Mississippi State To Open Outdoor Track And Field Season
STARKVILLE, Miss. - A new chapter opens for Mississippi State track and field, as outdoor season opens Saturday with the Louisiana Classics in Lafayette.
"We are excited to face the challenge of outdoor track and field," coach Steve Dudley said. "Competing outdoors brings on a whole new set of extremes that you have to contend with, but our athletes are ready to get back together as a team and to face whatever challenge comes their way."
The Bulldogs are hungry to return to competition, after the team closed the 2011 season by tying for 20th at the NCAA Championships. Highlighting the 2012 season will be James Harris, Marcus Jackson, Tavaris Tate, D'Angelo Cherry, Emanuel Mayers and Daundre Barnaby, who were all recently named All-Americans at the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championships.
Also joining in the quest for national prominence is senior Ed Wesela, who is looking to close his time at MSU on top. Wesela is returning to action, after a successful 2011 campaign that saw him earn All-SEC honors at the SEC Championships last season.
The Lady Bulldogs are also looking to capitalize off of previously proven athletes, like Erica Bougard who earned All-American, All-SEC and All-SEC Freshman statuses during the indoor season.
Joining Bougard in the campaign will be 2011 Outdoor SEC Champion Rochelle Farquharson, who is looking to defend her long jump title, as well as Favian Cowards, who hopes to add outdoor weight throw honors to her 2012 Indoor SEC Championship.
Action at the Cajuns Track/Soccer Facility gets underway at 10 a.m. Saturday and will feature 10 field and 22 running events. Among the field of competitors for the Maroon and White will be SEC foes LSU, Nicholls State, South Alabama, Louisiana Tech and meet host Louisiana-Lafayette.
Live results for the meet can be found at RaginCajuns.com