Track And Field Looks To Improve At Southern Miss Invite
STARKVILLE, Miss. - With the SEC Championships right around the corner, the Mississippi State men’s and women’s track and field teams head to Hattiesburg, Miss., for the Southern Miss Invitational with national qualifications at stake.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs will have 33 athletes competing in the invitational.
“The end of the regular season is fast approaching,” MSU coach Steve Dudley said. “These athletes have put in a lot of effort and we are hoping to set good times and distances this weekend in Hattiesburg.”
Seven student-athletes will represent the No. 18 nationally ranked MSU men’s squad in the 100m dash, highlighted by Rodrigo Rocha who has a season best time of 10.56.
Jovan Davis, who finished seventh in the 400m hurdles at the Mt. SAC relay, will compete in the same event seeking to improve last week’s time of 51.80. Competing alongside Davis will be Wesley White and Justin Pizarro. Davis will also be competing in the 800m run.
With the 18th best throw in the nation of 190-04, Tautvydas Kieras will attempt to better that mark in the discus throw this weekend.
On the women’s side, Euricka Hardy and Brianna Smith will compete in the 100m and 200m events.
Ste’yce McNeil will also take part in the 100m run, prior to the 400m hurdles. Her teammate Tiffany Flynn will be competing in the 100m hurdles.
Freshman Logan Boss, sophomore Deja Givens and senior Abigail Dill will be the trio of Bulldogs who will compete in the high jump. Also competing in the field for the Bulldogs will be Sydney Rodkey, Chelsea McDaniel, Jesse Austin, Carl Pittman and Jaquarius Wilson in the pole vault.
Throwers Sasha-Gaye Marston and Haley Reynolds will take part in the discus and shot put at the meet.
Concluding action for the Maroon and White will be Rocha, James Anderson and Marshall Nunn in the 200m run.
The invitational is a one-day meet for the Bulldogs that will take place Saturday. Action begins at 10 a.m., with the women’s pole vault. This will be MSU’s last regular season meet away from Starkville prior to hosting the Jace LaCoste Invitational next weekend.
For additional information on the MSU track and field teams visit HailState.com or follow on Twitter (@HailStateTF).