Twelve OU track and field athletes reached the automatic or provisional qualifying marks necessary compete in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships today and Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark.

Three athletes automatically qualified for the competition with outstanding performance marks and earned Big 12 titles. Junior Ronnie Ash qualified in the 60-meter hurdles, sophomore Mookie Salaam qualified in the 200-meter dash and freshman Karen Shump qualified in the in the shot put.

Ash received the title of USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Athlete of the Year this week. He will attempt to defend his 2009 NCAA Championship title in the 60-meter hurdles this weekend.

Ash is ranked first in the event with a time of 7.59. His closest competitor is senior Omo Osaghae from Texas Tech with a time of 7.63. Ash’s time is ranked sixth among national All-Americans.

Also this week, head coach Martin Smith was named the USTFCCA Midwest Regional coach of the year. This follows the Big 12 Coach of the Year award he won last week.

The men’s 4x400 relay team is the only OU relay to attend the Championships. The team is ranked 10th nationally with a season best time of 3:07.76.

The relay team includes junior Remuro Henry, senior Jarell Warren, junior Eric Bailey and senior Zach Dawson.

Junior Scottesha Miller is the only OU athlete to qualify in more than one event. Miller will compete in the 60-meter dash and 200-meter dash. She holds the fifth-best time in the nation and is a four-time All-American.

This weekend, 568 athletes will compete this at the NCAA Championship meet.

ESPN360.com will air portions of the Championships at 8 p.m. Friday and 6:10 p.m. Saturday. The coverage is not live.

The NCAA Champion-ships are hosted at the Randal Tyson Center at the University of Arkansas.

The Sooners will begin preparation for the outdoor season after the Indoor Championships.

The first outdoor meet is the Tulsa Duels beginning March 20 in Tulsa. The Sooners host two collegiate meets: The John Jacobs Invitational on April 17 and the Sooner Invitational on April 24.