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The University of Mississippi Athletics
1998 Season Outlook
6/21/1999 | Track and Field
Dec. 1, 1997
Oxford, Miss. - With most of the nucleus of last year's team intact and the addition of some talented newcomers, head coach Joe Walker is optimistic about the 1998 season. Senior sprinter Alonzo Banks, a three-year All-Southeastern Conference performer in the 400 meters, headlines the list of the returnees on the men's side. Banks captured the SEC outdoor 400m title in 1996 and was the SEC runner-up last spring. He enters his senior season looking to become the first Rebel since Ed Odom (1992-1995) to score all four years at both the SEC Indoor and Outdoor Championships.
On the women's side, sophomore Tisha Parker returns after a stellar freshman campaign. Parker jumped her way into the Ole Miss record books by establishing new school outdoor marks in both the long jump (20-4) and triple jump (40-10.5). She also earned a fifth-place finish in the triple jump at the SEC Outdoor Championships.
In addition to Banks and Parker, Ole Miss returns several other talented athletes who'll be aiming for a spot at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, June 3-7 in Buffalo, N.Y.
"We have several athletes whose goals this year should be to make it to nationals," Walker says. "We have a team that is capable of scoring real well at the SECs."
Here's a look at how the Rebels and Lady Rebels will shape-up in 1998.
Distances
The distances figure to be one of Ole Miss' strongest areas as both the Rebels and Lady Rebels return their top distance runners from last season.
In addition, junior Bernard Kuria returns to the track after redshirting last season with an injury. Kuria is coming off a strong cross country season in which he qualified for the NCAA Championships. Walker is looking for Kuria to earn another trip to the NCAAs this spring in the 10,000m.
Sophomore Thomas Blackwell is another runner coming off a solid cross country season, and he'll be looking to improve upon last year's 12th-place finish in the 10,000m at the SEC Championships.
Fellow sophomore Larry Henderson returns as the team's top middle distance runner and will run the 800, 1,500 and 3,000 meters. Junior Leah White and senior Susie Haverlah return as the top distance runners for the Lady Rebels. The two led the Ole Miss women's cross country this fall and White also ranks No. 3 on Ole Miss' all-time best list in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters.
Sprints/Hurdles
Banks will anchor the Rebel sprinting corps along with junior Jimmy Love, who finished third in the SEC in the 400m last May.Junior Malikia Griffin placed eighth at last year's SEC Indoor Championships in the 55m and Walker feels he his primed to have a big year for the Rebels in both the 100 and 200 meters.
Walker added depth to the sprints with the addition of several talented newcomers, including junior college transfer Wayne Woolery. Walker calls Woolery "a big time recruit" who will do double duty in the 400 and 400m hurdles.
Senior Gwen Evans along with junior Latoria Jordan and Parker will bolster the women's sprint crew. Evans can run the 100, 200 and 400 meters while Parker and Jordan will run the 200m.
Freshman Candice Catton, according to Walker, will help strengthen the Lady Rebels in the 400 meters, and fellow freshmen Cheryl Faubion and Brandy Barnett are penciled in to run the 100m hurdles.
Field Events
The field events appear to be strong and deep on both sides with the return of Parker and Jordan on the women's side, and senior Sylvester Houston and junior Marcus Jones for the men.Jordan held the school record in the triple jump before Parker bettered her last season. Walker expects Jordan and Parker to be standouts in both the long and triple jumps for Ole Miss this season.
Houston was the runner-up in the pole vault at last year's SEC Championships and has also placed at the SEC Indoor Championships the past two seasons. Sophomore Kyle Wallace gives the Rebels another solid pole vaulter after placing seventh in the SEC last year.
Jones leads a trio of high jumpers that will contend for All-Conference honors. Jones is a seven-foot high jumper who also placed seventh in the triple jump at last year's SEC meet. Senior Jon Parry placed fifth in the decathlon in the SEC last spring and boasts a personal-best high jump of 7-1.25. Freshman Savante' Stringfellow comes to Ole Miss after winning the state high jump title at Jackson's Provine High School.
Jones and sophomore Leon Baker return as the Rebels' top triple jumpers, and Stringfellow will handle the long jumping duties.
In the throws, the Ole Miss men return its top shot put and discus throwers in sophomores John Frierson and Jay Hollis. Frierson posted the Rebels' top performance in the shot put at 46-0.5, and Hollis had the team's top discus mark at 148-9.
For the Lady Rebels, freshman Laura Lukens is expected to be the team's top thrower. Lukens won the Missouri state championship a year ago in both the shot put and discus. Other freshmen that Walker is looking to contribute for the Lady Rebels in the field events include Emily Fontenot in the high jump and sisters Brandy Barnett and Monica Barnett in the high jump and triple jump, respectively. Brandy was a Georgia AA state champion in the high jump, while Monica won a state title in the triple jump.
