Mullings, 4x200-Meter Relay Team Win Texas Relays Titles
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AUSTIN, Texas ?€“?€“ The Mississippi State University men's outdoor track and field squad ended the 2005 Texas Relays on Saturday afternoon with junior Steve Mullings winning the 100-meter dash and the 4x200-meter relay team taking top honors. With the two wins, MSU won its fifth and sixth trophies at the event over a four-year period. The meet was held at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the University of Texas campus.
"I think it's evident that we've become a national powerhouse," said MSU head coach Al Schmidt. "In four years, we've come away with six trophies at this meet. There are teams that go decades without winning here. Steve (Mullings) has incredible talent. I am very happy with our performance."
Mullings' 10.06 time in the 100 final ties his personal best set a week ago at the MSU-hosted Bulldog Invitational. The regional qualifying mark ranks as the third fastest in school history and is the fastest time posted in the NCAA this season.
The mark breaks a Texas Relays record held since 1976 by Ed Preston of Arkansas State. The time also ties the Myers Stadium record set last season by Tyson Gay, a former teammate of Mullings at Barton Co. (Kansas) CC.
The 4x200-meter relay team of Mullings, senior all-American Jamel Ashley, sophomore all-American Arthur Davis and senior all-American LaChristopher Lewis won in 1 minute, 21.62 seconds. Davis' third leg clocked a time of19.8 seconds into the wind.
The third-place 4x100 team of sophomore Eliott Morant, Ashley, Mullings and Lewis finished in a regional qualifying and season best 39.09. The mark ties a two-year old school record set in 2003 by Lewis, Marquis Davis, Glenn McFadden and Pierre Browne.
In the 4x400-meter relay, State's tandem of Ashley, Davis, freshman Elzie Coleman and Lewis met a regional qualifying mark with their sixth-place and season-best 3:05.45 showing.
The Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs return home on Saturday, April 16, to host the Jace Lacoste Invitational.