The University of Mississippi Athletics
Women’s Track & Field Secures Four More National Tickets at NCAA East Day Two
5/23/2024 | Track and Field
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ole Miss women's track & field nabbed four additional qualifying berths into the national meet and set up several more possibilities with quarterfinal qualifying performances on a productive second day of the 2024 NCAA East Regional on Thursday.
Rain and lightning once again hampered competition, delaying the start of the field events in the morning and then pushing back the women's 10K in the evening by more than four hours, but the Rebel women were unfazed.
All four national tickets came courtesy of the Rebel women's throwers, three of which were from Ole Miss' dynamite freshmen group.
Early in the evening, the freshmen duo of Akaoma Odeluga and Mensi Stiff simultaneously became the first Rebel true freshmen to ever qualify in women's shot put outdoors after taking care of business in Thursday's qualifying rounds. Odeluga finished fifth at 17.26m/56-07.50, while Stiff launched an outdoor PR of 17.07m/56-0 to finish seventh and also move up to No. 5 in Ole Miss history.
This outdoor season, Odeluga has quietly established herself as one of the best freshmen in the nation, and she'll now have a shot to prove that on the national stage with her first career NCAA qualifying berth. Odeluga was the bronze medalist in the shot put at the SEC Championships two weeks ago where she unleashed a mammoth 18.11m/59-5, currently the world U20 lead for 2024 and the No. 2 U20 mark all-time in the history of the United States (behind former Rebel and two-time Olympian, Raven Saunders).
Stiff, meanwhile, found her best outdoor meet of the season at just the right time to collect the second NCAA qualifying bid of her impressive freshman campaign. Indoors, Stiff was the first Ole Miss true freshman to ever qualify in the women's shot put, now also making her the first true freshman in school history to do so both indoors and outdoors.
Earlier in the afternoon and following a lengthy weather delay, Ole Miss received two more national berths in the hammer: one from established veteran and Rebel great, Jalani Davis, and the other from freshman Skylar Soli.
Davis – who missed the outdoor national meet last year following a string of heartbreaking performances at the East Regional – wasted no time on Thursday, punching her ticket to Eugene on her first throw of the day at 68.54m/224-10. That throw ended up second overall in the qualifying round, and it stands as Davis' 11th career national ticket across indoor and outdoor competition – her third in the hammer alone.
Soli – fresh off a fifth-place showing in the hammer at SECs – was in the second flight, and had to sit through the third and final flight to see if her best of 60.58m/198-9 could hang on. By competition's end, Soli indeed remained within the top-12 in 11th place to punch her first career NCAA ticket. She is also now the first true freshman in Ole Miss history to ever qualify for NCAAs in the women's hammer.
Ole Miss nearly had another national ticket in the shot put on Thursday courtesy of All-American senior Jasmine Mitchell, who fell heartbreakingly short in 13th place at 16.20m/53-01.75 – capping an extraordinary Rebel career as one of the best all-around throwers in collegiate history. Since coming to Oxford at the beginning of the shortened 2020 season, Mitchell has twice helped the Rebel women to their best finishes at the NCAA Indoor meet, as well as best-ever finishes at both the SEC Indoor and Outdoor meets.
In total, Mitchell leaves Ole Miss as a 2022 NCAA runner-up (weight throw), seven-time All-American, 10-time NCAA qualifier with 25 career points, three-time SEC Champion and a six-time SEC medalist with 72 career SEC points.
On the track, Ole Miss took care of business in first round qualifying, going 5-for-6 in advancing to quarterfinals Saturday – where tickets to Oregon will be on the line.
Bowerman Watch List member and current world 200-meter leader McKenzie Long got the job done in both of her individual events on Thursday, advancing to quarterfinals in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes.
Long breezed to a wind-legal season-best 11.02 (+1.0) to win the fourth heat of the 100-meter dash, good for an AQ spot in Saturday's quarterfinal. That time ended up second overall in the qualifying round and ranks tied for 11th in the United States and 16th worldwide this season – made more impressive by the fact that this was Long's first 100 since March 30.
Fellow senior Jahniya Bowers also advanced in the 100 on Thursday, earning a time qualifier at 11.36 (-0.3).
Less than two hours later, Long followed up that performance with another auto-bid in the 200-meter, winning the first heat at 22.59 (+0.9). Both Long and Bowers are part of Ole Miss' relay pool in the 4x100-meter relay as well, which is scheduled for Saturday.
Also on that relay squad is sophomore and reigning SEC Champion Gabrielle Matthews, who cruised through her heat in the 400-meter hurdles for an auto-bid to Saturday's quarterfinal. Matthews won the first heat at 57.03, which just two months ago would have broken her own school record. At SECs two weeks ago, Matthews won the SEC title on a massive PR of 55.12.
In the women's 800-meter first round, redshirt junior Jo-Lauren Keane had her best race in a Rebel uniform, earning a time qualifier to the quarterfinal on Saturday. Keane once again lowered her outdoor PR to 2:04.88, which moved her up to No. 3 in Ole Miss history outdoors. She is now only the third Rebel to ever break 2:05, joining current professionals Sintayehu Vissa (2:01.06; 2022) and Brooke Feldmeier (2:03.13; 2015).
Other results from Thursday include: Jalani Davis in the shot put (19th, 15.81m/51-10.50); Skylar Boogerd in the 10K (40th, 34:29.33); Abigail Green in the javelin (40th, 41.40m/135-10); and Madison Hulsey in the 1500-meter (48th, 4:37.10).
The Ole Miss men return to action on Friday, beginning with Arvesta Troupe in the high jump at 1 p.m. CT. The rescheduled women's pole vault will start the day, though, at 9 a.m. CT, with Rebel senior Samara McConnell set to represent Ole Miss.
Day Two National Qualifiers
Jalani Davis – Women's Hammer
Akaoma Odeluga – Women's Shot Put
Skylar Soli – Women's Hammer
Mensi Stiff – Women's Shot Put
Day Two Quarterfinalists
Jo-Lauren Keane – Women's 800-Meter
McKenzie Long – Women's 100-Meter Dash
McKenzie Long – Women's 200-Meter Dash
Gabrielle Matthews – Women's 400-Meter Hurdles
Jahniya Bowers – Women's 100-Meter Dash
REBELS IN DAY TWO COMPETITION
Women's 100-Meter Dash – First Round
2. McKenzie Long – 11.02 (+1.0) AQ – Wind-Legal SB, T-No. 16 World, T-No. 11 U.S.
17. Jahniya Bowers – 11.36 (-0.3)q
Women's 200-Meter Dash – First Round
2. McKenzie Long – 22.59 (+0.9) AQ
Women's 800-Meter – First Round
18. Jo-Lauren Keane – 2:04.88q – Outdoor PR, No. 3 Ole Miss History
Women's 1500-Meter – First Round
48. Madison Hulsey – 4:37.10
Women's 10K – Semifinal
40. Skylar Boogerd – 34:29.33
Women's 400-Meter Hurdles – First Round
10. Gabrielle Matthews – 57.03 AQ
Women's Shot Put
5. Akaoma Odeluga – 17.26m/56-07.50 – NCAA Qualifier
7. Mensi Stiff – 17.07m/56-0 – NCAA Qualifier, Outdoor PR, No. 5 Ole Miss History
13. Jasmine Mitchell – 16.20m/53-01.75
19. Jalani Davis – 15.81m/51-10.50
Women's Hammer
2. Jalani Davis – 68.54m/224-10 – NCAA Qualifier
11. Skylar Soli – 60.58m/198-9 – NCAA Qualifier
FOUL Jasmine Mitchell
Women's Javelin
40. Abigail Green – 41.40m/135-10
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Day One National Qualifiers
Jake Dalton – Men's Hammer
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – Men's Shot Put
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – Men's Hammer
Day One Quarterfinalists
Ahmad Young Jr. – Men's 110-Meter Hurdles
REBELS IN DAY ONE COMPETITION
Men's 800-Meter – First Round
20. Marcus Dropik – 1:49.00
DQ Chase Rose
Men's 1500-Meter – First Round
21. Gabe Scales – 3:44.48
41. Cruz Gomez – 3:48.00
Men's 10K – Semifinal
24. Dereck Elkins – 29:59.13
39. Aiden Britt – 30:36.33
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles – First Round
T6. Ahmad Young Jr. – 13.65 (+2.5) AQ
Men's Pole Vault
T13. Drew O'Connor – 5.32m/17-05.50 – Ties Overall PR, No. 5 Ole Miss History
T32. Logan Kelley – 5.07m/16-07.50
T32. Miles Walden – 5.07m/16-07.50
Men's Shot Put
1. Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – 20.07m/65-10.25 – NCAA Qualifier
Men's Hammer
2. Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – 69.33m/227-5 – NCAA Qualifier
10. Jake Dalton – 64.98m/213-2 – NCAA Qualifier
25. Costen Campion – 62.11m/203-9
FOUL Mason Hickel
Men's Javelin
20. Jake Railey – 64.46m/211-6
Rain and lightning once again hampered competition, delaying the start of the field events in the morning and then pushing back the women's 10K in the evening by more than four hours, but the Rebel women were unfazed.
All four national tickets came courtesy of the Rebel women's throwers, three of which were from Ole Miss' dynamite freshmen group.
Early in the evening, the freshmen duo of Akaoma Odeluga and Mensi Stiff simultaneously became the first Rebel true freshmen to ever qualify in women's shot put outdoors after taking care of business in Thursday's qualifying rounds. Odeluga finished fifth at 17.26m/56-07.50, while Stiff launched an outdoor PR of 17.07m/56-0 to finish seventh and also move up to No. 5 in Ole Miss history.
This outdoor season, Odeluga has quietly established herself as one of the best freshmen in the nation, and she'll now have a shot to prove that on the national stage with her first career NCAA qualifying berth. Odeluga was the bronze medalist in the shot put at the SEC Championships two weeks ago where she unleashed a mammoth 18.11m/59-5, currently the world U20 lead for 2024 and the No. 2 U20 mark all-time in the history of the United States (behind former Rebel and two-time Olympian, Raven Saunders).
Stiff, meanwhile, found her best outdoor meet of the season at just the right time to collect the second NCAA qualifying bid of her impressive freshman campaign. Indoors, Stiff was the first Ole Miss true freshman to ever qualify in the women's shot put, now also making her the first true freshman in school history to do so both indoors and outdoors.
Earlier in the afternoon and following a lengthy weather delay, Ole Miss received two more national berths in the hammer: one from established veteran and Rebel great, Jalani Davis, and the other from freshman Skylar Soli.
Davis – who missed the outdoor national meet last year following a string of heartbreaking performances at the East Regional – wasted no time on Thursday, punching her ticket to Eugene on her first throw of the day at 68.54m/224-10. That throw ended up second overall in the qualifying round, and it stands as Davis' 11th career national ticket across indoor and outdoor competition – her third in the hammer alone.
Soli – fresh off a fifth-place showing in the hammer at SECs – was in the second flight, and had to sit through the third and final flight to see if her best of 60.58m/198-9 could hang on. By competition's end, Soli indeed remained within the top-12 in 11th place to punch her first career NCAA ticket. She is also now the first true freshman in Ole Miss history to ever qualify for NCAAs in the women's hammer.
Ole Miss nearly had another national ticket in the shot put on Thursday courtesy of All-American senior Jasmine Mitchell, who fell heartbreakingly short in 13th place at 16.20m/53-01.75 – capping an extraordinary Rebel career as one of the best all-around throwers in collegiate history. Since coming to Oxford at the beginning of the shortened 2020 season, Mitchell has twice helped the Rebel women to their best finishes at the NCAA Indoor meet, as well as best-ever finishes at both the SEC Indoor and Outdoor meets.
In total, Mitchell leaves Ole Miss as a 2022 NCAA runner-up (weight throw), seven-time All-American, 10-time NCAA qualifier with 25 career points, three-time SEC Champion and a six-time SEC medalist with 72 career SEC points.
On the track, Ole Miss took care of business in first round qualifying, going 5-for-6 in advancing to quarterfinals Saturday – where tickets to Oregon will be on the line.
Bowerman Watch List member and current world 200-meter leader McKenzie Long got the job done in both of her individual events on Thursday, advancing to quarterfinals in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes.
Long breezed to a wind-legal season-best 11.02 (+1.0) to win the fourth heat of the 100-meter dash, good for an AQ spot in Saturday's quarterfinal. That time ended up second overall in the qualifying round and ranks tied for 11th in the United States and 16th worldwide this season – made more impressive by the fact that this was Long's first 100 since March 30.
Fellow senior Jahniya Bowers also advanced in the 100 on Thursday, earning a time qualifier at 11.36 (-0.3).
Less than two hours later, Long followed up that performance with another auto-bid in the 200-meter, winning the first heat at 22.59 (+0.9). Both Long and Bowers are part of Ole Miss' relay pool in the 4x100-meter relay as well, which is scheduled for Saturday.
Also on that relay squad is sophomore and reigning SEC Champion Gabrielle Matthews, who cruised through her heat in the 400-meter hurdles for an auto-bid to Saturday's quarterfinal. Matthews won the first heat at 57.03, which just two months ago would have broken her own school record. At SECs two weeks ago, Matthews won the SEC title on a massive PR of 55.12.
In the women's 800-meter first round, redshirt junior Jo-Lauren Keane had her best race in a Rebel uniform, earning a time qualifier to the quarterfinal on Saturday. Keane once again lowered her outdoor PR to 2:04.88, which moved her up to No. 3 in Ole Miss history outdoors. She is now only the third Rebel to ever break 2:05, joining current professionals Sintayehu Vissa (2:01.06; 2022) and Brooke Feldmeier (2:03.13; 2015).
Other results from Thursday include: Jalani Davis in the shot put (19th, 15.81m/51-10.50); Skylar Boogerd in the 10K (40th, 34:29.33); Abigail Green in the javelin (40th, 41.40m/135-10); and Madison Hulsey in the 1500-meter (48th, 4:37.10).
The Ole Miss men return to action on Friday, beginning with Arvesta Troupe in the high jump at 1 p.m. CT. The rescheduled women's pole vault will start the day, though, at 9 a.m. CT, with Rebel senior Samara McConnell set to represent Ole Miss.
Day Two National Qualifiers
Jalani Davis – Women's Hammer
Akaoma Odeluga – Women's Shot Put
Skylar Soli – Women's Hammer
Mensi Stiff – Women's Shot Put
Day Two Quarterfinalists
Jo-Lauren Keane – Women's 800-Meter
McKenzie Long – Women's 100-Meter Dash
McKenzie Long – Women's 200-Meter Dash
Gabrielle Matthews – Women's 400-Meter Hurdles
Jahniya Bowers – Women's 100-Meter Dash
REBELS IN DAY TWO COMPETITION
Women's 100-Meter Dash – First Round
2. McKenzie Long – 11.02 (+1.0) AQ – Wind-Legal SB, T-No. 16 World, T-No. 11 U.S.
17. Jahniya Bowers – 11.36 (-0.3)q
Women's 200-Meter Dash – First Round
2. McKenzie Long – 22.59 (+0.9) AQ
Women's 800-Meter – First Round
18. Jo-Lauren Keane – 2:04.88q – Outdoor PR, No. 3 Ole Miss History
Women's 1500-Meter – First Round
48. Madison Hulsey – 4:37.10
Women's 10K – Semifinal
40. Skylar Boogerd – 34:29.33
Women's 400-Meter Hurdles – First Round
10. Gabrielle Matthews – 57.03 AQ
Women's Shot Put
5. Akaoma Odeluga – 17.26m/56-07.50 – NCAA Qualifier
7. Mensi Stiff – 17.07m/56-0 – NCAA Qualifier, Outdoor PR, No. 5 Ole Miss History
13. Jasmine Mitchell – 16.20m/53-01.75
19. Jalani Davis – 15.81m/51-10.50
Women's Hammer
2. Jalani Davis – 68.54m/224-10 – NCAA Qualifier
11. Skylar Soli – 60.58m/198-9 – NCAA Qualifier
FOUL Jasmine Mitchell
Women's Javelin
40. Abigail Green – 41.40m/135-10
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Day One National Qualifiers
Jake Dalton – Men's Hammer
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – Men's Shot Put
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – Men's Hammer
Day One Quarterfinalists
Ahmad Young Jr. – Men's 110-Meter Hurdles
REBELS IN DAY ONE COMPETITION
Men's 800-Meter – First Round
20. Marcus Dropik – 1:49.00
DQ Chase Rose
Men's 1500-Meter – First Round
21. Gabe Scales – 3:44.48
41. Cruz Gomez – 3:48.00
Men's 10K – Semifinal
24. Dereck Elkins – 29:59.13
39. Aiden Britt – 30:36.33
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles – First Round
T6. Ahmad Young Jr. – 13.65 (+2.5) AQ
Men's Pole Vault
T13. Drew O'Connor – 5.32m/17-05.50 – Ties Overall PR, No. 5 Ole Miss History
T32. Logan Kelley – 5.07m/16-07.50
T32. Miles Walden – 5.07m/16-07.50
Men's Shot Put
1. Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – 20.07m/65-10.25 – NCAA Qualifier
Men's Hammer
2. Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – 69.33m/227-5 – NCAA Qualifier
10. Jake Dalton – 64.98m/213-2 – NCAA Qualifier
25. Costen Campion – 62.11m/203-9
FOUL Mason Hickel
Men's Javelin
20. Jake Railey – 64.46m/211-6
Players Mentioned
Distance
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Sprints
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Throws
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Throws
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Throws
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Distance
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Distance
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Javelin
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Throws
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Distance
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Pole Vault
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Pole Vault
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Throws
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Pole Vault
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Throws
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Javelin
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Throws
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Distance
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Distance
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/ Track and FieldThe Season: New Heights (2025)
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