Mississippi State
SEC Championships (I)
Record Breaking Day For MSU At SEC Championships
February 27, 2012 | Track & Field
"We had a great day of competition today," coach Steve Dudley said, "Our athletes continue to work towards the vision of constantly improving, and it is that work that got us our results today."
On her sixth throw of the day senior Favian Cowards threw a personal best 66-05 to win MSU's first SEC Championship in the weight throw. Cowards throw also set a new MSU all time record and earned her a spot on the all SEC team.
"This was my goal to win SEC and make it to nationals my senior year and it happened," said Cowards. "Now we are just going to hit it hard these next two weeks and hopefully I get an All-American before I get out of here."
Cowards' performance paved the way for the rest of the Lady Bulldogs who went on to score a school record 35 points to finish seventh, behind Florida who claimed the SEC Championship title with 132 points. Not only was MSU's 35 points a school record, but the seventh place finish is also the best ever for the school.
Following Cowards 10 points, Ebony Brinker (46-06.25) had a new personal best and scored the next points for MSU as she collected one point for her eighth place finish in the triple jump, followed by Jessica Merriweather who received four points for her fifth place finish in the high jump. Merriweather's jump of 5-10.50 was also a new school record and a personal best for the senior. Keisha Wallace (8.24) was next as she finished fourth in the 60 meter hurdles to pick up five points, establish a personal best and set a new school record. The Lady Bulldogs last points of the day came from the 4x400 meter relay squad. The foursome of Jody Ann Muir, Ocian Archer, Kanishia Carey and Erica Bougard ran a school best 3:39.40 to finish seventh and pick up two points.
Also competing for the Lady Bulldogs was Anna Jarman (17:21.24) who had a personal best time and was 14th in the 5000 meter run, Alyssa Hall (5-04.25) who was 21st in the high jump and the distance medley quartet of Katie Huston, Brittney Covington, Chelsea Rae Smyth and Renee Masterson whose time of 11:45.14 placed them 10th. Muir saw double action as she also navigated the track in the 400 meter dash where she finished ninth, with a personal best time of 53.70.
While the MSU women were wrapping SEC action, Tavaris Tate and D'Angelo Cherry represented the Bulldogs at the USA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, N.M. Tate started things off as he ran 46.30 to finish sixth in the 400 meter dash. Cherry was next as he took third in the 60 meter dash with his time of 6.58.
After returning home, MSU will begin preparations for the Last Chance Qualifier meet on March 2-3 in Birmingham, Ala.
SEC Championship Results
Weight Throw: Favian Cowards, MSU, 66-05
High Jump: Krystle Schade, Alabama, 6-02
MSU: 5. Jessica Merriweather, 5-10.50; 21. Alyssa Hall, 5-04.25
Triple Jump: Colleen Felix, Georgia, 42-08.25
MSU: 8. Ebony Brinker, 40-06.25; 9. Erica Bougard, 40-04
60m Hurdles: Jasmin Stowers, LSU, 8.03
MSU: 4. Keisha Wallace, 8.24
400m Dash: Rebecca Alexander, LSU, 52.77
MSU: 9. Jody Ann Muir, 53.70
5000m Run: Florence Ngetich, Florida, 16:12.64
MSU: 14. Anna Jarman, 17:21.24
Distance Medley: Tennessee, 11:12.23
MSU: 10. Huston, Covington, Smyth, Masterson, 11:45.14
4x400m Relay: LSU, 3:34.02
MSU: 7. Muir, Archer, Carey, Bougard, 3:39.31
Overall Team Scores
1. Florida 132
2. LSU 109
3. Arkansas 99
4. Tennessee 68
5. Georgia 52
6. Auburn 59
7. Mississippi State 35
8. Ole Miss 34
9. Alabama 32
10. South Carolina 31
11. Vanderbilt 15
12. Kentucky 7
USA Indoor Championships
400m Dash: Gil Roberts, Unattached, 45.39
MSU: 6. Tavaris Tate, 46.30
60m Dash: Trell Kimmons, Adidas, 6.45
MSU: 3. D'Angelo Cherry, 6.58
Players Mentioned
