The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, January 14
Birmingham, Ala.
10 AM
Ole Miss
at
Blazer Invite
NCAA Lead Set, School Record Falls in Strong Open for Rebels at Blazer Invite
1/14/2022 | Track and Field
Shey Taiwo (No. 1), Jasmine Mitchell (No. 2) Set Top-Two NCAA Weight Throw Marks
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Ole Miss track & field opened its 2022 indoor season with a handful of nationally prominent performances and a new school record at UAB's Blazer Invite, held at the Birmingham CrossPlex on Friday.
The Rebel women's throwers picked up right where they left off from an excellent 2021 indoor and outdoor campaign. Senior Shey Taiwo and junior Jasmine Mitchell – who last year became the first teammates in NCAA history to break 23 meters within the same season – started 2022 off in strong fashion with a back-to-back finish to put themselves atop the national leaderboard right off the bat.
Taiwo, the NCAA's third-place weight throw finisher in 2021 and the 2021 NCAA Outdoor hammer runner-up, won Friday on her first toss of the season at 22.62m/74-02.50. That is the best season-open in Taiwo's career by nearly five feet exactly, and it comes within a foot and a half of her overall best of 23.04m/75-07.25 set as the SEC runner-up last season.
That throw ranks No. 1 in the NCAA by nearly two feet ahead of her teammate, fellow All-American and reigning SEC Champion, Jasmine Mitchell, who threw 22.03m/72-03.50 on her final attempt of the day to claim the NCAA's No. 2 throw. This was also an impressive open for Mitchell, whose career-best 23.24m/76-03.00 won her an SEC title last season over Taiwo, the fourth Ole Miss victory in the women's weight throw in the last five seasons.
Also making the women's weight final was Tedreauna Britt, who finished sixth overall at 18.42m/60-05.25.
Junior Jalani Davis started the day off well for the Rebel women's throwers, winning the shot put by two feet at an indoor career-best heave of 16.39m/53-09.25. That throw is a two-foot improvement over her previous indoor best that moves her to No. 3 all-time at Ole Miss, as well as No. 6 nationally and No. 1 in the SEC. Davis is the reigning SEC Outdoor runner-up in the shot put at her overall career-best 17.52m/57-05.75, and she was the only thrower nationwide in 2021 – male or female – to triple at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Britt took third in the shot put at 15.17m/49-09.25, and Mitchell also made the final in eighth at 14.34m/47-00.75.
Ole Miss also had decent success in the men's weight throw, with three making the final. Senior transfer Montel Johnson of Monmouth tossed a five-foot PR to finish fifth at 20.26m/66-05.75, moving himself up to No. 5 all-time at Ole Miss in his first meet as a Rebel, as well as No. 13 in the NCAA this year. Joseph Benedetto (sixth, 18.99m/62-03.75) and Costen Campion (ninth, 16.81m/55-02.00, PR) also made the final.
The first school record of the 2022 season came down already on Friday, courtesy of All-American senior John Rivera Jr. toppling his own mark in the 600-meter race. Rivera won at 1:17.45, which bested his 2020 time of 1:17.90, which was also set at the Blazer Invite. Marcus Dropik was third not far behind in 1:18.47, and likewise for Jacob Lough in fourth place at 1:20.51.
Ole Miss qualified a pair through in the only preliminary event of the day, the men's 60-meter hurdles. Senior and NCAA Outdoor qualifier Kenney Broadnax enjoyed a solid start to his 2022 campaign, finishing fourth in the final at 8.00 seconds after also notching the fourth-best qualifying time on the day at 8.10. Tennessee transfer Spencer Brown had a career day, qualifying with the sixth-fastest time of the prelim at 8.34 before running a PR of 8.13 seconds in the final to finish fifth and move up to No. 6 all-time at Ole Miss in just his first meet as a Rebel.
All-American senior Elijah Dryer enjoyed two good performances while pulling double-duty on Friday, finishing fifth in the men's 300-meter dash at 33.75 and seventh overall in the men's 60-meter dash at 6.84 seconds.
Over in the women's 60-meter dash, sophomore Olivia Womack clocked a big PR, finishing eighth overall at 7.65 seconds to lead the Rebel women in the event.
Junior and NCAA Outdoor qualifier Lyndsey Reed started off her 2022 season with a strong performance in the pole vault. Reed was the runner-up at a season-opening height of 4.11m/13-05.75, which puts her at No. 15 in the NCAA and No. 3 in the SEC. Sophomore Samara McConnell, who led the Rebels indoors last season, was seventh overall at 3.91m/12-10.00.
Over in the men's pole vault, freshman Frankie Amore had an excellent first meet as a Rebel, finishing fourth at 4.80m/15-09.00 – already tied for the 10th-best clearance indoors in school history.
Fellow freshman Iangelo Atkinstall-Daley had an impressive Ole Miss debut of his own, finishing third in the men's triple jump at 15.14m/49-08.25.
The indoor season is now in full swing, as both the Rebel men's and women's teams return to the road next weekend for the Vanderbilt Invitational on Jan. 21-22.
REBELS IN COMPETITION
Women's 60-Meter Dash
8. Olivia Womack – 7.65 – PR
30. Kelly Rowe – 7.87
Men's 60-Meter Dash
7. Elijah Dryer – 6.84
14. Ryan Star – 6.91
22. Isaiah Teer – 7.05 – Ties PR
24. Tristyn Wooley – 7.06
39. Luke Etherton – 7.62
Women's 300-Meter Dash
13. Jayda Eckford – 39.55
16. Olivia Womack – 39.75
31. Kelly Rowe – 41.97
Men's 300-Meter Dash
5. Elijah Dryer – 33.75
17. Isaiah Teer – 34.96
Men's 500-Meter
13. Luke Etherton – 1:10.30
Men's 600-Meter
1. John Rivera Jr. – 1:17.45 – School Record, Meet Record
3. Marcus Dropik – 1:18.47
4. Jacob Lough – 1:20.51
Women's 3K
9. Brooke Gilmore – 10:09.29
Women's 60-Meter Hurdles
13. Meg Goebel – 9.13p – PR
21. LaRiah Shannon – 9.33p – PR
24. Sara Van Aken – 9.35p
29. Annie Strong – 10.07p – PR
Men's 60-Meter Hurdles
4. Kenney Broadnax – 8.00f – 8.10q (4th)
5. Spencer Brown – 8.13f (PR, No. 6 all-time) – 8.34q (6th)
Men's 4x400-Meter Relay
3. Wooley, Rivera Jr., Dropik, Lough – 3:24.06
Women's High Jump
6. Sara Van Aken – 1.66m/5-05.25
11. Meg Goebel – 1.61m/5-03.25 – PR
13. LaRiah Shannon – 1.61m/5-03.25 – PR
Men's High Jump
6. Allen Gordon – 2.01m/6-07.00
T7. Ukurugenzi Kojo – 1.91m/6-03.25
Women's Pole Vault
2. Lyndsey Reed – 4.11m/13-05.75 – No. 15 NCAA, No. 3 SEC
7. Samara McConnell – 3.91m/12-10.00
13. Alex Brooks – 3.66m/12-00.00
Men's Pole Vault
4. Frankie Amore – 4.80m/15-09.00 – No. 10 all-time
9. Ford Maberry – 4.50m/14-09.00
Women's Long Jump
16. Skye Gross – 5.28m/17-04.00
Men's Long Jump
11. Ryan Star – 6.73m/22-01.00 – PR
12. Spencer Brown – 6.73m/22-01.00
Women's Triple Jump
7. Kyla McLaurin – 11.55m/37-10.75
Men's Triple Jump
3. Iangelo Atkinstall-Daley – 15.14m/49-08.25
7. Demond Fleming – 14.08m/46-02.50
Women's Shot Put
1. Jalani Davis – 16.39m/53-09.25 – PR, No. 3 all-time, No. 6 NCAA, No. 1 SEC
3. Tedreauna Britt – 15.17m/49-09.25
8. Jasmine Mitchell – 14.34m/47-00.75
10. Shey Taiwo – 14.10m/46-03.25
Men's Shot Put
9. Daniel Viveros – 16.64m/54-07.25
13. Mason Hickel – 15.99m/52-05.50 – PR, No. 8 all-time
21. Luke Etherton – 10.82m/35-06.00
Women's Weight Throw
1. Shey Taiwo – 22.62m/74-02.50 – No. 1 NCAA
2. Jasmine Mitchell – 22.03m/72-03.50 – No. 2 NCAA
6. Tedreauna Britt – 18.42m/60-05.25
FOUL Jalani Davis
Men's Weight Throw
5. Montel Johnson – 20.26m/66-05.75 – 5-foot PR, No. 5 all-time, No. 13 NCAA
6. Joseph Benedetto – 18.99m/62-03.75
9. Costen Campion – 16.81m/55-02.00 – PR
12. Mason Hickel – 16.58m/54-04.75 – PR
13. Joseph Lanham – 15.61m/51-02.75
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
The Rebel women's throwers picked up right where they left off from an excellent 2021 indoor and outdoor campaign. Senior Shey Taiwo and junior Jasmine Mitchell – who last year became the first teammates in NCAA history to break 23 meters within the same season – started 2022 off in strong fashion with a back-to-back finish to put themselves atop the national leaderboard right off the bat.
Taiwo, the NCAA's third-place weight throw finisher in 2021 and the 2021 NCAA Outdoor hammer runner-up, won Friday on her first toss of the season at 22.62m/74-02.50. That is the best season-open in Taiwo's career by nearly five feet exactly, and it comes within a foot and a half of her overall best of 23.04m/75-07.25 set as the SEC runner-up last season.
That throw ranks No. 1 in the NCAA by nearly two feet ahead of her teammate, fellow All-American and reigning SEC Champion, Jasmine Mitchell, who threw 22.03m/72-03.50 on her final attempt of the day to claim the NCAA's No. 2 throw. This was also an impressive open for Mitchell, whose career-best 23.24m/76-03.00 won her an SEC title last season over Taiwo, the fourth Ole Miss victory in the women's weight throw in the last five seasons.
Also making the women's weight final was Tedreauna Britt, who finished sixth overall at 18.42m/60-05.25.
Junior Jalani Davis started the day off well for the Rebel women's throwers, winning the shot put by two feet at an indoor career-best heave of 16.39m/53-09.25. That throw is a two-foot improvement over her previous indoor best that moves her to No. 3 all-time at Ole Miss, as well as No. 6 nationally and No. 1 in the SEC. Davis is the reigning SEC Outdoor runner-up in the shot put at her overall career-best 17.52m/57-05.75, and she was the only thrower nationwide in 2021 – male or female – to triple at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Britt took third in the shot put at 15.17m/49-09.25, and Mitchell also made the final in eighth at 14.34m/47-00.75.
Ole Miss also had decent success in the men's weight throw, with three making the final. Senior transfer Montel Johnson of Monmouth tossed a five-foot PR to finish fifth at 20.26m/66-05.75, moving himself up to No. 5 all-time at Ole Miss in his first meet as a Rebel, as well as No. 13 in the NCAA this year. Joseph Benedetto (sixth, 18.99m/62-03.75) and Costen Campion (ninth, 16.81m/55-02.00, PR) also made the final.
The first school record of the 2022 season came down already on Friday, courtesy of All-American senior John Rivera Jr. toppling his own mark in the 600-meter race. Rivera won at 1:17.45, which bested his 2020 time of 1:17.90, which was also set at the Blazer Invite. Marcus Dropik was third not far behind in 1:18.47, and likewise for Jacob Lough in fourth place at 1:20.51.
Ole Miss qualified a pair through in the only preliminary event of the day, the men's 60-meter hurdles. Senior and NCAA Outdoor qualifier Kenney Broadnax enjoyed a solid start to his 2022 campaign, finishing fourth in the final at 8.00 seconds after also notching the fourth-best qualifying time on the day at 8.10. Tennessee transfer Spencer Brown had a career day, qualifying with the sixth-fastest time of the prelim at 8.34 before running a PR of 8.13 seconds in the final to finish fifth and move up to No. 6 all-time at Ole Miss in just his first meet as a Rebel.
All-American senior Elijah Dryer enjoyed two good performances while pulling double-duty on Friday, finishing fifth in the men's 300-meter dash at 33.75 and seventh overall in the men's 60-meter dash at 6.84 seconds.
Over in the women's 60-meter dash, sophomore Olivia Womack clocked a big PR, finishing eighth overall at 7.65 seconds to lead the Rebel women in the event.
Junior and NCAA Outdoor qualifier Lyndsey Reed started off her 2022 season with a strong performance in the pole vault. Reed was the runner-up at a season-opening height of 4.11m/13-05.75, which puts her at No. 15 in the NCAA and No. 3 in the SEC. Sophomore Samara McConnell, who led the Rebels indoors last season, was seventh overall at 3.91m/12-10.00.
Over in the men's pole vault, freshman Frankie Amore had an excellent first meet as a Rebel, finishing fourth at 4.80m/15-09.00 – already tied for the 10th-best clearance indoors in school history.
Fellow freshman Iangelo Atkinstall-Daley had an impressive Ole Miss debut of his own, finishing third in the men's triple jump at 15.14m/49-08.25.
The indoor season is now in full swing, as both the Rebel men's and women's teams return to the road next weekend for the Vanderbilt Invitational on Jan. 21-22.
REBELS IN COMPETITION
Women's 60-Meter Dash
8. Olivia Womack – 7.65 – PR
30. Kelly Rowe – 7.87
Men's 60-Meter Dash
7. Elijah Dryer – 6.84
14. Ryan Star – 6.91
22. Isaiah Teer – 7.05 – Ties PR
24. Tristyn Wooley – 7.06
39. Luke Etherton – 7.62
Women's 300-Meter Dash
13. Jayda Eckford – 39.55
16. Olivia Womack – 39.75
31. Kelly Rowe – 41.97
Men's 300-Meter Dash
5. Elijah Dryer – 33.75
17. Isaiah Teer – 34.96
Men's 500-Meter
13. Luke Etherton – 1:10.30
Men's 600-Meter
1. John Rivera Jr. – 1:17.45 – School Record, Meet Record
3. Marcus Dropik – 1:18.47
4. Jacob Lough – 1:20.51
Women's 3K
9. Brooke Gilmore – 10:09.29
Women's 60-Meter Hurdles
13. Meg Goebel – 9.13p – PR
21. LaRiah Shannon – 9.33p – PR
24. Sara Van Aken – 9.35p
29. Annie Strong – 10.07p – PR
Men's 60-Meter Hurdles
4. Kenney Broadnax – 8.00f – 8.10q (4th)
5. Spencer Brown – 8.13f (PR, No. 6 all-time) – 8.34q (6th)
Men's 4x400-Meter Relay
3. Wooley, Rivera Jr., Dropik, Lough – 3:24.06
Women's High Jump
6. Sara Van Aken – 1.66m/5-05.25
11. Meg Goebel – 1.61m/5-03.25 – PR
13. LaRiah Shannon – 1.61m/5-03.25 – PR
Men's High Jump
6. Allen Gordon – 2.01m/6-07.00
T7. Ukurugenzi Kojo – 1.91m/6-03.25
Women's Pole Vault
2. Lyndsey Reed – 4.11m/13-05.75 – No. 15 NCAA, No. 3 SEC
7. Samara McConnell – 3.91m/12-10.00
13. Alex Brooks – 3.66m/12-00.00
Men's Pole Vault
4. Frankie Amore – 4.80m/15-09.00 – No. 10 all-time
9. Ford Maberry – 4.50m/14-09.00
Women's Long Jump
16. Skye Gross – 5.28m/17-04.00
Men's Long Jump
11. Ryan Star – 6.73m/22-01.00 – PR
12. Spencer Brown – 6.73m/22-01.00
Women's Triple Jump
7. Kyla McLaurin – 11.55m/37-10.75
Men's Triple Jump
3. Iangelo Atkinstall-Daley – 15.14m/49-08.25
7. Demond Fleming – 14.08m/46-02.50
Women's Shot Put
1. Jalani Davis – 16.39m/53-09.25 – PR, No. 3 all-time, No. 6 NCAA, No. 1 SEC
3. Tedreauna Britt – 15.17m/49-09.25
8. Jasmine Mitchell – 14.34m/47-00.75
10. Shey Taiwo – 14.10m/46-03.25
Men's Shot Put
9. Daniel Viveros – 16.64m/54-07.25
13. Mason Hickel – 15.99m/52-05.50 – PR, No. 8 all-time
21. Luke Etherton – 10.82m/35-06.00
Women's Weight Throw
1. Shey Taiwo – 22.62m/74-02.50 – No. 1 NCAA
2. Jasmine Mitchell – 22.03m/72-03.50 – No. 2 NCAA
6. Tedreauna Britt – 18.42m/60-05.25
FOUL Jalani Davis
Men's Weight Throw
5. Montel Johnson – 20.26m/66-05.75 – 5-foot PR, No. 5 all-time, No. 13 NCAA
6. Joseph Benedetto – 18.99m/62-03.75
9. Costen Campion – 16.81m/55-02.00 – PR
12. Mason Hickel – 16.58m/54-04.75 – PR
13. Joseph Lanham – 15.61m/51-02.75
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
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