Women?s Track & Field Jumps To No. 12 In The Rankings
STARKVILLE, Miss. – After earning the highest finish in school history at the SEC Indoor Championships, the Mississippi State women’s track and field team moved up six spots to No. 12 in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Rankings.
At the SEC Indoor Championships this past weekend, the Bulldogs brought home seventh place and broke three school records, while senior Erica Bougard was also chosen as the 2015 SEC Women’s MVP.
“This team continues to progress at each meet,” MSU coach Steve Dudley said. “They have been making history this whole season and words cannot describe how proud I am to coach this team.”
Bougard recorded the MSU top time in the 60m hurdles after running a time of 8.03 in the preliminaries. She went on to finish third overall. Bougard also set the school record in the high jump this weekend after clearing 5-11.25 to finish fourth.
In the pole vault, junior Sydney Rodkey also set a school record after clearing 12-08.75 to finish 10th.
Also in the field, senior Ebony Brinker, who holds the 17th best leap in the triple jump in the nation, finished sixth in the SEC Championships with a jump of 42-04.25.
Sophomore Rhianwedd Price finished second in the mile after running a time of 4:32.74. Price’s time is the second fastest time in school history and the seventh fastest in the NCAA this season.
The SEC leads the nation with eight teams ranked in the Top 25, including Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Missouri and LSU.
The women’s team was previously ranked No. 18 going into the SEC Championships. The men’s team is now ranked No. 46 after previously being ranked No. 41.
At the Spire Invitational earlier this season, junior Brandon McBride ran a school record time of 1:46.80 in the 800m run, which is the third fastest time in the NCAA.
With a leap of 52-03.25 in the triple jump, senior Jason Harper holds the 16th best leap in the NCAA.
Next up for the MSU track teams is the NCAA Championships, which will be held on March 12 – 14 in Fayetteville, Ark.
For additional information on the MSU track and field teams visit HailState.com or follow on Twitter (@HailStateTF).
Top 25
1. Arkansas
2. Georgia
3. Florida
4. Kentucky
5. Texas
6. Kansas State
7. Oregon
8. Texas A&M
9. Baylor
10. Southern California
11. Michigan State
12. Mississippi State
13. Georgetown
14. Wisconsin
15. Clemson
16. Akron
17. Southern Illinois
18. Missouri
19. Providence
20. LSU
21. Stanford
22. Florida State
23. Texas Tech
24. Iona
25. Notre Dame