Bulldog 4x100 Relay Team Breaks Record On Opening Day Of NCAA Championships

Wednesday, June 10

Fayetteville, Ark.

8:00 AM

Mississippi State

NCAA Championships (O)

Bulldogs Ranked No. 22 In Latest Track & Field Poll

Bulldog 4x100 Relay Team Breaks Record On Opening Day Of NCAA Championships

June 10, 2009 | Track & Field

By: hailstate.com

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. ? Mississippi State Bulldogs open competition at the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Wednesday at John McDonnell Field with a record breaking performance in the 4x100-meter relay, as the quartet of Justin Christian, D'Angelo Cherry, Dwight Mullings and John Bailey ran 38.96 seconds to set a new MSU record.

The foursome advance to Friday's final, which can be seen live on CBS at 6:15p.m., with the fifth best time.

“These guys ran a terrific race for us today,” coach Al Schmidt said. “It was a different team out there with John Bailey on the end and it really showed.”

In addition to the relay, Cherry continued to add to his noteworthy inaugural season with a 10.04 second 100-meter dash finish, a career best. Cherry's time gave him the No. 1 junior ranking in the nation and a ticket to the semi-final round.

Due to inclement weather, all action at John McDonnell Field was halted at the completion of the 400-meter hurdle preliminary, and is set to resume late Wednesday.

Before action came to a stop sophomore, Emanuel Mayers ran 50.71 seconds to finish third in his preliminary heat of the 400-meter hurdles to advance to Thursday's semi-final round with the 14th best time.

“We are having a really great meet up until now, but we still have a lot more to do,” Schmidt added. “We are not sure if they are going to try and complete everything tonight or if they are going to move some things around for tomorrow, but that is what we get for having nationals in the South.”

Along with Cherry, Mullings and Bailey are set to run in the 400-meter dash preliminary when competition resumes. Also scheduled to compete in the long jump are Lady Bulldogs Wendy Copeland and Priscilla Gaines.

Mississippi State will continue competition Thursday with the opening day of the women's heptathlon at 11:15 a.m. All-American Marrissa Harris and LaQuinta Aaron will suit up for the Lady Bulldogs in the heptathlon, and running events begin at 5:30 p.m. with Harris to battle in the preliminary heats of the 100-meter hurdles.