Ole Miss track & field finishes fifth at conclusion of SEC Indoor Championships

Staff and Wire Reports | Ole Miss track & field claimed two more conference titles and five more medals as both the Rebel women and men finished fifth at the conclusion of the 2022 SEC Indoor Championships on Saturday.

The No. 7 Rebel women scored a program record 63.5 points and tied for best finish at the indoor conference championship with their fifth-place showing, beating out ranked teams No. 16 Tennessee (50), No. 8 Texas A&M (48) and No. 24 Alabama (28). The No. 17 Ole Miss men took fifth place in their team standings at 59 points, also beating out a handful of ranked teams like No. 11 Tennessee (50), No. 4 Georgia (47), No. 21 LSU (46) and No. 25 Texas A&M (42). Arkansas swept both the men’s and women’s team titles for the third straight season, with the No. 3 Razorback women blowing past No. 2 Florida, 127.5-97, and the No. 1 Razorback men edging No. 10 Florida, 86-77.

In total, Ole Miss won five SEC titles and claimed 10 conference medals across two days of competition – with four of those conference crowns coming from the 7th-ranked Rebel women. Entering competition, Ole Miss had only ever won 10 SEC Indoor titles and never more than two in one year.

“We had two days of great competition,” said Ole Miss head coach Connie Price-Smith. “I am really proud of the way our ladies and our men competed. We had some really outstanding performances. Fifth place on both sides in the toughest conference there is, I couldn’t be happier for this group of athletes for what they’ve accomplished.”

All-American junior Sintayehu Vissa, fresh off a powerful anchor leg on Ole Miss’ first-ever SEC title performance in the distance medley relay Friday night, impressed again in the women’s mile final. Vissa sat in position and waited for her moment to act, and act she did over the final 200. After letting Arkansas’ Krissy Gear lead for the first seven laps, Vissa sprang into action and ripped off a blazing 28.66 final lap, separating with ease through the finish line at 4:33.96.

“I just listen to my coach (Ryan Vanhoy) over there,” Vissa told ESPN’s John Anderson post-race about the decision to wait until the last lap to make a move. “I just do whatever he tells me because he knows me better than anyone, better than myself as well.”

With her victory, she is now the first Rebel woman to ever win an individual title on the track indoors – let alone a title in the mile. In fact, last night’s DMR win constituted the first SEC Indoor win for Ole Miss on the track, of which Vissa was a part of as the anchor. In total, Vissa scored 12.5 points across the championship meet, and was one of three Rebels to score at least that many.

However, the leading point scorer for the Rebels was junior Jalani Davis, who captured her first career SEC title after an impressive performance in the shot put on Saturday. Davis, who was the reigning SEC Outdoor runner-up, entered the competition ranked fifth on the formchart, but tore that to shreds with a three-foot indoor PR and a half-foot overall PR of 17.69m/58-00.50 to win. That throw came in the second round, giving Davis a small 1.25-inch lead over Vanderbilt’s Divine Oladipo at 17.63m/57-10.25, but no one would better that heave from Davis by the end of the competition.

Davis’ win gives the Rebels a sweep of the women’s throwing events at the SEC Championships this year when combined with Jasmine Mitchell’s win in the weight throw on Day One. This is the second time Ole Miss has swept those events, joining a 2017 combo from Raven Saunders in the shot put and Janeah Stewart in the weight throw. Additionally, it is the third SEC Indoor women’s shot put title in Ole Miss history, with Davis now joining Saunders’ wins in 2016 and 2017.

Davis finished fourth in the weight throw last night, giving her an Ole Miss-leading 15 meet points, which ranked fifth among all competitors. Mitchell scored in the shot put with a PR of her own, finishing fifth at the fourth-best toss in school history of 16.34m/53-07.50 to push her to 14 total meet points. Tedreauna Britt chipped in as well in the shot put, scoring in seventh at 16.08m/52-09.25.

All-American senior John Rivera Jr. ran the race of his life in the men’s 800-meter final, but it unfortunately still wasn’t enough to get him on the top spot of the podium. Rivera dropped an overall career-best 1:46.82 – the fastest time by a Rebel since 1991 and the third-fastest in the NCAA this season – but was outdone by a historic effort from Texas A&M’s Brandon Miller, who ran the third-fastest time in NCAA history at 1:45.24.

This was the second consecutive silver medal in the 800-meter for Rivera, who finished runner-up to Miller in 2021 as well. Rivera’s silver medal time ranks No. 2 in Ole Miss history behind national champion George Kersh’s 1:46.19 from the 1991 NCAA Championships, and in the history of the SEC, Rivera’s time would have won 33 of the 37 instances since the conference switched to the 800-meter in 1982. Those four times were Miller’s winning time today, Donovan Brazier’s 1:46.08 from 2016 (Texas A&M), Otukile Lekote’s 1:46.78 from 2001 (South Carolina), and Mark Everett’s 1:46.28 from 1990 (Florida).

The Rebel men were able to nab 13 points from the 800-meter alone, as newcomer Tiarnan Crorken collected some points in his first career SEC final in fourth place at 1:48.26.

All-American senior Mario Garcia Romo returned to the track in the 3K on Saturday, just one day after running the Rebels to their eighth DMR victory in the last nine seasons on Friday night. Garcia Romo earned his fifth career SEC medal, taking the bronze at 7:52.26. Ole Miss scored 11 points in the event, with additional points coming from Cole Bullock in fifth at 7:59.33 and Dereck Elkins in eighth at 8:02.70.

Earlier in the day in the men’s mile final, sophomore newcomer Cruz Culpepper nearly came away with a title in his first career SEC final, but faded down the stretch in the men’s mile. Culpepper held the lead at the bell and fought hard to hang on, but was passed on the final curve, forcing him to the bronze medal position after a tight finish. Culpepper still ran an incredible race, finishing at a PR 3:57.66 to become the 10th Rebel to break the four-minute barrier in the mile. That time ranks sixth in school history.

Shane Bracken also scored in his first SEC final, taking fifth in the mile at 3:58.50 – his third consecutive sub-4 mile.

Other scorers for the Rebels were Lyndsey Reed in the women’s pole vault final (fifth, 4.22m/13-10) and Keirston Paige in the men’s 60-meter hurdles final (sixth, 7.93).

Up next for Ole Miss will be the 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships, held at the Birmingham CrossPlex on March 11-12. Qualifying lists for the national meet will be released in the coming days.

Final Women’s Team Scores

1. #3 Arkansas – 127.5

2. #2 Florida – 97

3. #5 Kentucky – 79

4. #4 LSU – 64

5. #7 Ole Miss – 63.5

6. #16 Tennessee – 50

7. #8 Texas A&M – 48

8. #24 Alabama – 28

9. Georgia – 23

10. Auburn – 20

11. Mississippi State – 18

12. #23 South Carolina – 17

13. Vanderbilt – 16

14. Missouri – 11

Final Men’s Team Scores

1. #1 Arkansas – 86

2. #10 Florida – 77

3. #6 Alabama – 71

4. #9 Kentucky – 64

5. #17 Ole Miss – 59

6. #11 Tennessee – 50

7. #4 Georgia – 47

8. #21 LSU – 46

9. #25 Texas A&M – 42

10. Auburn – 33

10. Missouri – 33

12. South Carolina – 30

13. Mississippi State – 24

Day Two Medalists

Jalani Davis – Women’s Shot Put, Gold Medal

Sintayehu Vissa – Women’s Mile, Gold Medal

John Rivera Jr. – Men’s 800-Meter, Silver Medal

Cruz Culpepper – Men’s Mile, Bronze Medal

Mario Garcia Romo – Men’s 3K, Bronze Medal

Other Day Two Scorers

Tiarnan Crorken – Men’s 800-Meter, 4th Place

Shane Bracken – Men’s Mile, 5th Place

Cole Bullock – Men’s 3K, 5th Place

Jasmine Mitchell – Women’s Shot Put, 5th Place

Lyndsey Reed – Women’s Pole Vault, T-5th Place

Keirston Paige – Men’s 60-Meter Hurdles, 6th Place

Tedreauna Britt – Women’s Shot Put, 7th Place

Dereck Elkins – Men’s 3K, 8th Place

Day One Medalists

Women’s Distance Medley Relay (Elkin, Eckford, Winn, Vissa), Gold Medal

Men’s Distance Medley Relay (Bethmann, Lough, Dropik, Garcia Romo), Gold Medal

Jasmine Mitchell – Women’s Weight Throw, Gold Medal

Cole Bullock – Men’s 5K, Silver Medal

Shey Taiwo – Women’s Weight Throw, Silver Medal

Other Day One Scorers

Jalani Davis – Women’s Weight Throw, 4th Place

Dereck Elkins – Men’s 5K, 5th Place

Skylar Boogerd – Women’s 5K, 8th Place

REBELS IN DAY TWO COMPETITION

Men’s 800-Meter Final

2. John Rivera Jr. – 1:46.82 – PR, No. 2 Ole Miss History, No. 3 NCAA

4. Tiarnan Crorken – 1:48.26

Women’s Mile Final

1. Sintayehu Vissa – 4:33.96

Men’s Mile Final

3. Cruz Culpepper – 3:57.66 – PR, No. 6 Ole Miss History

5. Shane Bracken – 3:58.50

9. James Young – 4:00.08

Women’s 3K Final

9. Loral Winn – 9:10.47 – PR, No. 2 Ole Miss History

12. Skylar Boogerd – 9:24.28 – PR, No. 6 Ole Miss History

15. Anna Elkin – 9:27.83

16. Cate Tracht – 9:28.39

26. Kristel van den Berg – 9:34.73

37. Brooke Gilmore – 10:00.09

40. Morgan Claire Rose – 10:02.19

Men’s 3K Final

3. Mario Garcia Romo – 7:52.26

5. Cole Bullock – 7:59.33

8. Dereck Elkins – 8:02.70

Men’s 60-Meter Hurdles Final

6. Keirston Paige – 7.93

Women’s High Jump Final

NH Sara Van Aken

Women’s Pole Vault Final

5. Lyndsey Reed – 4.22m/13-10

NH Alex Brooks

NH Samara McConnell

Men’s Triple Jump Final

12. Iangelo Atkinstall-Daley – 14.99m/49-02.25

Women’s Shot Put Final

1. Jalani Davis – 17.69m/58-00.50 – PR, No. 2 Ole Miss History, No. 7 NCAA

5. Jasmine Mitchell – 16.34m/53-07.50 – PR, No. 4 Ole Miss History

7. Tedreauna Britt – 16.08m/52-09.25

Men’s Shot Put Final

9. Daniel Viveros – 18.75m/61-06.25 – PR, No. 2 Ole Miss History

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REBELS IN DAY ONE COMPETITION

Women’s 60-Meter Dash Prelim

22. Olivia Womack – 7.55

Men’s 60-Meter Dash Prelim

16. Ryan Star – 6.81

Women’s 200-Meter Dash Prelim

17. Ariyonna Augustine – 23.69 – SB, No. 5 Ole Miss History

28. Olivia Womack – 24.69

Men’s 200-Meter Dash Prelim

9. Elijah Dryer – 21.00 – PR, No. 2 Ole Miss History

Men’s 800-Meter Prelim

3. Tiarnan Crorken – 1:49.43 (q)

10. John Rivera Jr. – 1:50.96 (AQ)

23. Baylor Franklin – 1:57.55

Women’s Mile Prelim

1. Sintayehu Vissa – 4:40.85 (AQ)

Men’s Mile Prelim

1. Cruz Culpepper – 4:01.33 (AQ) – SB

4. James Young – 4:01.70 (q)

5. Shane Bracken – 4:01.75 (AQ)

16. Everett Smulders – 4:06.61

Women’s 5K Final

8. Skylar Boogerd – 16:15.55

14. Kristel van den Berg – 16:41.84

19. Cate Tracht – 17:09.47

24. Brooke Gilmore – 17:17.08

Men’s 5K Final

2. Cole Bullock – 13:57.48

5. Dereck Elkins – 14:06.94 – PR, No. 12 Ole Miss History

Men’s 60-Meter Hurdles Prelim

7. Keirston Paige – 7.89 (q)

14. Spencer Brown – 8.03

15. Ahmad Young Jr. – 8.04

17. Kenney Broadnax – 8.21

Women’s Distance Medley Relay

1. Anna Elkin, Jayda Eckford, Loral Winn, Sintayehu Vissa – 10:56.39 – SEC Meet Record, School Record, No. 3 NCAA, No. 12 NCAA History (28th-fastest time)

Splits:

Anna Elkin (1200m) – 3:24.71

Jayda Eckford (400m) – 55.09

Loral Winn (800m) – 2:06.38

Sintayehu Vissa (Mile) – 4:30.23

Men’s Distance Medley Relay

1. Cade Bethmann, Jacob Lough, Marcus Dropik, Mario Garcia Romo – 9:30.32 – No. 4 Ole Miss History

Splits:

Cade Bethmann (1200m) – 2:55.70

Jacob Lough (400m) – 49.38

Marcus Dropik (800m) – 1:49.21

Mario Garcia Romo (Mile) – 3:56.04

Men’s Pole Vault Final

T15. Frankie Amore – 4.85m/15-11

Men’s Long Jump Final

17. Iangelo Atkinstall-Daley – 6.73m/22-1

18. Spencer Brown – 6.55m/21-6

Women’s Weight Throw Final

1. Jasmine Mitchell – 23.43m/76-10.50 – Facility Record

2. Shey Taiwo – 23.18m/76-00.75

4. Jalani Davis – 22.43m/73-07.25

11. Deborah Bulai – 19.31m/63-04.25

Men’s Weight Throw Final

10. Montel Johnson – 18.91m/62-00.50

Women’s Pentathlon

Sara Van Aken – 3,850 Points, 9th Place – PR, No. 3 Ole Miss History

60-Meter Hurdles: 16th, 9.11 – 887 points – PR

High Jump: 5th, 1.73m/5-8 – 891 points – SB

Shot Put: 7th, 11.79m/38-08.25 – 647 points – PR

Long Jump: 10th, 5.61m/18-5 – 732 points

800-Meter: 11th, 2:29.98 – 693 points – PR