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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Track Prepares For SEC Outdoor Championships
5/8/2007 | Track and Field
OXFORD, Miss. The Ole Miss men’s and women’s track and field teams will travel to
“We are really excited about the SEC Championships this year,” said Ole Miss head coach Joe Walker. “We have had a good year and are ready to compete.”
“The SEC championships are one of the two or three best meets in the nation, period,” said
“We are not limited to a few events this year,” said
Two-time All-American John Yarbrough is currently ranked the No. 1 110-meter hurdler in the nation. The 2007 SEC Indoor 60-meter hurdles champion holds a season best time in the 110-meter hurdles of 13.43, which is the second in school history behind former NCAA champion Antwon Hicks.
Barnabas Kirui, the reigning SEC Cross Country Champion, will compete in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, as well as the steeplechase. He is currently ranked No. 1 in the SEC and No. 3 in the nation in the steeplechase. Kirui finished runner-up in the steeplechase at last year’s SEC Championships. He is also ranked No. 2 in the SEC in the 10,000 meters and No. 9 in the SEC in the 5,000 meters.
Charles Bailey, who is currently ranked No. 6 in the SEC in the long jump, was ranked No. 1 in the conference for most of the early part of the season, before sustaining an injury. He is looking to make a strong return for the SEC Championships. He holds a season best mark of 24-09.75 in the long jump.
Adding to the depth in the long jump Rebels Adewale Odetunde and Justin Gunn are ranked eighth and ninth in the conference, respectively. Odetunde is also ranked No. 4 in the SEC in the triple jump with a season best mark of 49-07.25, while Gunn ranked ninth with a mark of 47-09.25.
Sophomore Derek MuGuire, who finished runner-up in the shot put at last season’s SEC Championships, is currently ranked No. 4 in the conference with a mark of 57-04.25.
Rickie Bratton gives the Rebels a threat in the spirits, as he is ranked No. 5 in the SEC and No. 11 in the nation in the 200 meters. He is also ranked No. 11 in the SEC in the 100 meters.
On the women’s side newcomer Britney Reese is the Lady Rebels’ star, but the depth of potential scorers has
“Britney is certainly been our most outstanding athlete so far, but I think the number of potential scorers may be the highest it’s even been,” said
Reese, the 2007 SEC Indoor long jump champion, is currently ranked No. 1 in the SEC with a long jump of 21-09.00, which ties the school record set by Tisha Parker. In fact, she is ranked second in the nation in the long jump behind Rhonda Watkins, of UCLA.
Reese is also a threat to score is the high jump, where she holds the school record with a jump of 6-00.00, which is ranked No. 4 in the SEC and No. 12 in the nation, and the triple jump.
Kenyata Coleman gives the Lady Rebels depth in the 400 meters. She is currently ranked No. 6 in the SEC with a time of 52.83. Coleman finished seventh in the 400 meters last year.
Coleman will also run on both the 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relays teams. Both relays teams are ranked fifth in the conference.
Carmia Carroll adds to the Rebel women’s depth in the jumps. She is currently ranked No. 8 in the SEC in both the high jump and triple jump.
The Rebel women also look strong in the javelin, with Marlee Kevech, ranked No. 8 in the SEC with a mark of 144-11, and Susan Legatova, ranked No. 10 with a mark of 138-10. Legatova finished sixth in the javelin at last year’s SEC championships.
Francis Vital will provide Ole Miss potential scorer in the multi-events. She is currently ranked No. 4 in the SEC in the heptathlon. She finished seventh in the heptathlon at last year’s championships.
