The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Head To Kentucky For SEC Indoor Championships
2/26/2009 | Track and Field
Competition begins Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. with the 60 meter hurdles of the women’s pentathlon. The men’s heptathlon is slated to begin at 4:15 p.m. with the 60 meters. Ole Miss will get underway in the competition Saturday morning at 10 a.m. with the women’s weight throw.
“We are excited about the opportunity this meet provides,” Ole Miss head coach Joe Walker said. “We are a young team, and it will be fun to see how they respond.”
Ole Miss features several athletes who will have an excellent opportunity to score points for the Rebels. Sophomore sprinter LaJada Baldwin highlights that list as she enters the weekend as one of the league’s top runners.
Sophomore Sofie Persson stands fourth in the SEC in the 800 meters with her school record mark of 2:05.74 she set earlier in the year at the Tyson Invitational. In addition, the Ole Miss 4x400 meter relay team owns the sixth fastest time in the SEC this year and will provide a scoring opportunity for the Rebels.
In field events, freshman Aria Gaines ranks sixth in the SEC with her top distance of 39-11.25 she posted at the Arkansas State Kickoff Classic.
Junior Davina Orieukwu ranks eighth in the conference in the shot put with a mark of 47-07.00, while sophomore Betty Williams in right behind in ninth with her distance of 47-05.75. Williams also stands ninth in the weight throw with a distance of 52-05.25.
Sophomore Juliana Smith recorded the second best mark in the SEC this season in the weight throw this after posting a school record distance of 60-01.00 at the Arkansas State Kickoff Classic.
Distance runner Barnabas Kirui headlines the men’s team in the 5,000 meters as he ranks ninth in the conference with a time of 14:12.26.
Freshman Brian Knight leads the Rebels in jumps by ranking third in the SEC with a height of 06-10.75. Fellow freshman Caleb Lee stands eighth in the SEC with a mark of 24-01.75 in the long jump.
Senior Wale Odetunde provides the Rebels with a scoring threat in two jumping events as he is among the league leaders in both the long jump and triple jump. Odetunde ranks 10th in the long jump with a distance of 23-10.75, while ranking seventh in the triple jump with a mark of 50-08.00.
Senior Derek McGuire will be another scoring threat for Ole Miss in the shot put. McGuire ranks eighth in the SEC with a distance of 56-05.75 he set earlier in the year at the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
