MSU Looks To Have Top Performances At Penn Relays
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Competing in front of what is expected to be nearly 40,000 people, the Mississippi State track and field teams will travel to Philadelphia, Pa., to contend at the 116th running at the prestigious 2010 Penn Relays, starting at 10:00 a.m. Thursday with the College Women's 400-meter Hurdles.
ESPN2 will broadcast selected events on a tape-delayed basis, beginning at 8 p.m. on Saturday.
"The Penn Relays is our chance to compete in the 4x100-, 4x200- and 4x400-meter relays alongside top ranked Texas A&M, SEC foe Florida and teams from Jamaica," said 22nd year coach Al Schmidt, whose men's team is currently ranked No. 10 nationally.
Competing in the men's top ranked 4x400-meter relay event are MSU hopefuls O'Neal Wilder, Dwight Mullings, Tavaris Tate and Kendall May.
Sophomores Justin Christian and Cherry are set to compete in the open 100-meter dash at this week's meet.
Battling some of the best schools in the country, the Lady Bulldogs' 4x200-meter hurdles and 4x400-meter relay teams of Crystal Wilson, LaQuinta Aaron, Jody-Ann Muir and Taneisha Baker are within seconds of setting a two school records at the Penn Relays.
MSU hopefuls Keshia Wallace, LaQuinta Aaron, Racquel Farguharson and Talisha Lee will bid for the number one spot in the Women's 4x100-meter college women's shuttle hurdle.
In the women's field events, Senior Wendy Copeland looks to finish out her final season on top in the long jump with high marks before the SEC Outdoor Championship.
"This is the first of three rounds of championships that we will compete in this season, and we are pretty excited to dual it out against some of the best teams in the nation and Jamaica," Schmidt said.