Hodge Breaks School Record In Steeplechase At Alabama Relays
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The Mississippi State University men's and women's outdoor track and field squads closed out day three of the Alabama Relays with junior Meggan Hodge (Beaumont, Alberta/Beaumont Composite) breaking her own school record in the 3000-meter steeplechase.
"The biggest part of the day was Meggan (Hodge) qualifying for regionals, setting an Alabama Relays record and a new stadium record," said MSU head coach Al Schmidt. "It was a great performance for her first time out since redshirting last year. Her performance shows that she's back. We needed a lift on the women's side in a big way."
Hodge won the steeplechase in 10 minutes, 50.44 seconds, a regional qualifying time, new Alabama Relays record and new Sam Bailey Track record. The mark bests her previous record of 10:56.02 set at the 2003 Texas Relays.
Sophomore Matt Whalen (West Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) won the hammer with a throw of 178-4.
In their first outdoor competition for the Maroon and White, Natalie Neely (Mobile, Ala./McGill-Toolen) and Dominique Rogers (Starkville, Miss./Starkville) set new freshmen records in their respective events. Neely cleared 10-6 to finish eighth in the pole vault, while Rogers finished third in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:03.66.
In other men's action, Calvin Wyche (Miami, Fla./Northwestern) set a personal best in the 110-meter hurdles, finishing sixth in 14.78. In the long jump, junior Kendall Pyant II (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit) leaped 23-9 1/2 to finish fourth. Freshman Keith Hewlett (Detroit, Mich./Mumford) finished ninth with a personal best jump of 22-8 1/2. Austin Golding (Vicksburg, Miss./St. Aloysius) placed ninth in the javelin.
Action resumes Sunday morning at the Sam Bailey Track and Field Complex on the University of Alabama campus. The day's first event is the women's hammer throw, scheduled for 8 a.m.