Mississippi State
UAB-Samford Invitational (I)
Bulldogs Traveled To Alabama And Iowa For Weekend Action
February 12, 2012 | Track & Field
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - After splitting the team for a two day stint at the Birmingham Crossplex for the Vulcan Invitational and a two day venture in Iowa for the Iowa State Classic, Mississippi State's indoor track and field team is heading home to begin preparations for the championship slate of their season.
"We decided to divide the team for this weekend's competition," coach Steve Dudley said. By maximizing our time and competing in multiple meets, we are able to get more track time under our feet, as well as continuing to compete against some of the best in the nation."
Action at the Invitational began on Friday evening and saw the Lady Bulldogs pick up one victory and four Top 5 finishes. Claiming top honors for the Maroon and White were Katie Huston, Kanishia Carey, Dominique Lockhart and Renee Masterson whose combined efforts led the way in the distance medley relay (11:59.67).
Rochelle Farquharson was next for the Lady Bulldogs, as her length of 19-00 ½ placed her third in the long jump, just ahead of teammate Erica Bougard (18-07 ¾) who finished fourth. Alyssa Hall picked up the next Top 5 as she finished fourth in the high jump (5-07). Rochelle Farquharson's sister Racquel picked up the fourth Top 5 for MSU as she finished third in the 60-meter hurdles preliminaries with a time of 8.61, enough for a spot in Saturday's finals.
Friday also saw a handful of MSU men compete, where they again claimed top honors in the distance medley relay and picked up an additional five Top 5 finishes. Members of the winning distance medley relay team were Juan Sanchez, Garren Hendricks, Steve Shoto and Cameron Vernier (10:07.91).
Top 5 honors went to Ed Wesela who was second in the shot put (56-10 ¾), Trevarus Christian (24-04 ¼) and Jarrett Samuels (23-11 ½) who were second and fourth in the long jump, Julian Duarte whose time of 15:19.59 placed him third in the 5000-meter run and Nathan Arnett, who rounded out the Bulldog Top 5's with his fourth place finish in the 60-meter hurdles. Arnett's time of 8:05 also earned him a spot in Saturday's finals.
Saturday's competition began with the women's weight throw where Favian Cowards (59-02 ¼) picked up a second place finish. Following Cowards into competition was Ebony Brinker (40-04 ¼) and Bougard (39-05 ¼) who finished sixth and seventh in the triple jump. Up next was a pair of Top 10 finishes as Brittany Covington (56.55) and Carey (56.58) placed fifth and sixth in the 400-meter dash.
Racquel Farquharson picked up her second Top 5 finish of the weekend as she ran 8.59 to finish third in the 60-meter hurdles, just ahead of teammate Bougard (8.84) who finished ninth. Masterson (9:58.55), Anna Jarman (10:06.78) and Jodie McGuff (10:27.61) closed out the Lady Bulldog individual competition as they finished fourth, seventh and 20th in the 3000-meter Run.
Competing Saturday for the Bulldogs were Top 10 finishers Josh Tucker (6-06 ¾) in the high jump, Randy Patterson (49.25) who took eighth in the 400m dash, Justin Christian (6.97) who was tenth in the 60-meter Dash, Jason Harper (49-11 ¼) who finished second in the triple jump and Nathan Arnett whose time of 8.09 placed him fourth in the 60-meter hurdles. John Valentine (8:32.58), Robert McIllece (8:41.56) and Michael Clark (8:42.18) rounded out the individual competition for the Bulldogs as they placed 11th, 15th and 18th in the 3000-meter run.
Vulcan Invitational competition closed with the men's and women's 4x400-meter relays, where the MSU women finished second, while the men were first. Claiming second place honors were Jody-Ann Muir, Bougard, Ocian Archer and Covington who ran 3:45.66, while the foursome of Patterson, Arnett, Samuels and T. Christian ran 3:16.97 to secure their victory.
In other weekend competition a select group of Bulldogs traveled to Iowa to compete in the Iowa State Classic. Tavaris Tate started things off for the group as he ran 46.68 to finish first in the 400-meter dash, just ahead of teammate Daundre Barnaby who was third with a time of 47.38. Tate and Barnaby then teamed up with James Harris and Emanuel Mayers as the foursome ran 3:07.75 to finish first in the 4x400-meter relay and set a new MSU all-time record.
"As we come to the end of the regular season, it is time to change our focus," Dudley stated. "We have to start pushing ourselves more than ever and get our minds set for the championships. This is it, the last time to prove ourselves and we have to be ready to compete."
Upon return home, MSU will begin preparations for the championship portion of the schedule, as the Lady Bulldogs will be heading to Lexington, Ky., for the SEC Championships; while the men will be heading to Albuquerque, NM for the USA Indoor Championships.
Vulcan Invitational
Friday's Results
Women
Long Jump: Julienne McKee, Georgia Tech, 20-01 ½
MSU: 3. Rochelle Farquharson, 19-00 ½; 4. Erica Bougard, 18-07 ¾
60m Dash Prelims: Stephanie Kalu, 7.50
MSU: 14. Candice Polk, 7.76
60m Hurdles Prelims: Vonette Dixon, Unattached, 8.17
MSU: 3. Racquel Farquharson, 8.61; 10. Erica Bougard, 8.81
Distance Medley Relay: MSU, Huston, Carey, Lockhart, Masterson, 11:59.67
High Jump: Jane Doolittle, Unattached, 5-10 ¾
MSU: 4. Alyssa Hall, 5-07; 11. Abigail Dill, 5-03
Men
Mile Run: Chris Moen, Appalachian State, 4:10.16
MSU: 14. Carson Britton, 4:22.55; 20. Philip Johnson, 4:24.17; 25. Chad Moore, 4:26.76
Pole Vault: Michael Seaman, Samford, 17-04 ½
MSU: 18. John Bourgeouis, 13-07 ¼; 20. Trevarus Christian, 13-01 ½
Shot Put: Robert Collingwood, Southern Miss, 57-02 ¼
MSU: 2. Ed Wesela, 56-10 ¾
60m Dash Prelims: Justin Sims, Southern Miss, 6.75
MSU: 13. Garren Hendricks, 6.93; 15. Justin Christian, 6.95
60m Hurdles Prelims: Ty Akins, Unattached, 7.82
MSU: 4. Nathan Arnett, 8.05; 14. Trevarus Christian, 8.37
Long Jump: Alphonso Jordan, Unattached, 24-05
MSU: 2. Trevarus Christian, 24-04 ¼; 4. Jarrett Samuels, 23-11 ½
Distance Medley: MSU, Sanchez, Hendricks, Shoto, Vernier, 10:07.91
5000m Run: Dan Kuhman, Memphis, 14:56.46
MSU: 3. Julian Duarte, 15:19.59
Saturday's Results
Women
Weight Throw: Cyarra Wells, Memphis, 61-06 ¾
MSU: 2. Favian Cowards, 59-02 ¼
400m Dash: Ajoke Odumosu, Unattached, 53.11
MSU: 5. Brittany Covington, 56.55; 6. Kanisha Carey, 56.58
60m Dash: Alie Israel-Thomas, Unattached, 7.45
MSU: 10. Candice Polk, 7.90
60m Hurdles: Vonette Dixon, Unattached, 8.15
MSU: 3. Racquel Farquharson, 8.59; 9. Erica Bougard, 8.84
800m Run: Jessica Thornton, Birmingham-Southern, 2:13.49
MSU: 15. Chelsea Rae Smyth, 2:17.59; 26. Dominique Lockhart, 2:21.79
Triple Jump: Sheena Gordon, Unattached, 44-01 ¼
MSU: 6. Ebony Brinker, 40-04 ¼; 7. Erica Bougard, 39-05 ¼
3000m Run: Rhi Jones, Unattached, 9:24.28
MSU: 4. Renee Masterson, 9:58.55; 7. Anna Jarman, 10:06.78; 20. Jodie McGuff, 10:27.61
4x400m Relay: Memphis, 3:45.40
MSU: 2. Muir, Bougard, Archer, Covington, 3:45.66
Men
High Jump: Darius Purcell, Appalachian State, 7-00 ¼
MSU: 7. Josh Tucker, 6-06 ¾
400m Dash: Michael Mathieu, Unattached, 46.62
MSU: 8. Randy Patterson, 49.25
60m Dash: Neko Freeman, Troy, 6.75
MSU: 10. Justin Christian, 6.97; 13. Garren Hendricks, 7.02
60m Hurdles: Ty Akins, Unattached, 7.82
MSU: 4. Nathan Arnett, 8.09
800m Run: Robert Willett, Birmingham-Southern, 1:51.23
MSU: 22. Steve Shoto, 1:57.99; 24. Juan Sanchez, 1:58.13
3000m Run: Darren Brown, Unattached, 8:12.94
MSU: 11. John Valentine, 8:32.58; 15. Robert McIllece, 8:41.56; 18. Michael Clark, 8:42.18
4x400m Relay: MSU, Patterson, Arnett, Samuels, T. Christian, 3:16.97
Triple Jump: Alphonso Jordan, Unattached, 53-09
MSU: 2. Jason Harper, 49-11 ¼
Iowa State Classic
4x400m Relay: MSU, Harris, Barnaby, Mayers, Tate, 3:07.75
400m Dash Non-Seeded: Tavaris Tate, MSU, 46.68
MSU: 3. Daundre Barnaby, 47.38
