Track & Field Teams In Top 25 Going Into SEC Championships
May 09, 2016 | Track & Field
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Heading into the SEC Championships this week, both Mississippi State track and field teams find themselves ranked in the Top 25 of the USTFCCCA rankings.
The men's team comes in at No. 13, while the women are ranked No. 16.
“It's great to be ranked heading into the conference championships, but we are headed into the toughest field this weekend,” MSU coach Steve Dudley said. “There are a lot of talented teams in the SEC and we are one of them. We've got to be prepared to compete this weekend and show how strong of a team we are.”
After a standout performance at the Jace LaCoste Invite, Brandon McBride continues to lead the nation in the 800m run. McBride recorded a time of 1:44.63, which is the third-fastest time in NCAA history.
Also holding on to the No. 1 spot in the country is senior Marta Freitas in the 1500m run. Freitas leads the nation in the event with a time of 4:11.52 from the Virginia Challenge. Not far behind Freitas is teammate Ffion Price in the 18th spot with a time of 4:17.47.
Freitas is also ranked in the Top 20 of the 800m run. Her season-best time of 2:04.16 came at the LSU Battle on the Bayou, which ranks her No. 15.
Curtis Thompson threw a MSU school record 265-10 in the javelin at the Florida State Relays. He ranks second in the event nationally.
Another standout for the women's team is senior Erica Bougard. Bougard enters her last SEC Championships as a Bulldog ranked No. 2 in the country in the high jump with a clearance of 6-02. The Byhalia, Miss., native is additionally ranked No. 28 in the long jump and No. 20 in the 100m hurdles.
Distance runners Cornelia Griesche and Antonia Hehr rank in the Top 48 in the country in the 3000m steeplechase. Ranked 12th, Griesche's best time of the season is 10:00.96, while Hehr's personal-best 10:13.49 ranks her No. 30th. Both times were ran at the Virginia Challenge.
High jumper Seth Peace has been another Bulldog to watch this season. Peace is ranked No. 28 in the nation after clearing a personal-best 7-01 at the Battle of the Bayou.
Two Bulldogs rank in the Top 30 in the 400m dash. For the men's team is Alfred Larry in 17th with a time of 45.94, while Shayla Luckett ranks No. 30 on the women's side with a time of 52.74.
On the track, Rodrigo Rocha posted a time of 20.77 in the 200m dash which is the 40th best time of the season.
Freshmen Vince Castillo and Rasheed Tatham have been excelling in the 400m hurdles over the season. Castillo ranks 27th in the event with a time of 51.24, while Tatham, with a time of 54.69, lands at No. 45.
Both the men and women's relay teams currently rank in the Top 48 nationally. The men's season best came at the Florida Relays with a time of 3:04.99 ran by Vince Castillo, Juston Waters, Alfred Larry and Rasheed Tatham ranks No.12. The women's time of 3:35.12 ranks 44th ran by Bougard, Luckett, Kimari Martin and Ste'yce McNeil at the LSU Alumni Gold meet.
Rocha, Lawrence Crawford, Charles Taylor and Philip Smith ran the 4x100m relay at the Florida State with a time of 39.60 that ranks 24th.
The SEC continues to lead the nation with 10 women's teams ranked with Kentucky capturing the No. 1 Spot. On the men's side there are nine teams in the Top 25 with Texas A&M in the No. 1 spot on the men's side.
Both MSU teams will lace up to begin the SEC Championships Thursday, May 12. The Championships will take place in Tuscaloosa at the Sam Bailey Track & Field Stadium.
For more information on the MSU track and field teams visit HailState.com and follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@HailStateTF).
Women's Top 25
1. Kentucky; 2. Arkansas; 3. Oregon; 4. Southern California; 5. Texas; 6. Florida; 7. LSU; 8. Stanford; 9. Kansas State; 10. Texas A&M; 11. Georgia; 12. New Mexico; 13. Tennessee; 14. Harvard; 15. Oklahoma; 16. Mississippi State; 17. Miami (Fla.); 18. Oklahoma State; 19. Texas Tech; 20. Baylor; 21. Wisconsin; 22. Arizona; 23. Nebraska; 24. Auburn; 25. Ole Miss.
Men's Top 25
1. Texas A&M; 2. Florida; 3. LSU; 4. Arkansas; 5. Texas; 6. Georgia; 7. Oregon; 8. Texas Tech; 9. Alabama; 10. Virginia Tech; 11. Virginia; 12. Syracuse; 13. Mississippi State; 14. Minnesota; 15. Penn State; 16. UCLA; 17. Stanford;18. Northern Arizona; 19. Houston; 20. BYU; 21. North Carolina A&T; 22. South Carolina; 23. Kansas; 24. TCU; 25. Middle Tennessee
