Mississippi State
Tyson Invite (I)
State Track Teams Have Record-Breaking Day In Arkansas
February 13, 2010 | Track & Field
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - After a record breaking opening day at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., the Mississippi State track and field teams shined again on Saturday. MSU set two school records and had five all-time performances on their last day at the Randall Tyson Track Center.
"This is the kind of meet you want to have before the SEC Championships," head coach Al Schmidt said. "We had a great weekend with a lot of top performances from a lot of our athletes."
Sophomore thrower Favian Cowards started the record breaking with her 59 feet, 1.50 inch throw in the 20 lb. weight throw to place sixth. The Lady Bulldog 4x400-meter relay team (Keisha Wallace, LaQuinta Aaron, Taneisha Baker and Brittany Covington) also found out what it feels like to set a school record with their 3 minute, 43.44 second effort.
"The girls broke the record without two of our top runners in the event," Schmidt added. "They ran really well to accomplish what they did."
All-time performances began early in the competition, with Wendy Copeland's fifth-place long jump finish. Copeland jumped 20-09.25 to move her to second all-time in MSU history and earned provisional qualifying marks for the NCAA Indoor Championships. Copeland also finished twelfth in the triple jump with a season long leap of 39-05.75.
"Wendy had a great indoor meet this weekend," Schmidt added. "Her 20-09.25 jump earned her a spot in the event at NCAAs."
Distance runner Daniel Simpkins finished fifth in the men's 5,000-meter run (14:55.46), and moved to third all-time in the event. A young Lady Bulldog distance medley relay team finished in 11:57.53, which was good enough for 6th-place in the event and fifth all-time in MSU history.
State saw success in both the men's and women's 200-meter dashes. Freshman Tavaris Tate added to his noteworthy weekend with a 20.96 second fourth-place finish. Tate's time also put him the MSU history books as the fourth fastest time. Lady Bulldog Taneisha Baker ran a personal-best 24.57 seconds in the event to place her third all-time in MSU history.
"Tate had an amazing weekend," Schmidt said. "The women did a great job coming together this weekend, and should make for an interesting end to the season."
The Lady Bulldogs return to action Feb. 26 when they return to Fayetteville, for the SEC Indoor Championships.
- Friday Evening Session Results
Women
60-Meter Hurdle Consolation Final Winner: Perdita Felecian, 8.01, Nike
MSU: 5 LaQuinta Aaron, 8.52 seconds
20 lb. Weight ThrowWinner: Nikola Lomnicka, 67-06.75,Georgia
MSU: 6. Favian Cowards, 59-01.50
Long Jump Invitational Winner: Britney Reese, 21-09.00, Nike
MSU: 5.Wendy Copeland, 20-09.25
Men
60-Meter Dash Final Winner: Jeff Demps, 6.59, Florida
MSU: 3. D'Angelo Cherry,6.69
- Saturday Results
Women
High Jump Winner: Kayla Lawson, 5-10, North Carolina State
MSU: 20. Alyssa Hall, 5-3
Triple Jump Winner: Michelle Jenije, 41-11.50, Florida State
MSU: 12. Wendy Copeland, 39-05.75
200-Meter Dash Winner: Debbie Ferguson-Mckenzie, 23.04, Adidas
MSU: 41 Taneisha Baker, 24.57
3,000-Meter Run Winner: Paula Whiting, 9:49.38, Tulsa
MSU: 13. Simone Domingue, 10:20.22
Distance Medley Relay Winner: Western Michigan, 11:43.32
MSU: 6. D. Lockhart, R. Farguharson, C. Smith, C. Phillips, 11:43.32
4x400-Meter Relay Winner: Arkansas, 3:32.87
MSU: 20. K. Wallace, L. Aaron, T. Baker, B. Covington, 3:43.44
Shot Put Winner: Karen Shump, 54-06.50, Oklahoma
MSU: 24. Favian Cowards, 42-00.50; 29. LaQuinta Aaron, 37-07.75
Men
5,000-Meter Run Winner: Josh Edmonds, 14:26.28, Liberty
MSU: 5. Daniel Simpkins, 14:55.46
High Jump Winner: Willie Calvin, 6-10.75, Hinds CC
MSU: 6. Josh Tucker, 6-06.75
Triple Jump Winner: Neelon Greenwood, 51-03.50
MSU: 8. Kendrick Poullard, 48-06.75
200-Meter Dash Winner: Alonso Edward, 20.70, Adidas
MSU: 4. Tavaris Tate, 20.96; 16. Dwight Mullings, 21.32; 67. Alex Richter, 22:34
