Jacob Burcham
Biography
Cabell Midland High
School / (Class of 2013) Ona, West Virginia
Classification: AAA
Specialty: Distance
University of
Oklahoma (Sooners) / Norman,
Oklahoma
Jacob Burcham (born February 13, 1995) is the best distance runner that West Virginia has ever produced at the middle and high school levels. He was a highly recruited high school distance runner in the nation out of Cabell Midland High School in Ona, West Virginia. He was a three-time cross country state champion as a sophomore, junior and senior, while he was a ten-time state champion in track and field. He holds the class AAA boys state meet record in the 800m, 1600m, 3200m, 4x800m relay and 5000m (XC), while he owns the state record in the mile and 4x800m. He was The Gatorade State Player of the Year in both cross country and track as a sophomore, junior and senior. He was the Ray McCoy Award winner as the outstanding track and field athlete four consecutive years. He was national champion in the mile as a junior. He finished seventh at the Youth World Championships in the 1500m. He led the Cabell Midland boy’s cross-country team to three straight championships as a sophomore, junior and senior.
Burcham currently attends the University of Oklahoma, where he is Majoring in engineering physics and competes on the cross country/track and field teams earning All-American honors after he finished 16th (13th in team scoring) in the 10K at the DI Men's Cross Country National Championship. He also earned All-Midwest Region, All-Big 12, and Academic All-Big 12 Second Team. On February 13th, 2016, he became only the second person from the state of West Virginia and the 464th U.S. miler to break 4-minutes in the mile. Burcham ran an indoor career best time of 3:57.46 at the Husky Classic in Seattle, WA. The first from this state to achieve this feat was Chris Fox of Martinsburg, while running for Athletic West he ran three minutes, fifty-nine seconds for the indoor mile back in 1983.
Jacob Burcham is the son of Mike and Renee' Burcham and has a younger sister, Jessica.
RUNNING CAREER
Middle School:
Jacob Burcham went to Barboursville Middle School in Barboursville, WV. When he was in the sixth grade, Coach Shane Carter called Burcham and asked him to run sprints for the Pirates in track. “I wanted to be an NFL player” said Burcham. Track would help Burcham's speed for football.
Enter Pat Riley, who also coached track at Barboursville Middle at the time. He moved Burcham to distance running in the seventh grade. This proved to be a good move, because Burcham would become a top ranked runner in the nation and even have success at the international level.
Seventh Grade
(2007-2008)
(Track) Placed
second in the 1600m (5:09.46) and 4x800-meter relay (10:02.62) at the Pirate
Relays …Took second in the 1600m (5:10.48) and had a first place finish in the
3200m (11:14.00) at the Hurricane Middle School Invitational …Runner-up in the
1600m (5:02.56) and 3200m (10:52.39) at the Midland Freshman Invitational,
while ran a leg for the Pirates fifth place 4x400-meter relay team …Placed
second in the 1600m (4:59.81) and finished fourth in the 800m (2:21.12) at the
Hurricane Trophy Invitational …Swept the 800m (2:16.24), 1600m (5:15.50) and
3200m (11:05.33 – County Record) at the Cabell County Middle School Championship,
while leading the Pirates to first place as a team …Season bests: 800m (2:16.24),
1600m (4:59.81), and 3200m (10:52.39).
Eighth Grade
(2008-2009)
(Cross Country) Triumphant in the boy’s 3200-meter run at the Rio Grande Invitational in 10:57.86 …Won the boy’s 3315-meter run by over 35 seconds at the Cabell County Cross Country Championship with a time of 11:34 …Achieved first at the Foot Locker South Regional 13-14 Boy's 3000-meter race at McAlpine Greenway Park in Charlotte, NC with a time of in 10:02, while earning first team All-South.
(Track) Victorious in the 800m (2:05.50) and the 3200m (10:31.70) at the Hurricane Middle Invitational …Won the 1600-meter run at the Pirate Relays with an amazing time of 4:38.19, also ran the anchor leg of Barboursville’s winning 4x400 relay team (4:00.47) and winning 4x800 relay team (9:29.54) …Took first place in the 3200m (10:14.40) and ran a leg on Barboursville’s champion 4x800m relay team (9:36.04) at the Hurricane Trophy Invitational …Ran the fastest 1600m in the nation by a middle school runner at the Hurricane Middle School Invitational with a time of 4:33.22 …Won the 800m (2:14.30) and 1600m (5:08.69) at the Cabell County Middle School Championship, while he placed second in the 3200m (11:04.46), while helping lead the Pirates to first place as a team …During the summer, he placed second in the 1600m at the 2009 Hershey’s Track & Field Games North American Final at Hershey, PA in a time of 4:37.73, while the winner was Mike Tate of Heatherton, Canada (4:36.09) …Season bests: 800m (2:05.50 – US#1), 1600m (4:33.22 – US#1), and 3200m (10:31.70). [Rankings according to Athletic.net]
“Jacob Burcham isn’t
just the best track and field distance runner at the middle school level in the
state. He had the distinct honor of being the best in the entire nation.”
High School:
Chris Parsons was Burcham's cross country and track coach while at Cabell Midland High.
Freshman Year
(2009-2010)
(Cross Country) Burcham came in eighth at the Adidas Saturday Night Lights IV in a time of 16:23.09 …Finished in twelfth at the Greater Louisville Classic Invitational in 16:33.41 …MSAC Conference Champion …WVSSAC Region IVAAA Champion …Burcham ran a 17:09.75 in sloppy conditions at the West Virginia State XC Championships, while placing sixth and earning all-state honors …Season Best time 16:23.09 (US#38 Freshman).
(Track) MSAC Conference Champion in 800m & 1600m …WV Group AAA Region IV Champion in 1600m and 3200m …Came in fourth in the 800m (1:57.01), second in 1600m (4:17.06), and second in 3200m (9:15.94) at the West Virginia State Championships …Member of 4x800 relay at the West Virginia State Championships, helping group to first place in 8:03.62 … Earned all-state honors in four events …Came in seventeenth place at New Balance Outdoor Nationals in the Mile run with a time of 4:15.10 – just misses National Freshman Record by .03 Seconds …2010 Ray McCoy Award winner as the outstanding track and field athlete …Season Bests: 800m (1:56.95 - US#5 Freshman), 1600m (4:14.51 – US#1 Freshman), 1 mile (4:15.10 – US#49/US#1 Freshman), 3200m (9:15.94 – US#1 Freshman).
Sophomore Year
(2010-2011)
(Cross Country) Came in second at the Midwest Meet of Champions in 15:05.00 …Achieved third at the Trinity/Valkyrie Invitational with a time of 15:19.08 …MSAC Conference Champion …WV Group AAA Region IV Champion …Raced to the Class AAA individual state championship with a time of 15:12.16, leading the Knights to the state title as a team … Fastest West Virginia runner at the Nike Cross Nationals Southeast Regional championships, capturing fifth place in 15:23.10 …Finished sixteenth at the Nike Cross Nationals with a time of 16:44.90, while earning All-American Honors …2010-11 Gatorade West Virginia Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year …Season Best time 15:05.00 (US#37 / US#2 Sophomore).
(Track) Came in third in the Mile run at The Penn Relays Carnival in a time of 4:11.63 …MSAC Conference Champion in 400m & 800m …WV Group AAA Region IV Champion in 400m, 800m, 1600m, and 3200m …Swept the 800-meter run, the 1600 meters and the 3200 meters at the Class AAA state meet, leading the Knights to second place as a team …Set state meet records in all three events with times of 1:54.01 (800m), 4:08.80 (1600m) and 9:11.29 (3200m) …He also ran the lead off leg for the runner-up 4x400-meter relay quartet ...Earned all-state in four events …Finished seventh in the Mile run at the adidas Grand Prix in 4:07.66 …Placed first in the 1500m at the World Youth Track & Field Trials (3:59.34) …Took seventh in the 1500m at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Lille, France in a time of 3:46.55, while establishing a new American record for sophomores …2010-11 Gatorade West Virginia Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year …2011 Ray McCoy Award winner as the outstanding track and field athlete …Season Bests: 800m (1:53.88 – US#7 Sophomore), 1500m (3:46.55 - US#1/US#1 Sophomore), 1600m (4:08.80 – US#12/US#1 Sophomore), 1 Mile (4:07.66 - US#12 / US#2 Sophomore), 3200m (9:11.29 – US#3 Sophomore).
Junior Year
(2011-2012)
(Cross Country) Achieved first at the Trinity/Valkyrie Invitational with a time of 15:03.00 …Came in second at the Great American Cross Country Festival in 15:00.20 ...MSAC Conference Champion …WV Group AAA Region IV Champion … Raced to his second straight Class AAA individual state championship with a time of 15:47.59, leading the Knights to second place as a team …Intermediate Boys 15-16 year old National Champion at the Cross Country Coaches National Youth Championships with a time of 15:55.60 …2011-12 Gatorade West Virginia Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year …Season Best time 15:00.20 (US#24 / US#10 Junior).
(Track) Came in second in the indoor Mile at the Brooks PR Invitational in 4:07.20 … Took second place in the outdoor Mile at The Penn Relays Carnival with a time of 4:09.49 …MSAC Conference Champion in 400m & 800m …WV Group AAA Region IV Champion in 400m, 800m, 1600m, and 3200m …Completed a triple crown at the West Virginia State Championships for the second year in a row …Burcham scorched the field to break his own AAA 3200-meter meet record by more than thirteen seconds and a 29-year old record for all classes in 8:57.73. The previous State Meet All Time Best was held by Steve Taylor of St. Marys High School in 9:09.70 back in 1983 …He won the 1600 meter run in 4:08.91 - just missing his previous year meet record by only eleven-hundredths of a second …He won the 800 meter run in 1:54.01, which tied his own meet record …Earned all-state in three events …Turned in a top performance in the outdoor Mile by placing second at the adidas Grand Prix (4:02.73) …Won National Championship in the outdoor Mile at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in a time of 4:08.80 …Placed third in the outdoor Mile at the Nike Elite Camp Mile (4:11.22) …2011-12 Gatorade West Virginia Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year …2012 Ray McCoy Award winner as the outstanding track and field athlete …Season Bests: 800m (1:53.00 – US#29 Juniors), 1600m (4:08.91 – US#16/US#6 Juniors), 1 Mile (4:02.73 – US#2/US#2 Juniors), 3200m (8:57.73 – US#20/US#6 Juniors).
Senior Year
(2012-2013)
(Cross Country) Placed second at the Trinity/Valkyrie Invitational with a time of 15:04.42 … Earned first at the Maymont X-Country Festival in 15:28.46 ...MSAC Conference Champion …WV Group AAA Region IV Champion … Raced to his third straight Class AAA individual state championship, breaking the tape in 14:58.04 and leading the Knights to a state title as a team …Won the Nike Cross Nationals Southeast Regional Championship in 15:09.80 … Qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals Final where he finished 84th in 18:27 …2012-13 Gatorade West Virginia Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year …Becomes the first three-time Gatorade Runner of the Year in state history …Season Best time of 14:58.04 (US#19/US#15 Seniors)
(Track) Placed fifth in the indoor Mile at the Brooks PR Invitational with a time of 4:10.93 …Finished third in the outdoor Mile at the Eastern Relays in 4:08.85 …MSAC Conference Champion in 800m …WV Region IV AAA champion in 800m, 1600m, and 3200m …Won two individual state championships at the Class AAA state meet and led the Knights to a second-place finish as a team … Won the 1600m with a time of 4:13.33 and the 3200m in 9:08.34, winning both events for a third straight year …He also placed third in the 800m in 1:55.46 and ran the anchor leg for the winning 4x800-meter relay quartet …Placed All-State in four events …Qualified fourth in the outdoor 1500m at the 8th IAAF World Youth Championship (3:51.22) … Placed seventh in the outdoor 1500m at the 8th IAAF World Youth Championship in 3:46.55 …2012-13 Gatorade West Virginia Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year…2013 Ray McCoy Award winner as the outstanding track and field athlete …Season Bests: 800m (1:54.21), 1500m (3:46.55 – US#2/US#1 Seniors), 1600m (4:07.41 – US#9/US#8 Seniors), 1 Mile (4:08.85 – US#16/US#15 Seniors), 3200m (8:59.28 – US#31/US#21).
High School
Personal Bests:
· 400 Meter Dash - 50.71 (2013)
· 800 Meter Run - 1:53.00 (2012)
· 1500 Meter Run - 3:46.55 (2011)
· 1600 Meter Run - 4:07.41 (2013)
· One Mile Run - 4:02.73 (2012)
· 3200 Meter Run - 8:57.73 (2012)
· 5,000 Meter Run (XC) - 14:58.04 (2012)
Burcham’s
Progression of Times (Middle & High School):
YEAR – 400M – 800 M –
1,500M – 1,600M – 1 MILE – 3,200M – 5,000M (XC)
2008 – 00.00 – 2:16.64 – 0:00.00 – 4:59.81 – 0:00.00 – 10:52.39 – 00:00.00
2009 – 00.00 – 2:05.50 – 0.00.00 – 4:33.22 – 0:00.00 – 10:31.70 – 16:23.09
2010 – 00.00 – 1:56.95 – 0:00.00 – 4:14.51 – 4:15.10 – 09:15.94 – 15:05.00
2011 – 51.11 – 1:53.88 – 3:46.55 – 4:08.80 – 4:07.66 – 09:11.29 – 15:00.20
2012 – 50.82 – 1:53.00 – 0:00.00 – 4:08.91 – 4:02.73 – 08:57.73 – 14:58.04
2013 – 50.71 – 1:54.21 – 3:46.55 – 4:07.41 – 4:08.85 – 08:59.28
High School
Highlights:
· Four-time Mountain State Athletic Conference (MSAC) XC Champion
· Four-time WV Group AAA Region IV XC Champion
· Three-time individual state cross-country champion as a sophomore, junior and senior
· He led his cross-country team to three straight championships as a sophomore, junior and senior
· Two-time Nike Cross Nationals qualifier (2010, 2012)
· Seven-time Individual Mountain State Athletic Conference (MSAC) track champion
· Seven-time Individual WV Region IV AAA track champion
· Eight-time individual state track champion
· Two-time 4x800-meter relay state champion, while a state runner-up in 4x400-meter relay
· Class AAA Boy’s State Meet Record holder in 800m (1:54.01), 1600m (4:08.80), 3200m (8:57.73), and 4x800-meter relay (7:49.84)
· Holds the state record in the 1600m run (4:01.32)
· He’s a member of the state record 4x800m relay team (7:46.29)
· Ranked US#1 as a freshman in the 1600m, Mile, and 3200m
· Ranked US#1 in 1500m and 1600m as a sophomore, while ranked US#2 in Mile and US#3 in 3200m
· Set US sophomore and age-16 records
· Ranked US#2 as a junior in the Mile
· Burcham’s 4:02.73 ranks US#22 for the fastest All-Prep Mile ever (High School-races only)
· Selected as Gatorade player of the year in both cross country and track as a sophomore, junior and senior
· He’s the first three-time Gatorade Runner of the Year in state history
· Won Ray McCoy Award four consecutive years
· Maintained a 4.07 GPA in high school
· Member of the National Honor Society
· Vice president of his school’s student body
· Signed with the University of Oklahoma
Burcham’s High
School Records:
· Cabell Midland HS Record Holder in the 800m (1:53.00), 1500m (3:46.55), 1600m (4:08.80), 1 Mile (4:02.73), 3200m (8:57.73), 4x400-meter relay (3:25.29), 4x800-meter relay (7:46.29), and 5K (14:58.04)
· WV State Meet Record Holder for Class AAA Boys in the 800m (1:54.01), 1600m (4:08.80), 3200m (8:57.73), and 4x800-meter relay (7:49.84)
· WV State Record Holder in the 1600m (4:01.32 - converted True Mile) and the 4x800-meter relay (7:46.29)
West Virginia
State Meet All-Time Lists:
· 2nd All-Time All-Class 800 Meters
· 2nd All-Time AAA 800 Meters
· 1st 2010’s AAA 800 Meters
· 1st, 2nd, and 5th All-Time All-Class 1600 Meters
· 1st, 2nd, and 5th All-Time AAA 1600 Meters
· 1st, 2nd, and 4th 2010’s AAA 1600 Meters
· 1st, 3rd, and 5th All-Time All-Class 3200 Meters
· 1st, 3rd, 4th and 9th All-Time AAA 3200 Meters
· 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th 2010’s AAA 3200 Meters
· 1st All-Time All-Class 4x800 Meters
· 1st All-Time AAA 4x800 Meters
· 1st 2010’s AAA 4x800 Meters
· 4th 2010’s AAA 4x400 Meters
COLLEGE
2013 (Cross Country):
Finished 50th at the Midwest Regional Championships with a time of 31:26.74... Placed 42nd overall in his first collegiate cross country meet after clocking a time of 24:34 at the Big 12 Championships.
2014 (Track):
(Indoor) Finished
fourth in the 1,000-meter run at the Big 12 Indoor Championships with a time of
2:24.38... Placed second in the mile run at the Armory Collegiate Invitational
with a time of 4:09.63... Placed third in the mile run at the Razorback
Invitational after crossing the finish line in 4:08.59... Finished
first in his first collegiate race with a time of 2:28.57 in the 1,000-meter
run at the J.D. Martin Invitational.
(Outdoor) Ran the
mile in 4:03.93 at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational en route to a fourth-place
finish...Finished third in the 800-meter run at the John Jacobs Invitational
with a time of 1:51.64... Crossed the finish line in 3:48.94 in the 1,500-meter
run for third place at the Stanford Invitational... Finished
fourth in the 1,500-meter run in his outdoor debut at the Baldy Castillo
Invitational with a time of 3:46.21.
2014 (Cross Country):
Finished 48th with a time of 30:59.4 at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships...Earned All-Big 12 honors...Finished third for the Sooners and 13th overall with a time of 24:34.4 at the Big 12 Championships...Finished 112th overall with a time of 24:43 at the Wisconsin Adidas Invitational...Finished 42nd at the University of Washington Invitational with a time of 24:24... Placed third at the Missouri Southern Stampede with a time of 24:49.96.
2015 (Track):
(Indoor) Finished
third in the mile run at the Big 12 Championship with a time of 4:10.22...
Finished fourth in the 1,000-meter run at the Big 12 Indoor Championships with
a time of 2:27.84... Finished in 13th in the mile run at the Husky Classic with
a new best of 4:01.52... Runner-up in the mile run at
the Razorback Invitational with a new personal best of 4:02.45... Placed second
in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 8:14.13 at the Texas A&M
Quadrangular.
(Outdoor) Qualified for NCAA West prelims in the 1,500-meter run and finished with a time of 3:49.90... Placed seventh in the 1,500-meter run at the Big 12 Championship with a time of 4:08.65... Ran second leg of the 4xMile Relay that placed seventh at the Penn Relays with a time of 16:24.62... Finished third in the 1,500-meter run at the Stanford Invitational with a time of 3:44.23... Won the 1,500-meter run at the Baldy Castillo Invitational with a time of 3:44.13.
2015 (Cross Country):
Earned All-American honors after he finished 16th (13th in team scoring) in the 10K at the NCAA Championships with a time of 30:06.7... Placed second in the 10K at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships with a time of 29:38.6 to earn an automatic bid to the national championship... Finished second in the 8K at the Big 12 Championships with a time of 23:59.9 to earn All-Big 12 honors... Placed 11th in the 8,000-meter race at the Wisconsin Adidas Invitational with a time of 23:47.5... Finished fourth in the 8,000-meter race at the Virginia Panorama Farms Invitational with a time of 23:59.3.
2016 (Track):
(Indoor) Finished 10th at the NCAA Championships in the mile race with a time of 4:10.26... Ran the last leg of the distance medley at the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships that won with a time of 9:40.15... Finished third in the mile run at the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships with a time of 4:12.22... Finished second in the mile run at the Husky Classic with a career best time of 3:57.46... Ran the last leg of the distance medley at the Razorback Invitational that placed fifth with a time of 9:37.28... Finished fourth in the mile run at the Razorback Invitational with a personal best time of 4:00.43... Finished third in the 800-meter run at the Texas A&M Quadrangular with a time of 1:51.03... Ran the third leg of the distance medley that won at the Texas A&M Quadrangular with a time of 9:58.28.
(Outdoor) Placed 23rd in the 1,500 meter at the NCAA West Prelim with a time of 3:45.96... Finished as the runner-up in the 1,500-meter run at the Big 12 Championship with a personal best time of 3:43.55... Placed eighth in the 5,000-meter race at the Big 12 Championship with a time a personal best time of 14:28.29... Placed ninth in his section of the 1,500-meter run at the Payton Jordan Invitational with a time of 3:45.78... Won the mile run at the John Jacobs Invitational as unattached with a time of 4:06.74.
2017 (Track):
(Indoor) Ran the
last leg of the distance medley relay that finished sixth at the Big 12 Indoor
Championship with a time of 10:02.03... Finished eighth in the 1,000-meter run
at the Big 12 Indoor Championship with a time of 2:25.32... Finished 26th in
the mile run at the Husky Classic with a time of 4:04.90... Finished fourth in
the 1,000-meter run at the Armory Track Invitational with a time of 2:26.54...
Finished fourth in the mile run at the Mark Colligan Memorial with a time of
4:11.09... Finished second in the mile run at the Sooner Opener with a time of
4:20.24.
(Outdoor) Finished 21st in the 5,000-meter run at the Big 12 Championship with a time of 15:13.11... Finished third in the 1,500-meter run at the Big 12 Championship with a time of 4:10.69... Ran the first leg of the college distance medley relay at the Penn Relays that won with a time of 9:46.52... Finished second in the 1,500-meter run at the John Jacobs Invitational with a time of 3:48.60... Placed 22nd (19th among college competitors) in his section of the 5,000-meter run at the Stanford Invitational with a time of 14:43.69... Finished runner-up in the 1,500-meter run at the Baldy Castillo Invitational with a time of 3:47.05.
OU Cross Country
Accolades:
· 2015 All-Midwest Region
· 2015 All-Big 12
· 2015 NCAA All-American
· 2016 Academic All-Big 12 Second Team
OU Indoor
Collegiate Bests:
· 800 Meter - 1:51.03 (2016)
· 1000 Meter - 2:24.38 (2014)
· Mile - 3:57.46 (2016)
· 3000 Meter - 8:14.13 (2015)
OU Outdoor
Collegiate Bests:
· 800 Meter - 1:51.64 (2014)
· Mile - 4:03.93 (2014)
· 1500 Meter - 3:43.55 (2016)
· 5000 Meter - 14:28.29 (2016)
Member of The U.S. Sub-4:00 Milers Club:
#464 - Jacob Burcham (Oklahoma) - 3:57.46i* (placed 2nd) – Seattle, WA - February 13th, 2016
I* = indoors
Submitted by Mike McMillion (Last updated 07/31/17)
Results courtesy of RunWV,
MileSplit, Athletic.net, Sooner Sports, Track & Field News