The University of Mississippi Athletics
FEATURE: Arvesta Troupe’s Journey to the High Jump
2/28/2025 | Track and Field
OXFORD, Miss. – Fulton, Mississippi native Arvesta Troupe has always been a standout athlete, but he owes his newfound success in track & field to basketball.
Troupe sits near the top of the Ole Miss record book as the third-best high jumper in school history, recording the best height by a Rebel indoors since 2014 at 2.21m/7-3. Currently, that height has Troupe within qualifying contention for the NCAA Indoor Championships in a tie for 12th place nationally.
Despite his achievements in the high jump this season, Troupe has had an unconventional route to discovering the high jump. His athletic career began at Itawamba Agricultural High School, where Troupe participated in baseball, football and basketball before discovering track.
Basketball was his primary focus, with aspirations of continuing his basketball career after graduation. Troupe averaged 19.6 points per game during his senior season at Itawamba Agricultural, which ranked 10th overall in Mississippi.
But during the spring semester of his junior year, Troupe's basketball coach suggested track as an effort to condition for the upcoming basketball season – and everything changed.
"Our basketball coach was the track coach, so he just had a bunch of people on the team doing random events," Troupe said. "First I started off doing the long jump and high jump, with long being originally my main event."
Troupe quickly showed natural talent in the high jump, clearing 1.93m/6-4 without any prior training. During his junior year, Troupe was the MHSAA 4A runner-up, then won the state championship his senior year. After that state title his senior year, Troupe faced a decision regarding his future in athletics.
Ole Miss jumps coach Andre Scott had watched Troupe jump at the state meet that spring, and when Troupe reached out about jumping for the Rebels, Scott recognized the name instantly.
"Senior year was winding down and I was in a position where I was deciding where I wanted to go to school for basketball, and track was a last minute thing," Troupe said.
"The opportunity of Ole Miss came at the last minute," he continued. "I originally signed to play basketball [elsewhere], ink on paper and everything. And then the opportunity for Ole Miss came and it took a lot of thinking."
Faced with choosing between his lifelong sport and his newfound talent, Troupe opted to come to Ole Miss for track.
Upon his arrival on campus, Troupe was nervous for what his future held at Ole Miss and whether his decision to continue to pursue track and field would pan out.
"I was just a basketball player coming into this big university with a sport that I barely had experience in, so it was a lot to learn and I was really ready to adjust and just learn the aspects of track and field in general," Troupe said.
Despite his initial uncertainty, Troupe quickly proved his decision to be the right one, steadily improving throughout his first two seasons. During his freshman year in 2023, Troupe took fifth overall in the SEC Outdoor Championships at 2.09m/6-10.25, then finished third overall in the same meet a year later to win bronze at 2.14m/7-00.25.
Troupe continues to keep the same mindset he had coming to Ole Miss, focusing on his routine and consistency.
"Coming in it was just go with the flow, believe what (Coach Scott) says, stick to the plan and just do what I do and it will all work out," Troupe said. "Try to be as consistent as possible, consistency is key no matter what."
Troupe looks to uphold this mindset as he heads to this weekend's SEC Indoor Championships, with the men's high jump set for 2 p.m. CT on Fri., Feb. 28.
"Just treat it as another meet," Troupe said. "I know there are bigger things on the line, so I just really can't put all the pressure on myself. Just go out there and jump with a clear mind."
Troupe sits near the top of the Ole Miss record book as the third-best high jumper in school history, recording the best height by a Rebel indoors since 2014 at 2.21m/7-3. Currently, that height has Troupe within qualifying contention for the NCAA Indoor Championships in a tie for 12th place nationally.
Despite his achievements in the high jump this season, Troupe has had an unconventional route to discovering the high jump. His athletic career began at Itawamba Agricultural High School, where Troupe participated in baseball, football and basketball before discovering track.
Basketball was his primary focus, with aspirations of continuing his basketball career after graduation. Troupe averaged 19.6 points per game during his senior season at Itawamba Agricultural, which ranked 10th overall in Mississippi.
But during the spring semester of his junior year, Troupe's basketball coach suggested track as an effort to condition for the upcoming basketball season – and everything changed.
"Our basketball coach was the track coach, so he just had a bunch of people on the team doing random events," Troupe said. "First I started off doing the long jump and high jump, with long being originally my main event."
Troupe quickly showed natural talent in the high jump, clearing 1.93m/6-4 without any prior training. During his junior year, Troupe was the MHSAA 4A runner-up, then won the state championship his senior year. After that state title his senior year, Troupe faced a decision regarding his future in athletics.
Ole Miss jumps coach Andre Scott had watched Troupe jump at the state meet that spring, and when Troupe reached out about jumping for the Rebels, Scott recognized the name instantly.
"Senior year was winding down and I was in a position where I was deciding where I wanted to go to school for basketball, and track was a last minute thing," Troupe said.
"The opportunity of Ole Miss came at the last minute," he continued. "I originally signed to play basketball [elsewhere], ink on paper and everything. And then the opportunity for Ole Miss came and it took a lot of thinking."
Faced with choosing between his lifelong sport and his newfound talent, Troupe opted to come to Ole Miss for track.
Upon his arrival on campus, Troupe was nervous for what his future held at Ole Miss and whether his decision to continue to pursue track and field would pan out.
"I was just a basketball player coming into this big university with a sport that I barely had experience in, so it was a lot to learn and I was really ready to adjust and just learn the aspects of track and field in general," Troupe said.
Despite his initial uncertainty, Troupe quickly proved his decision to be the right one, steadily improving throughout his first two seasons. During his freshman year in 2023, Troupe took fifth overall in the SEC Outdoor Championships at 2.09m/6-10.25, then finished third overall in the same meet a year later to win bronze at 2.14m/7-00.25.
Troupe continues to keep the same mindset he had coming to Ole Miss, focusing on his routine and consistency.
"Coming in it was just go with the flow, believe what (Coach Scott) says, stick to the plan and just do what I do and it will all work out," Troupe said. "Try to be as consistent as possible, consistency is key no matter what."
Troupe looks to uphold this mindset as he heads to this weekend's SEC Indoor Championships, with the men's high jump set for 2 p.m. CT on Fri., Feb. 28.
"Just treat it as another meet," Troupe said. "I know there are bigger things on the line, so I just really can't put all the pressure on myself. Just go out there and jump with a clear mind."
Players Mentioned
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