From the Wire: Ole Miss track & field scores 34 entries to NCAA East Regional

This Ole Miss track and field story was provided by Ole Miss Athletics Media Relations

OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss track & field will once again send a large group to the regional meet when 30 Rebel student-athletes will represent Ole Miss in 34 events at the 2022 NCAA East Region Preliminary Round Championships, this year held at Indiana University on May 25-28.

The Rebel women led the way with 23 entries from 19 athletes, while the Rebel men tallied 11 entries from 11 athletes. Among those are a total of eight Ole Miss student-athletes competing in their first regional meet (three women, five men). Six Rebel women will be doubling, with Jalani Davis trying to repeat as a national tripler in the shot put, discus and hammer.

To qualify for this first round of the NCAA Championships, student-athletes must have finished the season ranked within the top-48 of their individual events or as a member of a top-24 relay team on their respective regional qualifying list (East or West), which was released by the NCAA on Thursday. The top-12 athletes in the men’s decathlon and women’s heptathlon in the East and West automatically receive entry to the national meet.

From there, the top-12 finalists in each event at each regional meet advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, which this year returns to the University of Oregon and the recently renovated Hayward Field on June 8-11.

The 34 total entries for Ole Miss ties for the second-most in school history.

The Rebels trail only 43 entries last season in 2021. In seven years at Ole Miss, head coach Connie Price-Smith has averaged 31.0 athletes and 34.3 entries at the regional meet, and from there she has sent an average of 12.4 athletes and 11.0 entries to the national meet. In her Ole Miss tenure, she has mentored two NCAA Outdoor Champions (Raven Saunders, shot put, 2016; Janeah Stewart, hammer, 2018), 53 outdoor First or Second-Team All-Americans (33 women, 20 men) and brought the Rebels three national top-25 team finishes outdoors – with the Rebel men tying for 14th in 2017 and the women taking 20th in 2018 and 22nd in 2016.

The Rebel throwers lead the way on the women’s side with eight total entries, led by All-American junior Jalani Davis, who is attempting to repeat as a tripler at the national meet. Last season, Davis was the only thrower – male or female – to triple at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, and was one of only two in the entire meet alongside Tyra Gittens, then of Texas A&M. This year, Davis enters the regional meet with two top-10 marks in the shot put (6th, 17.73m/58-2) and hammer (8th, 65.84m/216-0), and she enters ranked No. 21 in the discus at her SEC bronze medal winning toss of 53.75m/176-4.

Two more Rebel women’s throwers will also be doubling next week, with Jasmine Mitchell competing in the hammer (13th, 63.80m/209-4) and shot put (41st, 15.62m/51-3), and SEC discus silver medalist Tedreauna Britt in the discus (18th, 54.36m/178-4) and shot put (21st, 16.44m/53-11.25).

Also competing for Ole Miss in the women’s hammer is senior Deborah Bulai, who enters No. 25 in the East at her career-best toss of 61.41m/201-6 from the SEC Outdoor Championships last week.

The Ole Miss women’s 4×100-meter relay will be looking for its seventh consecutive national ticket, and all four Rebels will be pulling double duty in Bloomington next week. The quartet of Olivia Womack, Ariyonna Augustine, Jayda Eckford and Kelly Rowe enter seeded No. 8 at their SEC fourth-place time of 43.60 – the second-fastest in school history. All three have experience on national qualifying relays for the Rebels, with Augustine also owning regional experience during her time at LSU. Womack, Eckford and Rowe have all earned at least one Second-Team honor with a 4×100-meter relay outdoors, while Eckford was a First-Team All-American this indoor season on the distance medley relay.

Eckford owns the top individual seed of the group.

She was ranked No. 24 in the 200-meter dash at her season-best of 23.21 (+1.6). Eckford punched her ticket to the national outdoor meet individually as a freshman in 2019, where she finished with Second-Team All-America honors in both the 200 and the 4×100-meter relay.

The other three Rebel women’s relay runners doubling next week are Womack in the 200-meter dash (38th, 23.46/-0.3), Augustine in the 200 (44th, 23.52/+2.3) and Rowe in the 100 (46th, 11.52/+0.9).

Six Rebel women’s distance runners will represent Ole Miss at Indiana as well, led by SEC 1500-meter champion Sintayehu Vissa. The junior native of Bertiolo, Italy, owns the top seed time at her blistering 4:08.72 run at the conference meet last week, which demolished her own school record by eight seconds and which stands as the 16th-fastest time in NCAA history, as well as the No. 2 overall time both in the NCAA and by an Italian this season. It’s also the fourth-fastest 1500-meter ever run on American soil by an Italian woman.

Vissa also held one of the top times in the 800-meter at 2:01.06, but chose to focus on the 1500 instead. That 800-meter time is the fastest run by an Italian this season and the 13th-fastest ever, and it is the fastest run by an Italian on U.S. soil since Olympic gold medalist Gabriella Doiro at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Combined with her SEC fifth-place 5K time of 15:56.86, Vissa stands as the only woman in the NCAA this outdoor season to run sub-2:02 (800m), sub-4:10 (1500m) and sub-16:00 (5K).

Other Rebel women’s distance runners competing include SEC 10K silver medalist Skylar Boogerd.

Boogerd will participate in the 10K (34th, 34:11.87), Loral Winn in the 1500-meter (17th, 4:16.32), Kristel van den Berg in the 3000-meter steeplechase (17th, 10:05.75), Anna Elkin in the 5K (29th, 16:04.94) and Morgan Claire Rose in the steeplechase (36th, 10:18.64). This is the first career regional meet for Rose.

Ole Miss will also have three representatives in the women’s pole vault. SEC bronze medalist and indoor All-American Lyndsey Reed is looking for a return trip to Eugene. She enters seeded No. 7 overall at her school record of 4.41m/14-05.50. Samara McConnell returns to the regional meet for the second straight season, ranked No. 19 in the East at 4.20m/13-09.25. Elizabeth Nix punched her first career regional ticket in 45th at her PR of 4.05m/13-03.50.

Also qualifying for the Rebel women was Sara Van Aken in the high jump, who claimed her first spot in the regional meet ranked No. 46 at 1.75m/5-08.75.

The Ole Miss men, meanwhile, are led by six entries from the distance squad – top among them SEC 1500-meter champion Mario Garcia Romo. The reigning NCAA Indoor mile champion cruised to a victory at the conference meet last week, ensuring the first SEC 1500-meter sweep since 2002 (Arkansas). He enters the regional meet next week with the No. 2 seed time in the East at his SEC-winning time of 3:36.91. Last season, Garcia Romo was fifth at the NCAA Outdoor meet in the 1500.

Joining Garcia Romo in the 1500 are Shane Bracken (18th, 3:40.83) and Cade Bethmann (37th, 3:42.27).

This constitutes the first-ever regional meet for the first-year Rebel, Bracken.

All-American senior Baylor Franklin looks to book return passage as well in the 800-meter, entering at No. 5 in the East at his overall career-best 1:46.83. He also will not be alone, as Marcus Dropik makes his first East Regional appearance ranked No. 20 at 1:48.43.

All-American junior Cole Bullock will make his first regional appearance, having qualified in the 5K with the No. 22 time at 13:39.46.

Daniel Viveros will look to make his first national meet in the shot put, currently sitting right on the cusp of contention with the No. 14 seed mark at his school record heave of 19.07m/62-06.75.

Four Rebel men’s sprinters will take to the track in Bloomington as well, led by All-American senior Elijah Dryer attempting to break through and make his first national meet in the 200-meter dash. Dryer, who narrowly missed a ticket to Eugene last season, enters ranked No. 37 in the East at his career-best 20.66 (+0.8).

Three Rebels will attempt to book passage to Oregon in the 110-meter hurdles, led by returning national qualifier Kenney Broadnax, who snared a spot to the national meet in inspiring fashion a year ago. After a lengthy rehab following a torn Achilles in early 2020, Broadnax snagged the second to last qualifying slot to Eugene in 2021 – the first national berth by a Rebel hurdler since 2015. He enters this season ranked No. 38 at 13.96 (-2.0), and will be joined by Keirston Paige (45th, 14.02/+2.2) and Spencer Brown (48th, 14.06/+0.6) in their first-ever regional meets.

Competition runs May 25-28 at Indiana University’s Robert Haugh Track & Field Complex.

Rebel Women’s Qualifiers (23 entries, 19 athletes)

1. Sintayehu Vissa – 1500-Meter – 4:08.72
6. Jalani Davis – Shot Put – 17.73m/58-2
7. Lyndsey Reed – Pole Vault – 4.41m/14-05.50
8. 4×100-Meter Relay (Womack, Augustine, Eckford, Rowe) – 43.60
8. Jalani Davis – Hammer – 65.84m/216-00
13. Jasmine Mitchell – Hammer – 63.80m/209-04
17. Loral Winn – 1500-Meter – 4:16.32
17. Kristel van den Berg – 3000-Meter Steeplechase – 10:05.75
18. Tedreauna Britt – Discus – 54.36m/178-04
19. Samara McConnell – Pole Vault – 4.20m/13-09.25
21. Jalani Davis – Discus – 53.75m/176-04
21. Tedreauna Britt – Shot Put – 16.44m/53-11.25
24. Jayda Eckford – 200-Meter Dash – 23.21 (+1.6)
25. Deborah Bulai – Hammer – 61.41m/201-06
29. Anna Elkin – 5K – 16:04.94
34. Skylar Boogerd – 10K – 34:11.87
36. Morgan Claire Rose – 3000-Meter Steeplechase – 10:18.64
38. Olivia Womack – 200-Meter Dash – 23.46 (-0.3)
41. Jasmine Mitchell – Shot Put – 15.62m/51-3
44. Ariyonna Augustine – 200-Meter Dash – 23.52 (+2.3)
45. Elizabeth Nix – Pole Vault – 4.05m/13-03.50
46. Kelly Rowe – 100-Meter Dash – 11.52 (+0.9)
46. Sara Van Aken – High Jump – 1.75m/5-08.75

Rebel Men’s Qualifiers (11 entries, 11 athletes)

2. Mario Garcia Romo – 1500-Meter – 3:36.91
5. Baylor Franklin – 800-Meter – 1:46.83
14. Daniel Viveros – Shot Put – 19.07m/62-06.75
18. Shane Bracken – 1500-Meter – 3:40.83
20. Marcus Dropik – 800-Meter – 1:48.43
22. Cole Bullock – 5K – 13:39.46
37. Elijah Dryer – 200-Meter Dash – 20.66 (+0.8)
37. Cade Bethmann – 1500-Meter – 3:42.27
38. Kenney Broadnax – 110-Meter Hurdles – 13.96 (-2.0)
45. Keirston Paige – 110-Meter Hurdles – 14.02 (+2.2)
48. Spencer Brown – 110-Meter Hurdles – 14.06 (+0.6)

Price-Smith Career Regional Qualifiers Under Current Format (since 2010)

290 athletes (124 men, 166 women) | 351 entries (141 men, 210 women)
2022: (at Ole Miss): 30 athletes (11 men, 19 women) | 34 entries (11 men, 23 women)

2021: (at Ole Miss): 34 athletes (15 men, 19 women) | 43 entries (17 men, 26 women)

2020: N/A (canceled due to COVID-19)

2019 (at Ole Miss): 29 athletes (13 men, 16 women) | 32 entries (14 men, 18 women)

2018 (at Ole Miss): 29 athletes (13 men, 16 women) | 30 entries (15 men, 15 women)
2017 (at Ole Miss): 32 athletes (10 men, 22 women) | 34 entries (11 men, 23 women)
2016 (at Ole Miss): 32 athletes (17 men, 15 women) | 33 entries (17 men, 16 women)
2015 (at SIU): 19 athletes (10 men, 9 women) | 26 entries (13 men, 13 women)
2014 (at SIU): 13 athletes (6 men, 7 women) | 17 entries (9 men, 8 women)
2013 (at SIU): 13 athletes (5 men, 8 women) | 18 entries (6 men, 12 women)
2012 (at SIU): 15 athletes (7 men, 8 women) | 20 entries (7 men, 13 women)
2011 (at SIU): 17 athletes (6 men, 11 women) | 24 entries (7 men, 17 women)
2010 (at SIU): 27 athletes (11 men, 16 women) | 40 entries (14 men, 26 women)

Price-Smith Career Outdoor National Qualifiers (as a combined head coach)

110 athletes (48 men, 62 women) | 115 entries (49 men, 66 women)

2021 (at Ole Miss): 16 athletes (7 men, 9 women) | 16 entries (8 men, 8 women)

2020: N/A (canceled due to COVID-19)

2019 (at Ole Miss): 10 athletes (4 men, 6 women) | 9 entries (4 men, 5 women)

2018 (at Ole Miss): 12 athletes (5 men, 7 women) | 10 entries (5 men, 5 women)

2017 (at Ole Miss): 11 athletes (4 men, 7 women) | 10 entries (4 men, 6 women)
2016 (at Ole Miss): 13 athletes (7 men, 6 women) | 10 entries (6 men, 4 women)
2015 (at SIU): 4 athletes (2 men, 2 women) | 4 entries (2 men, 2 women)
2014 (at SIU): 5 athletes (3 men, 2 women) | 6 entries (3 men, 3 women)
2013 (at SIU): 3 athletes (1 man, 2 women) | 4 entries (1 man, 3 women)
2012 (at SIU): 7 athletes (3 men, 4 women) | 10 entries (4 men, 6 women)
2011 (at SIU): 5 athletes (3 men, 2 women) | 7 entries (3 men, 4 women)
2010 (at SIU): 7 athletes (3 men, 4 women) | 9 entries (3 men, 6 women)
2009 (at SIU): 4 athletes (1 man, 3 women) | 4 entries (1 man, 3 women)
2008 (at SIU): 3 athletes (1 man, 2 women) | 3 entries (1 man, 2 women)
2007 (at SIU): 2 athletes (1 man, 1 woman) | 3 entries (1 man, 2 women)
2006 (at SIU): 5 athletes (2 men, 3 women) | 6 entries (2 men, 4 women)
2005 (at SIU): 3 athletes (1 man, 2 women) | 4 entries (1 man, 3 women)