The University of Mississippi Athletics

van den Berg, Kristel

Track & Field’s Kristel van den Berg Wins SEC Steeplechase Title

5/12/2023 | Track and Field

BATON ROUGE, La. – Ole Miss track & field senior Kristel van den Berg took charge at just the right moment, winning her first career conference title in the women's 3000-meter steeplechase to lead the Rebels at Day Two of the 2023 SEC Outdoor Championships on Friday.
 
van den Berg – a senior native of The Netherlands – looked calm and confident as the third member of the lead pack for the entire race, but right before the bell she made her move to the front. She was starting to pad her lead by the second hurdle following the bell, when Arkansas teammates Laura Taborda and Gracie Hyde both collided with the barrier – allowing van den Berg to amass an even larger lead on her last lap.
 
van den Berg crossed the line in a nine-second PR and new school record of 9:56.56, helped greatly by a blistering 73-second final lap that was five seconds faster than any lap in the race by the rest of the field.
 
"My coach told me to be conservative and not go out too hard in the beginning, and if I felt for it to go at like 600 meters," van den Berg said. "I felt good, and I heard all the cheering (in the stands). I was just like 'this is my last chance to ever win an SEC track title,' so I just went for it, and I did it."
 
The win is just the second SEC steeplechase title in Ole Miss women's history, joining Shelby Brown's 2018 victory. Coincidentally, the school record that van den Berg took down belonged to Brown from the same 2018 season, a 9:58.98 from the 2018 Mt. SAC Relays.
 
In addition to the school record, van den Berg's winning time ranks as the seventh-fastest in Dutch history, as well as the top time in the Netherlands in 2023.
 
Hannah Ielfield contributed a crucial point to the Ole Miss tally that ended Day Two in second at 45 points behind No. 3 Arkansas (61). Ielfield finished eighth in the steeplechase at a new PR of 10:43.72, improving on her spot at No. 11 in Ole Miss history.
 
All-American senior Jalani Davis continued to have an excellent meet for the Rebel women, claiming her second silver medal of the weekend with a runner-up finish in the shot put. Davis tossed an outdoor career-best 17.94m/58-10.25, which improves on her place at No. 3 in Ole Miss history and moves her into a tie for No. 8 in the NCAA and No. 3 in the East Region.
 
Davis already has 16 SEC points and two medals this weekend, pushing her career total to an impressive 76 points and seven medals.
 
Senior Sara Van Aken scored in fifth place in the women's heptathlon for the second straight year, finishing with a new PR point total of 5,456 to move up to No. 5 in Ole Miss history. Van Aken tallied three PRs and one season best across the two-day, seven-event gauntlet, including a two-meter best in the javelin on Friday at 40.55m/133-00.
 
Also scoring for the Rebel women on Friday was junior Samara McConnell, who took seventh in the pole vault at 3.95m/12-11.50.
 
The Ole Miss men, meanwhile, received a handful of scoring performances on Friday after an excellent first day that featured an SEC hammer title from freshman Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan. He scored yet again for the Rebels on Friday, finishing seventh in the shot put at an outdoor PR and school record of 19.24m/63-01.50. Senior Daniel Viveros added a point in eighth place at 18.43m/60-05.75.
 
Other Rebel men scoring were sophomore Chase Rose in the 3000-meter steeplechase, who took fourth at a season-best 9:04.95, and freshman Arvesta Troupe in the high jump, where he finished fifth at 2.09m/6-10.25.
 
Importantly, Ole Miss continued to set itself up for success with several more finals qualifying performances on Friday.
 
All-American senior McKenzie Long took care of business in the 100-meter dash prelims on Friday, earning a time-qualifier slot to the final at 11.28 (+0.9). Long is the SEC leader in the 100 and 200-meter dashes, and she already punched her finals ticket in the 200 last night.
 
The Rebel men notched a haul of crucial finals berths in the 1500-meter prelims on Friday, led by All-American senior Shane Bracken, who had the fastest time of the prelim at his automatic bid time of 3:42.74. Fellow senior Anthony Camerieri received an AQ berth of his own after finishing third in the first heat at 3:52.29, while senior Dalton Hengst snagged a time qualifier ticket at 3:44.60.
 
Ole Miss will also be represented in the women's 1500-meter final, as All-American senior Loral Winn advanced with an AQ berth at 4:22.55.
 
Competition resumes for Ole Miss at 2 p.m. CT on Saturday with the men's discus final, kicking off a busy and eventful final day of action in Baton Rouge that will air live on SEC Network.
 
Day Two Men's Team Scores (Through Eight Scored Events)
1. #1 Arkansas – 57
2. #16 Georgia – 35
3. Texas A&M – 34
4. Mississippi State – 31
5. #24 Auburn – 28
6. Ole Miss – 26
7. #6 LSU – 22
T8. #4 Alabama – 17
T8. Kentucky – 17
T10. South Carolina – 14
T10. #5 Tennessee – 14
12. Missouri – 11
13. #3 Florida – 6
 
Day Two Women's Team Scores (Through Eight Scored Events)
1. #3 Arkansas – 61
2. #10 Ole Miss – 45
3. #7 Texas A&M – 43
4. #2 Florida – 37
5. #18 Alabama – 23
T6. Missouri – 22
T6. Vanderbilt - 22
8. #20 Tennessee – 16
9. Auburn – 15
T10. #8 Georgia – 11
T10. #9 Kentucky – 11
12. #6 LSU – 5
13. South Carolina – 1
 
Day Two Medalists
Kristel van den Berg – Women's 3000-Meter Steeplechase, Gold Medal
Jalani Davis – Women's Shot Put, Silver Medal
 
Other Day Two Scorers
Chase Rose – Men's 3000-Meter Steeplechase, 4th Place
Arvesta Troupe – Men's High Jump, 5th Place
Sara Van Aken – Women's Heptathlon, 5th Place
Samara McConnell – Women's Pole Vault, 7th Place
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – Men's Shot Put, 7th Place
Hannah Ielfield – Women's 3000-Meter Steeplechase, 8th Place
Daniel Viveros – Men's Shot Put, 8th Place
 
Day Two Finals Qualifiers
Shane Bracken – Men's 1500-Meter
Anthony Camerieri – Men's 1500-Meter
Dalton Hengst – Men's 1500-Meter
McKenzie Long – Women's 100-Meter Dash
Loral Winn – Women's 1500-Meter
 
Day One Medalists
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – Men's Hammer, Gold Medal
Jalani Davis – Women's Hammer, Silver Medal
Shey Taiwo – Women's Hammer, Bronze Medal
 
Other Day One Scorers
Jasmine Mitchell – Women's Hammer, 5th Place
Ben Savino – Men's 10K, 5th Place
Ryann Helmers – Women's 10K, 7th Place
 
Day One Finals Qualifiers
Tiarnan Crorken – Men's 800-Meter
Baylor Franklin – Men's 800-Meter
McKenzie Long – Women's 200-Meter Dash
 
REBELS IN DAY TWO COMPETITION
 
Women's 100-Meter Dash Prelims
6. McKenzie Long – 11.28q (+0.9)
21. Ariyonna Augustine – 11.57 (+1.8)
 
Men's 100-Meter Dash Prelims
19. Keith Robinson – 10.45 (+1.4) – SB
 
Women's 1500-Meter Prelims
4. Loral Winn – 4:22.55 (AQ)
15. Sophie Baumann – 4:26.85
27. Jocelyn Long – 4:33.51
30. Frances Luna – 4:35.44
 
Men's 1500-Meter Prelims
1. Shane Bracken – 3:42.74 (AQ)
9. Anthony Camerieri – 3:52.29 (AQ)
11. Dalton Hengst – 3:44.60q
26. Landen McNair – 3:53.96
30. Gabe Scales – 3:56.64
 
Women's 100-Meter Hurdles Prelims
12. Jaiden Paris – 13.21 (+2.2)
 
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles Prelims
10. Spencer Brown – 13.81 (+2.7)
DNF Ahmad Young Jr.
DNS Kenney Broadnax
 
Women's 3000-Meter Steeplechase Final
1. Kristel van den Berg – 9:56.56 – PR, School Record, No. 7 Dutch History, 2023 Dutch No. 1, No. 19 NCAA, No. 9 East Region
8. Hannah Ielfield – 10:43.72 – PR, No. 11 Ole Miss History
 
Men's 3000-Meter Steeplechase Final
4. Chase Rose – 9:04.85 – SB
 
Men's High Jump Final
5. Arvesta Troupe – 2.09m/6-10.25
 
Women's Pole Vault Final
7. Samara McConnell – 3.95m/12-11.50
 
Women's Shot Put
2. Jalani Davis – 17.94m/58-10.25 – Outdoor PR, No. 3 Ole Miss History, T-No. 8 NCAA, T-No. 3 East Region
9. Tedreauna Britt – 16.33m/53-7
11. Jasmine Mitchell – 15.78m/51-09.25
 
Men's Shot Put Final
7. Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – 19.24m/63-01.50 – Outdoor PR, School Record
8. Daniel Viveros – 18.43m/60-05.75
FOUL Mason Hickel
 
Men's Decathlon
 
Pierce Genereux – 6,286 Points, 12th Place – PR, No. 7 Ole Miss History
100-Meter Dash: 12th, 11.70 (+1.7) – 711 Points – Wind-legal PR
Long Jump: 12th, 6.14m/20-01.75 (+3.0) – 617 Points – PR
Shot Put: 9th, 11.89m/39-00.25 – 600 Points
High Jump: 12th, 1.71m/5-07.25 – 552 Points
400-Meter Dash: 11th, 53.06 – 679 Points – PR
110-Meter Hurdles: 11th, 15.65 (+3.3) – 773 Points – PR
Discus: 9th, 37.11m/121-09 – 606 Points
Pole Vault: 4th, 4.50m/14-9 – 760 Points
Javelin: 11th, 40.15m/131-08 – 444 Points
1500-Meter: 12th, 5:02.75 – 544 Points – PR
 
Women's Heptathlon
 
Sara Van Aken – 5,456 Points, 5th Place – PR, No. 5 Ole Miss History, No. 13 East Region
100-Meter Hurdles: 9th, 14.79 (+3.2) – 870 Points
High Jump: 2nd, 1.74m/5-08.50 – 903 Points
Shot Put: 2nd, 12.58m/41-03.25 – 700 Points – PR
200-Meter Dash: 9th, 25.82 (+3.1) – 813 Points – PR
Long Jump: 6th, 5.81m/19-00.75 (-0.1) – 792 Points – SB
Javelin: 4th, 40.55m/133-00 – 678 Points – PR, No. 13 Ole Miss History
800-Meter: 7th, 2:29.44 – 700 Points
 
Meg Goebel – 4,685 Points, 10th Place – PR, No. 14 Ole Miss History
100-Meter Hurdles: 7th, 14.41 (+4.5) – 921 Points – All-Conditions PR
High Jump: 9th, 1.62m/5-03.75 – 759 Points – SB
Shot Put: 10th, 8.69m/28-06.25 – 444 Points
200-Meter Dash: 8th, 25.67 (+3.1) – 826 Points
Long Jump: 10th, 5.39m/17-08.25 (+1.9) – 668 Points
Javelin: 10th, 28.45m/93-04 – 447 Points – PR
800-Meter: 9th, 2:35.96 – 620 Points – PR
 
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REBELS IN DAY ONE COMPETITION
 
Women's 200-Meter Dash Prelims
3. McKenzie Long – 22.82 (-1.9) – AQ
18. Jayda Eckford – 23.23 (+1.7) – SB
 
Women's 800-Meter Prelims
24. Madison Hulsey – 2:13.09
 
Men's 800-Meter Prelims
2. Tiarnan Crorken – 1:47.75 – AQ
4. Baylor Franklin – 1:49.08 – AQ
11. Marcus Dropik – 1:49.65 – SB
21. Cade Flatt – 1:50.85
 
Women's 10K Final
7. Ryann Helmers – 35:54.75
 
Men's 10K Final
5. Ben Savino – 30:23.12
9. Chris Maxon – 30:33.07
11. Dereck Elkins – 30:37.31 – PR, No. 14 Ole Miss History
 
Women's 400-Meter Hurdles Prelims
10. Gabrielle Matthews – 57.04 – PR, School Record, No. 21 NCAA, No. 13 East Region
 
Women's Hammer Final
2. Jalani Davis – 67.27m/220-08
3. Shey Taiwo – 67.13m/220-03
5. Jasmine Mitchell – 63.99m/209-11
18. Brooke Franke – 49.21m/161-05
 
Men's Hammer Final
1. Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – 71.25m/233-09 – PR, School Record, No. 8 NCAA, No. 14 U.S.
11. Costen Campion – 59.11m/193-11 – PR, No. 10 Ole Miss History
13. Mason Hickel – 57.80m/189-07
14. Joseph Lanham – 57.67m/189-02
 
Women's Javelin Final
14. Abigail Green – 42.28m/138-08
 
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
 

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