherri Coale the 2008-09 class World and Knights Apparel. and Sooner Sports Weekly • Assisted with fund-raising efforts of numerous local SOONERSPORTS.COM • Produced more than 50 live events for the in-venue community service organizations including the OU • Launched new site July, 2007, with CBS College big screens at the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memo - Breast Institute and Coaches vs. Cancer Sports Network. Successfully deployed fifth com - rial Stadium and Lloyd Noble Center • Completed third year of partnership with Varsity pletely new site design since 2003 • Webcasted more than 125 live events including non- Spirit Brands to conduct summer spirit camps on the • Ranked in top five of most trafficked sites on the net - televised home men’s and women’s basketball games, Norman campus work (Oklahoma, North Carolina, Notre Dame, USC football and basketball press conferences, home and Penn State) Premier Partners wrestling matches, men’s and women’s gymnastics home • Partnered with SoonerVision and Sooner Sports contests and all home softball and baseball games Properties to provide 125 live audio events, 134 live • Produced weekly Video Season Ticket game replay video events and stream more than 62,000 hours of DVDs for all home and away football games. Pro - content to Sooner fans worldwide Post-Season Competition (Host) duced and edited the 2007 Sooner Football high - • Delivered 50 weekly Boomerblast e-mail newsletters light video to more than 135,000 global subscribers • Produced season highlight/recruiting videos for vol - • Launched official OU Athletics Department online leyball, soccer, men’s basketball, men’s and women’s auctions with bids nearing $50,000 gymnastics and softball Post-Season Competition (Participant) • Expanded distribution of brand online by launching • Employed more than 25 students from the Gaylord OU channels on YouTube and Facebook College of Journalism to assist in all areas of Sooner Vision SOONER SPORTS PROPERTIES • Negotiated and executed 10-year, $76 million • Established annual “SoonerVision Student of the extension to the successful Sooner Sports Properties Year” program to recognize exceptional performance partnership from SoonerVision student assistants • Generated media and sponsorship revenues of more • Worked with Daktronics on the installation and de - than $6.5 million sign of new high definition video boards and LED scoreboards at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial • Negotiated a five-year contract with CBS College and Lloyd Noble Center Sports Network (formerly CSTV) to assist in the man - agement of SoonerSports.com Radio/Television Partners • Finished design and supervised the start of construc - • Produced first pay-per-view Sooner Signing Day web - tion on 7,000-square-foot high definition control cast, including securing title sponsor room, television studio, editing suites and SoonerVi - sion office space located on the second floor of the west stadium mezzanine • Produced video presentation for OU commencement and individual college graduations at Lloyd Noble Center

SoonerSports.com 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report ••• 25

• Celebrated seven national • Balanced every budget assem - • Negotiated a multi-million • Contracted revenues increased team championships and 40 bled during this time period dollar multi-media rights con - from $797k to $2.8M conference team titles tract that produces more than • Cultivated 20 gifts over $1 • Licensing revenue increased $6 million in annual revenue • Hired head coaches who have million, including the largest from $295k to $3.2M for the athletics department won six national champi - capital gifts in the history of vs. $800,000 in 1998-99. • Transferred $4.3M in Aca - onships and 17 conference the athletics department as demic Enhancement Fees in championships. well as some of the largest in • Prior to 1998, program re - five years the history of the university ceived one gift over $1M; in • Celebrated record numbers of last 10 years, received 20 gifts • Created a $1M endowment graduating student-athletes • Generated a record-setting over $1M, and 28 over $500k for the University Library and record-setting grade point year in ticket sales for all averages for Sooner teams sports as more than one mil - • Completed $190M+ in facility • Retiring the working capital lion fans attended OU athlet - construction/renovation loan from the University 10 • Successfully completed the ics events. Football sold out years ahead of schedule largest fund-raising effort in • Football revenues increased for the ninth straight year and OU athletics history, the Great from $12.4M to $30.6M reserved seats for women’s bas - Expectations campaign, with ketball sold out for the second • Sponsorships increased from more than $125 million raised straight year. $2.6M to $7.1M or pledged. Projects impacted each of OU’s nearly 500 stu - • Increased operating revenues • Conference distribution in - dent-athletes and have become from $25.6M in FY98 to creased from $4.5 to a national model for intercolle - $69.7M this year $10.3M giate athletics. • Grew scholarship endowments • Increased annual giving from from $10.9M to $3.6M to $18.8M $21.5M • Increased donor base from 3200 to 9780 FINANCIAL REPORT REVENUE EXPENSES TOTAL REVENUE: $68,780,528 TOTAL EXPENSES: $68,143,009

W S & P O

A O % M 4

D N E % M N 8 V G . I S % W S N ’ 4 9 S C E O I . O S 3 S E % O R 7 M E L R N . L T 1 E L T A E C S L N I I L L H N S C V H I A A ’ E B S E I L B T R

O R N T E B C E I K A I U P & E S S % S G K A S S M 5 S S T . B K P 2 S E R 1 K ’S E .4 A T O D 1 R N O % 1 B E B A E A A R P 0 S M C ’ O L T C P I . M L S A U V 8 W E N OP 5 S R E 1 % E R D A .5 E E TIO 1 S A M N % C % A . S L 2 T R N 15 UP T E P R OR % B FE ION T SER DE ON UT VICES C TRIB 14.3% DIS EXTERNAL SERVICES 9.5% % C % .5 ONT 6.2 44 RACT TS F L C REVE OR O AL O NUE SP 2% TB N S 4. R . % 1% E 6 3 O O TH . O TR O L F ’S L 6 T IB EN A B U M B S T T E A IO E K C L N S I L A V S B 1 S R 2 4% ’ E 1 EN S .9 M L A % N R E T N I

28 ••• 2008 Oklahoma Athletics Annual Report SoonerSports.com