The University of Mississippi Athletics
Track & Field Notches Four More National Tickets at NCAA East Day Two
5/29/2025 | Track and Field
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Ole Miss track & field earned four more national qualifying berths before inclement weather once again upended the competition schedule on Day Two of the 2025 NCAA East Regional on Thursday.
The meet today started unabated following a tumultuous opener Wednesday that didn't end until after 1:30 a.m. local time Thursday, but storms once again forced schedule changes – pushing back both the women's pole vault and shot put to Friday morning for the Rebels.
Freshman Lily Beattie had already cleared her first bar in the pole vault at 3.94m/12-11 and was on her second attempt at 4.09m/13-5 before the weather delay rolled in. Competition will now resume at 8:30 a.m. CT (9:30 a.m. ET) on Friday morning, while tonight's women's shot put prelim – featuring Opal Jackson, Akaoma Odeluga and Mensi Stiff – will now run at 9 a.m. CT (10 a.m. ET) on Friday.
But while the weather was good, Ole Miss once again took great advantage, earning national tickets to Oregon in the women's hammer from sophomore Skylar Soli, the men's pole vault from junior Logan Kelley and sophomore John Kendricks, and a 12th career national berth for three-time reigning NCAA shot put champion, Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan.
One day after punching his return ticket to Oregon in the hammer, Robinson-O'Hagan took care of business in the rescheduled men's shot put prelim, earning a chance to defend his outdoor national title from 2024.
Robinson-O'Hagan – who stands as one of only three men's athletes nationally this season to make all seven watch lists for The Bowerman – topped out on a season-best and Hodges Stadium record 20.85m/68-5 in the second round, holding the best qualifying mark by two feet. He didn't even need that season-best performance, though, as his first round (20.42m/67-0) and third round (19.97m/65-06.25) throws each would have booked passage to Oregon as well.
This is the third consecutive outdoor national double in the shot and hammer for Robinson-O'Hagan, who in two weeks will have doubled in all six of his national meets since coming to Ole Miss as a freshman in 2023. He is one of only 10 men's athletes in Division I history to have won three consecutive shot put titles across both seasons, and he will look to become only the 12th in men's history to repeat as the outdoor champion and the first since 2017. A fourth straight national shot put title would put him into even further rarified air, as only four men's athletes in collegiate history have ever done so.
A few hours earlier, Skylar Soli started the morning off with her qualifying performance in the women's hammer. The Rebel sophomore sent one out 63.44m/208-2 in the third flight, but had to stick around to see if her mark would hold after the fourth flight concluded. Soli fell down the leaderboard as the competition went on, but in the end she was able to hang on for the 12th and final ticket to Eugene – her second consecutive national qualifying berth in the hammer.
Fellow sophomore Akaoma Odeluga fell a few spots shy in 15th place at 61.13m/200-6, but will have another chance in the shot put tomorrow morning.
John Kendricks and Logan Kelley both earned their first career national berths in the men's pole vault, where they became the first Rebel duo to qualify in the same season. They are only the fourth and fifth Ole Miss men to ever qualify in the pole vault alongside Cole Colozzo (2021), Baker Vinci (1984) and Kendricks' older brother, three-time Olympian Sam Kendricks, who qualified three times from 2012-14 – including NCAA Outdoor titles in both 2013 and 2014.
John Kendricks, who two weeks ago joined his brother as the lone 18-footers in Ole Miss history following his SEC bronze medal performance, finished fourth in today's prelim at 5.43m/17-09.75. Kelley, meanwhile, put together a career-best performance in his tie for eighth place at 5.33m/17-05.75 – an overall PR that moves him to No. 7 in school history outdoors.
Senior Drew O'Connor – who missed out in heartbreaking fashion in 2024 – fell just shy again in a tie for 16th place at 5.18m/17-0. He concludes his Ole Miss career as a three-time SEC scorer and ranks third all-time indoors and fourth outdoors.
Other Rebels competing on Thursday included sophomore Lizzie Hatton in the women's long jump (37th, 5.82m/19-01.25) and junior Mason Hickel in the men's shot put (39th, 17.29m/56-08.75).
Competition starts for Ole Miss on Day Three at 8:30 a.m. CT (9:30 a.m. ET) with the resumption of the women's pole vault. A full up-to-date timetable is available in our NCAA East Regional preview HERE.
Day Two National Qualifiers
Logan Kelley – Men's Pole Vault
John Kendricks – Men's Pole Vault
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – Men's Shot Put
Skylar Soli – Women's Hammer
Day One National Qualifiers
Jake Dalton – Men's Hammer
Mason Hickel – Men's Hammer
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – Men's Hammer
Bryson Smith – Men's Hammer
Day One Quarterfinalists
Joseph Michel – Men's 100-Meter Dash
Carson Turner – Men's 800-Meter
REBELS IN DAY TWO COMPETITION
Men's Pole Vault
4. John Kendricks – 5.43m/17-09.75 – NCAA Qualifier
T8. Logan Kelley – 5.33m/17-05.75 – NCAA Qualifier – PR, No. 7 Ole Miss History Outdoors
T16. Drew O'Connor – 5.18m/17-0
Women's Long Jump
37. Lizzie Hatton – 5.82m/19-01.25 (+1.3)
Men's Shot Put
1. Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – 20.85m/68-5 – NCAA Qualifier – Facility Record, Outdoor SB
39. Mason Hickel – 17.29m/56-08.75
Women's Hammer
12. Skylar Soli – 63.44m/208-2 – NCAA Qualifier
15. Akaoma Odeluga – 61.13m/200-6
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REBELS IN DAY ONE COMPETITION
Men's 100-Meter Dash (First Round)
17. Joseph Michel – 10.37q (-0.3)
Men's 800-Meter (First Round)
10. Carson Turner – 1:47.66q – PR, No. 12 Ole Miss History Outdoors
DNF Max Armstrong
Men's 10K (Semifinal)
15. Kidus Misgina – 29:25.03
39. Aiden Britt – 30:22.48
Men's Hammer
1. Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – 74.51m/244-5 – NCAA Qualifier – East Regional Record
2. Bryson Smith – 68.40m/224-5 – NCAA Qualifier
4. Jake Dalton – 67.82m/222-6 – NCAA Qualifier
8. Mason Hickel – 66.05m/216-8 – NCAA Qualifier – PR, No. 5 Ole Miss History
28. Costen Campion – 61.86m/202-11
The meet today started unabated following a tumultuous opener Wednesday that didn't end until after 1:30 a.m. local time Thursday, but storms once again forced schedule changes – pushing back both the women's pole vault and shot put to Friday morning for the Rebels.
Freshman Lily Beattie had already cleared her first bar in the pole vault at 3.94m/12-11 and was on her second attempt at 4.09m/13-5 before the weather delay rolled in. Competition will now resume at 8:30 a.m. CT (9:30 a.m. ET) on Friday morning, while tonight's women's shot put prelim – featuring Opal Jackson, Akaoma Odeluga and Mensi Stiff – will now run at 9 a.m. CT (10 a.m. ET) on Friday.
But while the weather was good, Ole Miss once again took great advantage, earning national tickets to Oregon in the women's hammer from sophomore Skylar Soli, the men's pole vault from junior Logan Kelley and sophomore John Kendricks, and a 12th career national berth for three-time reigning NCAA shot put champion, Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan.
One day after punching his return ticket to Oregon in the hammer, Robinson-O'Hagan took care of business in the rescheduled men's shot put prelim, earning a chance to defend his outdoor national title from 2024.
Robinson-O'Hagan – who stands as one of only three men's athletes nationally this season to make all seven watch lists for The Bowerman – topped out on a season-best and Hodges Stadium record 20.85m/68-5 in the second round, holding the best qualifying mark by two feet. He didn't even need that season-best performance, though, as his first round (20.42m/67-0) and third round (19.97m/65-06.25) throws each would have booked passage to Oregon as well.
This is the third consecutive outdoor national double in the shot and hammer for Robinson-O'Hagan, who in two weeks will have doubled in all six of his national meets since coming to Ole Miss as a freshman in 2023. He is one of only 10 men's athletes in Division I history to have won three consecutive shot put titles across both seasons, and he will look to become only the 12th in men's history to repeat as the outdoor champion and the first since 2017. A fourth straight national shot put title would put him into even further rarified air, as only four men's athletes in collegiate history have ever done so.
A few hours earlier, Skylar Soli started the morning off with her qualifying performance in the women's hammer. The Rebel sophomore sent one out 63.44m/208-2 in the third flight, but had to stick around to see if her mark would hold after the fourth flight concluded. Soli fell down the leaderboard as the competition went on, but in the end she was able to hang on for the 12th and final ticket to Eugene – her second consecutive national qualifying berth in the hammer.
Fellow sophomore Akaoma Odeluga fell a few spots shy in 15th place at 61.13m/200-6, but will have another chance in the shot put tomorrow morning.
John Kendricks and Logan Kelley both earned their first career national berths in the men's pole vault, where they became the first Rebel duo to qualify in the same season. They are only the fourth and fifth Ole Miss men to ever qualify in the pole vault alongside Cole Colozzo (2021), Baker Vinci (1984) and Kendricks' older brother, three-time Olympian Sam Kendricks, who qualified three times from 2012-14 – including NCAA Outdoor titles in both 2013 and 2014.
John Kendricks, who two weeks ago joined his brother as the lone 18-footers in Ole Miss history following his SEC bronze medal performance, finished fourth in today's prelim at 5.43m/17-09.75. Kelley, meanwhile, put together a career-best performance in his tie for eighth place at 5.33m/17-05.75 – an overall PR that moves him to No. 7 in school history outdoors.
Senior Drew O'Connor – who missed out in heartbreaking fashion in 2024 – fell just shy again in a tie for 16th place at 5.18m/17-0. He concludes his Ole Miss career as a three-time SEC scorer and ranks third all-time indoors and fourth outdoors.
Other Rebels competing on Thursday included sophomore Lizzie Hatton in the women's long jump (37th, 5.82m/19-01.25) and junior Mason Hickel in the men's shot put (39th, 17.29m/56-08.75).
Competition starts for Ole Miss on Day Three at 8:30 a.m. CT (9:30 a.m. ET) with the resumption of the women's pole vault. A full up-to-date timetable is available in our NCAA East Regional preview HERE.
Day Two National Qualifiers
Logan Kelley – Men's Pole Vault
John Kendricks – Men's Pole Vault
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – Men's Shot Put
Skylar Soli – Women's Hammer
Day One National Qualifiers
Jake Dalton – Men's Hammer
Mason Hickel – Men's Hammer
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – Men's Hammer
Bryson Smith – Men's Hammer
Day One Quarterfinalists
Joseph Michel – Men's 100-Meter Dash
Carson Turner – Men's 800-Meter
REBELS IN DAY TWO COMPETITION
Men's Pole Vault
4. John Kendricks – 5.43m/17-09.75 – NCAA Qualifier
T8. Logan Kelley – 5.33m/17-05.75 – NCAA Qualifier – PR, No. 7 Ole Miss History Outdoors
T16. Drew O'Connor – 5.18m/17-0
Women's Long Jump
37. Lizzie Hatton – 5.82m/19-01.25 (+1.3)
Men's Shot Put
1. Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – 20.85m/68-5 – NCAA Qualifier – Facility Record, Outdoor SB
39. Mason Hickel – 17.29m/56-08.75
Women's Hammer
12. Skylar Soli – 63.44m/208-2 – NCAA Qualifier
15. Akaoma Odeluga – 61.13m/200-6
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REBELS IN DAY ONE COMPETITION
Men's 100-Meter Dash (First Round)
17. Joseph Michel – 10.37q (-0.3)
Men's 800-Meter (First Round)
10. Carson Turner – 1:47.66q – PR, No. 12 Ole Miss History Outdoors
DNF Max Armstrong
Men's 10K (Semifinal)
15. Kidus Misgina – 29:25.03
39. Aiden Britt – 30:22.48
Men's Hammer
1. Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – 74.51m/244-5 – NCAA Qualifier – East Regional Record
2. Bryson Smith – 68.40m/224-5 – NCAA Qualifier
4. Jake Dalton – 67.82m/222-6 – NCAA Qualifier
8. Mason Hickel – 66.05m/216-8 – NCAA Qualifier – PR, No. 5 Ole Miss History
28. Costen Campion – 61.86m/202-11
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
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Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
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