The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Drake Relays
Rebels, Lady Rebels Advance To Finals At Drake Relays
4/23/2004 | Track and Field
April 23, 2004
DES MOINES, Iowa - Several Rebels and Lady Rebels advanced to Saturday's finals at the 2004 Drake Relays with their performances on Friday. Led by the Ole Miss juniors Octavia Carter and Antwon Hicks, Ole Miss will take center stage at Drake Stadium in Saturday's finals.
In individual races, the pair of Ole Miss juniors advanced to the finals in the sprint hurdle races. Competing in the hurdles for the first time during the outdoor season, Hicks the 2004 NCAA 60-meter hurdle champion, advanced to the finals in the 110-meter hurdles with his time of 14.18.
"It was great to see Antwon running over those hurdles," said Ole Miss head coach Joe Walker. "He was a little sloppy, but that was to be expected after taking a month off from the event. It was good for him to get a race under his belt and I expect he will have a better time in tomorrow's final."
Fellow junior Carter advanced to the final in the women's 100-meter hurdles. Carter won her heat by clocking in at 14.06. Carter also competed in the 400-meter hurdles, finishing with a time of 1:04.01, but did not make the finals.
"Winning her heat was a big deal for Octavia," said Walker. "She ran pretty smooth and had a good race overall. She will have to drop some time tomorrow, but I was pleased with her race today."
The Lady Rebel 4x100-meter relay team composed of freshmen Amber Bledsoe and Kimberly Mulkey and juniors Chiquita Stephens and LaToya McBride advanced to Saturday's final with their time of 46.74. Mulkey (12.04) and Stephens (12.12) also competed in the open 100 meters, but neither made the finals.
The Rebel 4x100-meter relay team featuring seniors Franz Bernard and James Shelton, sophomore Mark Gregory and freshman Stephen Taylor advanced to the finals with their time of 41.62. Shelton (10.83) competed in the open 100 meters, but did not advance to the final.
The Rebel 4x400-meter relay team composed of junior Demondrick Shumaker, freshmen Kao Wokoma and Demarco Potts and Bernard advanced to Saturday's final by posting the second best time of the preliminaries at 3:08.05. The Lady Rebel 4x400-meter relay team of freshman Allyson Robertson, Mulkey, Stephens and McBride posted a time of 3:50.28, which did not advance them to the finals.
Both Ole Miss 4x200-meter relay teams placed in Friday's finals. The Rebels finished seventh as Wokoma, Taylor, Gregory and Bernard passed the baton around and crossed the line in 1:25.34. The Lady Rebels finished eighth. Bledsoe, Stephens, Mulkey and McBride joined forces to post a time of 1:37.50.
Junior Brandie Plyler, the Ole Miss record holder in the women's pole vault finished tied for 16th with her mark of 11-7.75. Sophomore Robyn Gaunder led a trio of Lady Rebels in the discus. Gaunder's best mark was 134-0. She was followed in the standings by sophomore Kristi Stillwell (130-1) and freshman Crystal Stewart (129-3). None of the three advanced to finals.
Ole Miss Results
Women
100 Meters
Kimberly Mulkey, 12.04; Chiquita Stephens, 12.12
100 Hurdles
1. Octavia Carter, 14.06 (advance to finals)
400 Hurdles
Octavia Carter, 1:04.01
4x100-Meter Relay
2. Ole Miss (Bledsoe, Stephens, Mulkey, McBride), 46.74
4x200-Meter Relay
8. Ole Miss (Bledsoe, Stephens, Mulkey, McBride), 1:37.50
4x400-Meter Relay
Ole Miss (Robertson, Mulkey, Stephens, McBride), 3:50.28
Pole Vault
Brandie Plyler, 11-7.75
Discus
Robyn Gaunder, 134-0; Kristi Stillwell, 130-1; Crystal Stewart 129-3
Men
100 Meters
James Shelton, 10.83
110 Hurdles
3. Antwon Hicks, 14.18 (advance to finals)
4x100-Meter Relay
4. Ole Miss (Bernard, Taylor, Gregory, Shelton), 41.62 (advance to finals)
4x200-Meter Relay
7. Ole Miss (Wokoma, Taylor, Gregory, Bernard), 1:25.34
4x400-Meter Relay
1. Ole Miss (Shumaker, Wokoma, Potts, Bernard), 3:08.05 (advance to finals)
