The Intriguing Oklahoma State Freshman to Watch at NCAA Track Regionals

The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Cowgirls will take their largest contingent of athletes every to NCAA regionals this week.

Oklahoma State Cowboys logo. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma State track and field team is preparing to head to Arkansas for the NCAA West Regionals that begin on Wednesday. The Cowboys and the Cowgirls are going to need a bigger bus.

Forty-three athletes will make the trip to Fayetteville, Ark., for the regional — 20 men and 23 women. Per Oklahoma State, it is the biggest contingent they have ever taken to a regional track and field meet.

The Cowgirls have qualifiers in 11 different events while the Cowboys have qualifiers in 10 different events. The goal is to advance out of regionals and qualify for the NCAA Championships at legendary Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., from June 10-13.

The Cowboys and the Cowgirls have plenty of contenders. But one freshman bears watching.

The Hammer Throwing Prowess of Burklie Burton

pic.twitter.com/35XApv39Aa

— Oklahoma State XC/T&F (@run4okstate) May 25, 2026

Burklie Burton has put herself on the map in the event in a way that requires everyone pay attention. She won the title at the Big 12 Track and Field championships a couple of weeks ago. But it was how she did it that left an impression.

Burton posted a personal-best of 67.99 meters in the event in Arizona. That throw moved her to second on Oklahoma State’s all-time list in the event and was the ninth-longest throw in NCAA outdoor competition this season. She also became just the second Cowgirl to win the event in Big 12 action. The first was Delissa McLean in 2005.

But that throw didn’t just register in the Big 12 or nationally. It registered globally. Not only did it win her a Big 12 crown, but it was the second-longest hammer throw for an under-20 athlete in U.S. history. It is also currently the No. 1 under-20 hammer throw in the world, per OSU.

𝑩𝑬𝑺𝑻 𝑰𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 🌎

True freshman Burklie Burton’s threw 67.99 meters in the Hammer Throw this week to win her first Big 12 title… that mark ranks:

No. 1 U20 in the world
No. 2 U20 in U.S. history
No. 1 in the Big 12#GoPokes I #run4okstate pic.twitter.com/ujq4ThXfo1

— Oklahoma State XC/T&F (@run4okstate) May 19, 2026

That makes Burton a heavy favorite to advance out of NCAA Regionals, even though most of the competition is older than her.

The Cowgirls also have immense depth in the event. Two other throwers qualified for regionals — Rylee Jenkins and Rachel Neaves. Between the three of them they dominated the Big 12 Championships. Four different OSU throwers finished in the Top 10 of the event giving the Cowgirls 21 points. The team scored 58 points the entire competition.

The Layton, Utah, product was a three-time letterwinner in track at Layton High School. She also finished second at the Great Southwest Meet in the hammer throw, which is her focus during this regional meet. But she also won a state title in the discus in high school.