Bulldogs Ranked No. 8 in Latest USTFCCCA Poll
STARKVILLE, Miss. - For the first time this year, only marks from the current season were used to determine the USTFCCCA rankings, and as a result, Mississippi State jumped up 2 spots to No. 8.
"This is the point in the season where you really get to see how you measure up," coach Steve Dudley said. "Only this season's times are used, so there is no skewing for last year's scoring."
The Bulldog's No. 8 ranking is a result of 10 athletes that competed their way into individual Top 25 rankings, including Tavaris Tate and Jarrett Samuels, who both currently stand at No. 2 in their respective events.
Tate's ranking comes in the 400-meter dash, where he put up the No. 2 time of 45.45 at LSU Invitational. Joining Tate in the 400-meter category are teammates James Harris (45.58) and Daundre Barnaby (46.08), at No. 5 and No. 18 respectively. Tate, Harris and Barnaby join forces with Emanuel Mayers to pick up a relay ranking as the foursome ran 3:03.12 at the LSU Invitational to place them second in the 4x400-meter category.
Samuels earned is No. 2 rankings at the Texas Relays, as the freshman jumped 26-2.25 in the long jump. Samuels then teamed up with familiar faces Tate and Harris, and added D'Angelo Cherry to the mix to claim a sixth place ranking in the 4x100-meter relay (39.17).
Mayers (50.32) picked up his second ranking with his No. 5 time in the 400-meter hurdles, ahead of teammate Nathan Arnett, whose time of 51.26 ranks him 23rd. A pair of jumpers closed out the Bulldog rankings as Marcus Jackson (7-2.50) ranks 12th in the high jump, while Jason Harper (51-2.75) stands at 22nd in the triple jump.
"Our men have had a successful year thus far," Dudley stated. "That success is certainly reflected by numerous Top 25 rankings, as well as a No. 8 team ranking."
While the Lady Bulldogs are not ranked as a team, they also have multiple athletes ranked individually in their respective events.
Keisha Wallace holds the highest ranking for the Lady Bulldogs, as she's the No. 6 in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.97, ahead of Racquel Farquharson who stands at 23rd with her time of 13.37. Wallace's sixth place spot is followed closely by Jody-Ann Muir (52.47), who picks up a seventh-place ranking in the 400-meter dash.
Reigning Indoor SEC Champion Favian Cowards picked up the next Maroon and White ranking, as she threw 199-7 to land at No. 19 in the hammer throw. Erica Bougard rounds out the individual rankings, as she finds herself 21st in the heptathlon with 5,382 points.
Muir and Bougard closed out the Lady Bulldog rankings by joining forces with Kanishia Carey and Ocian Archer to run the 23rd best 4x400-meter relay time.
"Our ladies might not be ranked as a team, but if they continue to compete individually the way they are right now, it is only a matter of time before that ranking emerges," added Dudley.
MSU will next see action as they travel to Philadelphia for the historic Penn Relays on April 26-28.
MSU Men's Rankings
100m Dash
27th D'Angelo Cherry
400m Dash
2nd Tavaris Tate
5th James Harris
18th Daundre Barnaby
110m Hurdles
33rd Nathan Arnett
400m Hurdles
5th Emanuel Mayers
23rd Nathan Arnett
4x100m Relay
6th Tate, Cherry, Samuels, Harris
4x400m Relay
2nd Harris, Mayers, Barnaby, Tate
High Jump
12th Marcus Jackson
47th James Harris
Long Jump
2nd Jarrett Samuels
Triple Jump
22nd Jason Harper
Shot Put
36th Ed Wesela
MSU Women's Rankings
400m Dash
7th Jody-Ann Muir
100m Hurdles
6th Keisha Wallace
23rd Racquel Farquharson
4x100m Relay
49th Muir, Farquharson, Bougard, Wallace
4x400m Relay
23rd Muir, Bougard, Carey, Archer
Heptathlon
21st Erica Bougard
Long Jump
43rd Erica Bougard
Hammer Throw
19th Favian Cowards