The Ole Miss men’s track and field team entered the season ranked 12th nationally, and both the men’s and women’s teams have impressed this season.
Ole Miss debuted the outdoor season by hosting the Ole Miss Open at the Ole Miss Track and Field Complex March 22. The Rebels had a record-setting day en route to winning 12 total events while competing against 13 teams.
Junior Sam Kendricks led the way as he broke his own facility record in the pole vault by clearing 18-2 to win first place. Fifth-year senior Ricky Robertson exploded out of the gate after returning from a redshirt season by equaling his own facility record of 7-5 in the high jump. After transferring from Illinois, sophomore Nathan Loe debuted his career as a Rebel by setting the school record in the hammer throw at 202-1.
The Rebels also had widespread success outside of their record-setting performances. Freshman indoor All-American Jalen Miller won the 100- and 200-meter sprints, junior Dameon Morgan won the 800-meter race, junior Robert Semien won the 110-meter hurdles and junior Phillip Young won the long jump.
In addition to his personal performance, Miller led the 4×100 relay team to a solid, season-opening time of 40.22. Miller, All-American Mike Granger, freshman football player and sprinter Kailo Moore and sophomore Anthony Branch comprised the relay team.
Junior Taryn Hartfield led the way for the women by winning the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.88. Junior Kierra White won the long jump with 19-2.5, senior Mary Ashton Nail won the javelin throw with 126-11.5 and junior McKenna Coughlin achieved a personal-best 11:05.15 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase on her way to a win.
The Rebels then continued their hot start at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, a four-day event last week at the Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.
The Rebels won their first event on day two of the relays. The Rebels’ squad of freshman Robert Domanic, senior Montez Griffin, freshman Will Spiers and freshman Sean Tobin won the distance medley relay in 9:39.51, a time that ranks them second in school history.
Kendricks’ world-leading pole vault marked the highlight of day three. He won the pole vault by clearing 18-8.25.
Robertson led the way on day four as he won the high jump with an NCAA-leading 7-6.
The women’s team did not field a winner, but White earned third place in the long jump with 19-9.5.
The Rebels also had athletes compete in the Memphis Invitational on Saturday, the last day of the Texas Relays.
Junior Margaret Harkness was the lone winner for the Rebels. She won the 3,000 meter in 10:13.83. Her teammates, senior Amy McCrory and freshman Saga Barzowski, finished closely behind her at second and fourth respectively.
The team also had freshman Breanna Tate finish second in the 100-meter final, and freshman Arielle Wallace placed second in the high jump with a height of 5-0.25.
The men did not field a winner, but Loe finished second in the hammer throw with a distance of 186-1, and freshman Julius Lembke placed third in the 800-meter race with a time of 1:57. 24.
The team will look to continue its success this Saturday as it hosts the Ole Miss Invitational at the Ole Miss Track and Field Complex.
— Cody Thomason
csthoma1@go.olemiss.edu
