Bulldog Track & Field Remains Among Nation's Elite
STARKVILLE, Miss. - For the fourth-consecutive week, the Mississippi State men's track team is ranked in the Top 15 of the USTFCCCA polls, coming in at No. 13.
The Bulldogs are also ranked in six different events, and while the women didn't crack the polls as a team, they have players ranked in seven events.
"It's always nice when you can say you're one of the top teams nationally," MSU coach Al Schmidt said. "In track and field, you earn your rankings based on points, which gives it a little more meaning. But our focus isn't the polls. It's the SEC Championships and NCAAs."
Freshman Tavaris Tate was the highest-ranked Bulldog, coming in at No. 2 in the 400m dash after taking top honors this past weekend at the Jesse Owens Classic at Ohio State University. Not far behind him is Emanuel Mayers, who is also ranked fourth in the 400m hurdles.
Also in the Top 10 is Dwight Mullings at No. 7 in the 400m dash and 8th in the 200m dash.
In the relays, the 4x400 team of O'Neal Wilder, Mullings, Mayers and Tate is 6th, while the 4x100 relay squad of Justin Christian, Kendall May, D'Angelo Cherry and Mullings is seventh.
The Lady Bulldogs are led by Tupelo native Wendy Copeland, 19th in the long jump, and senior LaQuinta Aaron at No. 18 in the heptathlon.
"We still have work to do, but I like the direction we are headed," Schmidt said.
MSU is off this weekend, but returns to action May 13-16 at Tennessee for the SEC Championships. The NCAAs are slated for June 9-12 at the University of Oregon.
MSU Men's Rankings
100m Dash
21st Kendall May
31st Dwight Mullings
200m Dash
8th Dwight Mullings
T17th Tavaris Tate
T17th Kendall May
400m Dash
2nd Tavaris Tate
7th Dwight Mullings
34th O'Neal Wilder
49th Emanuel Mayers
400m Hurdles
4th Emanuel Mayers
4x100m Relay
7th Justin Christian, Kendall May, Dwight Mullings, D'Angelo Cherry
4x400m Relay
6th O'Neal Wilder, Dwight Mullings, Emanuel Mayers, Tavaris Tate
MSU Women's Rankings
200m Dash
35th Taneisha Baker
400m Dash
24th Jody-Ann Muir
42nd Crystal Wilson
100m Hurdles
44th Keisha Wallace
4x400m Relay
25th LaQuinta Aaron, Crystal Wilson, Taneisha Baker, Jody-Ann Muir
High Jump
43rd Jessica Merriweather
Long Jump
19th Wendy Copeland
Heptathlon
18th LaQuinta Aaron