The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, January 16
Nashville, Tenn.
All Day
Ole Miss
at
Vanderbilt Invitational
Track & Field Heads to Nashville for Vanderbilt Invitational
1/15/2026 | Track and Field
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Ole Miss track & field heads to Nashville this weekend for the Vanderbilt Invitational, which is set to run Jan. 16-17 and will stream live on SECN+.
MEET NOTES
• Ole Miss track & field heads to Nashville this weekend for the Vanderbilt Invitational, which is set to run Jan. 16-17 and will stream live on SECN+.
• The Rebels are coming off a strong full-team open at Kentucky's Rod McCravy Memorial last week, where Ole Miss came away with eight event wins, five SEC-leading performances and one national lead -- courtesy of three-time NCAA Champion and All-American senior, Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan.
• Robinson-O'Hagan, who was named the SEC Men's Field Athlete of the Week, won the shot put at the current top mark in the NCAA at 20.76m/68-01.50 -- the best mark by any collegian this early into the season (Jan. 10) in available records (since at least 2008).
• The night prior, Robinson-O'Hagan was the top collegiate finisher in the weight throw at 23.78m/78-00.25, currently the top throw in the SEC and third-best nationally.
• Robinson-O'Hagan is the leader of a powerful Ole Miss men's throws squad that also got off to excellent starts last week. Fellow seniors Bryson Smith and Mason Hickel both own national top-12 marks, with Smith's PR of 22.11m/72-06.50 (NCAA No. 6, SEC No. 3) and Hickel's opener of 21.27m/69-09.50 (NCAA No. 11, SEC No. 6). In the shot put, freshman Ashton Hearn began his collegiate career at 17.84m/58-06.50 (NCAA No. 27, SEC No. 5), already good for sixth all-time at Ole Miss indoors.
• Robinson-O'Hagan has made the preseason watch list for The Bowerman -- college track & field's version of the Heisman Trophy -- for the second straight season. The Rhode Island native enters his final season at Ole Miss with three NCAA titles (including each of the least two indoors in 2024 and 2025) and is a 12-time All-American, nine-time SEC Champion, four-time SEC Men's Field Athlete of the Year, three-time SEC points trophy winner and 10-time SEC medalist with 59 career NCAA points scored and 104 SEC points.
• Robinson-O'Hagan has only lost to fellow collegians in the weight throw four times in his career, with three of those coming in all three of his NCAA finals. In the shot put, Robinson-O'Hagan hasn't lost indoors since the 2024 Razorback Invitational and has only twice to collegians overall since then (2024 Tom Jones Memorial; 2025 NCAA Outdoor).
• Robinson-O'Hagan entered the 2026 indoor season second in collegiate history in combined career shot put/weight throw PRs, with his current combined total sitting at 45.46m behind only 45.92m from North Dakota State's Payton Otterdahl. Robinson-O'Hagan owns career-bests of 21.11m/69-03.25 in the shot put and 24.35m/79-10.75 in the weight throw. Both rank within the all-time collegiate top-25 indoors, as he currently sits 13th in the weight and 21st in the shot indoors.
• His three straight NCAA titles from indoors 2024 to indoors 2025 landed him as one of only 10 three-peaters in collegiate history, with his first two wins in 2024 making him the youngest to sweep since 1989 and the first underclassman to win indoors since world record holder Ryan Crouser did so as a sophomore at Texas in 2014.
• Junior Akaoma Odeluga had a similarly great open to her 2026 season, earning the women's SEC Field Athlete of the Week honor after her superb debut at Kentucky last week.
• Odeluga won the weight throw on a massive five-foot PR of 22.95m/75-03.50, which currently leads the SEC and ranks second nationally and moved her to fifth on Ole Miss' stacked all-time list.
• She followed that up with a win in the shot put at 17.92m/58-09.50, her best-ever open that also leads the SEC and ranks second nationally. Odeluga has qualified nationally in the shot put in each of her last three tries across the indoor and outdoor seasons, and she ranks within the all-time collegiate top-25 both indoors (22nd, 18.37m/60-03.25) and outdoors (13th, 18.93m/62-01.25). She is one of two women in collegiate history at 62 feet in the shot put and 210 feet in the hammer, standing alongside only Arizona State national champion Maggie Ewen.
• Like Robinson-O'Hagan, Odeluga is the leader of a strong women's throws crew. Fellow junior and reigning SEC silver medalist Skylar Soli ranks right behind her on the SEC leaderboard and sixth nationally at her PR open of 22.21m/72-10.50, while newcomers Nyah Edwards (20.50m/67-03.25) and Natalie Brown (18.87m/61-11) rank fourth and 10th in the conference, respectively.
• Defending NCAA Outdoor men's high jump champion Arvesta Troupe began his final year as a Rebel in excellent form, winning at Kentucky on an indoor PR of 2.23m/7-03.75. Troupe became the first national high jump champion in Ole Miss history last June on a career-best clearance of 2.27m/7-05.25.
• In the men's triple jump, key portal additions and fellow juniors Sterling Scott (Missouri) and Kyle Johnson (UConn) had strong Rebel debuts of their own. Scott already ranks sixth in school history indoors at his opening mark of 15.97m/52-04.75 (NCAA and SEC No. 3), while Johnson already sits at No. 11 at Ole Miss on his debut of 15.67m/51-5 (NCAA No. 8, SEC No. 4). Mikoy Holmes' PR of 14.81m/48-07.25 also currently sits in the NCAA top-50, ranking 44th nationally and sixth in the conference. Troupe, Scott and a majority of the men's jumps crew will take this week off.
• Sophomore Jordan Urrutia had an explosive beginning to his 2026 season, first with a school record and then with a bombastic anchor leg on the best men's 4x400-meter relay at Ole Miss in 22 years alongside teammates Joshua Knox, Wesley Todd and Cade Flatt.
• Urrutia blazed to a 33.06 in the 300-meter dash, ranking as the best proper 300-meter time ever by a Rebel. Less than two hours later, Urrutia took the stick in last place on Ole Miss' relay but ripped off an eye-opening 45.45 anchor split to not only give Ole Miss the win, but also cross the line at 3:08.85 -- fourth-best ever indoors at Ole Miss and the best by a Rebel relay since 2004.
• Freshman Patchnalie Compere had a sparkling performance of her own in the women's 300-meter, crossing the line at an Ole Miss freshman record 37.40 -- just barely missing Olympian McKenzie Long's record 37.38 from 2023.
• Other Rebel men currently within the national top-50 this week are: senior Chase Rose in the 800-meter (6th, 1:49.57), senior Kidus Misgina in the 5K (38th, 13:38.45) and senior Logan Kelley in the pole vault (48th, 5.00m/16-04.75).
• Additional Ole Miss women in the top-50 this week are: senior Cassie Williamson in the 800-meter (11th, 2:08.51), sophomore Lily Beattie in the pole vault (22nd, 4.05m/13-03.50) and junior Mary Cate Doughty in the pole vault (48th, 3.90m/12-09.50).
MEET NOTES
• Ole Miss track & field heads to Nashville this weekend for the Vanderbilt Invitational, which is set to run Jan. 16-17 and will stream live on SECN+.
• The Rebels are coming off a strong full-team open at Kentucky's Rod McCravy Memorial last week, where Ole Miss came away with eight event wins, five SEC-leading performances and one national lead -- courtesy of three-time NCAA Champion and All-American senior, Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan.
• Robinson-O'Hagan, who was named the SEC Men's Field Athlete of the Week, won the shot put at the current top mark in the NCAA at 20.76m/68-01.50 -- the best mark by any collegian this early into the season (Jan. 10) in available records (since at least 2008).
• The night prior, Robinson-O'Hagan was the top collegiate finisher in the weight throw at 23.78m/78-00.25, currently the top throw in the SEC and third-best nationally.
• Robinson-O'Hagan is the leader of a powerful Ole Miss men's throws squad that also got off to excellent starts last week. Fellow seniors Bryson Smith and Mason Hickel both own national top-12 marks, with Smith's PR of 22.11m/72-06.50 (NCAA No. 6, SEC No. 3) and Hickel's opener of 21.27m/69-09.50 (NCAA No. 11, SEC No. 6). In the shot put, freshman Ashton Hearn began his collegiate career at 17.84m/58-06.50 (NCAA No. 27, SEC No. 5), already good for sixth all-time at Ole Miss indoors.
• Robinson-O'Hagan has made the preseason watch list for The Bowerman -- college track & field's version of the Heisman Trophy -- for the second straight season. The Rhode Island native enters his final season at Ole Miss with three NCAA titles (including each of the least two indoors in 2024 and 2025) and is a 12-time All-American, nine-time SEC Champion, four-time SEC Men's Field Athlete of the Year, three-time SEC points trophy winner and 10-time SEC medalist with 59 career NCAA points scored and 104 SEC points.
• Robinson-O'Hagan has only lost to fellow collegians in the weight throw four times in his career, with three of those coming in all three of his NCAA finals. In the shot put, Robinson-O'Hagan hasn't lost indoors since the 2024 Razorback Invitational and has only twice to collegians overall since then (2024 Tom Jones Memorial; 2025 NCAA Outdoor).
• Robinson-O'Hagan entered the 2026 indoor season second in collegiate history in combined career shot put/weight throw PRs, with his current combined total sitting at 45.46m behind only 45.92m from North Dakota State's Payton Otterdahl. Robinson-O'Hagan owns career-bests of 21.11m/69-03.25 in the shot put and 24.35m/79-10.75 in the weight throw. Both rank within the all-time collegiate top-25 indoors, as he currently sits 13th in the weight and 21st in the shot indoors.
• His three straight NCAA titles from indoors 2024 to indoors 2025 landed him as one of only 10 three-peaters in collegiate history, with his first two wins in 2024 making him the youngest to sweep since 1989 and the first underclassman to win indoors since world record holder Ryan Crouser did so as a sophomore at Texas in 2014.
• Junior Akaoma Odeluga had a similarly great open to her 2026 season, earning the women's SEC Field Athlete of the Week honor after her superb debut at Kentucky last week.
• Odeluga won the weight throw on a massive five-foot PR of 22.95m/75-03.50, which currently leads the SEC and ranks second nationally and moved her to fifth on Ole Miss' stacked all-time list.
• She followed that up with a win in the shot put at 17.92m/58-09.50, her best-ever open that also leads the SEC and ranks second nationally. Odeluga has qualified nationally in the shot put in each of her last three tries across the indoor and outdoor seasons, and she ranks within the all-time collegiate top-25 both indoors (22nd, 18.37m/60-03.25) and outdoors (13th, 18.93m/62-01.25). She is one of two women in collegiate history at 62 feet in the shot put and 210 feet in the hammer, standing alongside only Arizona State national champion Maggie Ewen.
• Like Robinson-O'Hagan, Odeluga is the leader of a strong women's throws crew. Fellow junior and reigning SEC silver medalist Skylar Soli ranks right behind her on the SEC leaderboard and sixth nationally at her PR open of 22.21m/72-10.50, while newcomers Nyah Edwards (20.50m/67-03.25) and Natalie Brown (18.87m/61-11) rank fourth and 10th in the conference, respectively.
• Defending NCAA Outdoor men's high jump champion Arvesta Troupe began his final year as a Rebel in excellent form, winning at Kentucky on an indoor PR of 2.23m/7-03.75. Troupe became the first national high jump champion in Ole Miss history last June on a career-best clearance of 2.27m/7-05.25.
• In the men's triple jump, key portal additions and fellow juniors Sterling Scott (Missouri) and Kyle Johnson (UConn) had strong Rebel debuts of their own. Scott already ranks sixth in school history indoors at his opening mark of 15.97m/52-04.75 (NCAA and SEC No. 3), while Johnson already sits at No. 11 at Ole Miss on his debut of 15.67m/51-5 (NCAA No. 8, SEC No. 4). Mikoy Holmes' PR of 14.81m/48-07.25 also currently sits in the NCAA top-50, ranking 44th nationally and sixth in the conference. Troupe, Scott and a majority of the men's jumps crew will take this week off.
• Sophomore Jordan Urrutia had an explosive beginning to his 2026 season, first with a school record and then with a bombastic anchor leg on the best men's 4x400-meter relay at Ole Miss in 22 years alongside teammates Joshua Knox, Wesley Todd and Cade Flatt.
• Urrutia blazed to a 33.06 in the 300-meter dash, ranking as the best proper 300-meter time ever by a Rebel. Less than two hours later, Urrutia took the stick in last place on Ole Miss' relay but ripped off an eye-opening 45.45 anchor split to not only give Ole Miss the win, but also cross the line at 3:08.85 -- fourth-best ever indoors at Ole Miss and the best by a Rebel relay since 2004.
• Freshman Patchnalie Compere had a sparkling performance of her own in the women's 300-meter, crossing the line at an Ole Miss freshman record 37.40 -- just barely missing Olympian McKenzie Long's record 37.38 from 2023.
• Other Rebel men currently within the national top-50 this week are: senior Chase Rose in the 800-meter (6th, 1:49.57), senior Kidus Misgina in the 5K (38th, 13:38.45) and senior Logan Kelley in the pole vault (48th, 5.00m/16-04.75).
• Additional Ole Miss women in the top-50 this week are: senior Cassie Williamson in the 800-meter (11th, 2:08.51), sophomore Lily Beattie in the pole vault (22nd, 4.05m/13-03.50) and junior Mary Cate Doughty in the pole vault (48th, 3.90m/12-09.50).
| 2026 Vanderbilt Invitational, Master Schedule (all times CT) | ||
| Day One | Friday, January 16 | ||
| Time | Event | Athlete(s) |
| 9:00 AM | Men's Heptathlon (60-Meter Dash) | William Numnum (Heat 2, Lane 6) Caughran Fowler (Heat 2, Lane 7) |
| 9:20 AM | Women's Pentathlon (60-Meter Hurdles) | Carmela Coulter (Heat 4, Lane 4) Nyajah Gordon (Heat 6, Lane 2) |
| ~9:45 AM | Men's Heptathlon (Long Jump) | Caughran Fowler William Numnum |
| 10:00 AM | Men's Weight Throw | Mason Hickel (Flight 2) Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan (Flight 2) Bryson Smith (Flight 2) |
| ~10:25 AM | Women's Pentathlon (High Jump) | Nyajah Gordon (Flight 1) Carmela Coulter (Flight 2) |
| ~10:45 AM | Men's Heptathlon (Shot Put) | Caughran Fowler William Numnum |
| ~12:20 PM | Women's Pentathlon (Shot Put) | Carmela Coulter (Flight 1) Nyajah Gordon (Flight 2) |
| ~1:15 PM | Men's Heptathlon (High Jump) | Caughran Fowler William Numnum |
| 1:30 PM | Women's Weight Throw (Invite) | Natalie Brown Nyah Edwards Akaoma Odeluga Skylar Soli |
| ~1:45 PM | Women's Pentathlon (Long Jump) | Carmela Coulter (Flight 1) Nyajah Gordon (Flight 2) |
| 3:00 PM | Women's Long Jump (Invite) | Lizzie Hatton |
| Women's Long Jump (Open) | Indya Dotson (Flight 3) | |
| Men's Pole Vault | Logan Kelley | |
| 4:00 PM | Women's Weight Throw (Open) | Temidayo Owoyemi (Flight 2) Naomi Woolfolk (Flight 2) |
| 4:15 PM | Men's 600-Meter | Max Armstrong (Heat 1) Cade Flatt (Heat 1) Carson Turner (Heat 1) |
| 4:40 PM | Men's 1000-Meter | Connor Henson (Heat 1) Chase Rose (Heat 1) Gabe Scales (Heat 1) |
| ~4:55 PM | Women's Pentathlon (800-Meter) | Carmela Coulter Nyajah Gordon |
| 5:55 PM | Women's 200-Meter Dash | Myla Reed (Heat 8, Lane 4) |
| Day Two | Saturday, January 17 | ||
| Time | Event | Athlete(s) |
| 8:30 AM | Men's Heptathlon (60-Meter Hurdles) | Caughran Fowler (Heat 1, Lane 2) William Numnum (Heat 2, Lane 8) |
| ~9:20 AM | Men's Heptathlon (Pole Vault) | Caughran Fowler William Numnum |
| ~11:15 AM | Men's Heptathlon (1000-Meter) | Caughran Fowler William Numnum |
| 11:30 AM | Men's Shot Put | Ashton Hearn (Flight 2) Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan (Flight 2) |
| 12:00 PM | Women's 60-Meter Dash (Prelims) | Royannah Farmer (Heat 6, Lane 4) Myla Reed (Heat 6, Lane 6) Lizzie Hatton (Heat 8, Lane 3) |
| 12:20 PM | Men's 60-Meter Dash (Prelims) | Dekell Minor (Heat 1, Lane 5) Wesley Todd (Heat 3, Lane 3) |
| 12:45 PM | Women's Mile | Madison Archdale (Heat 2) Addy Mitchell (Heat 2) |
| 1:10 PM | Men's Mile | Connor Henson (Heat 1) Zack Gilbertson (Heat 2) Stone Smith (Heat 2) |
| 1:30 PM | Women's Pole Vault (Invite) | Lily Beattie Mary Cate Doughty Aly Francolini Rachel Homoly Katie McFarland |
| 1:40 PM | Women's 60-Meter Dash (Semifinals) | -- |
| 1:50 PM | Men's 60-Meter Dash (Semifinals) | -- |
| 2:00 PM | Women's Triple Jump | Indya Dotson (Flight 2) Bayli Major (Flight 3) Madison Martinez (Flight 3) |
| Men's Triple Jump | Solomon Finley (Flight 1) | |
| 2:05 PM | Women's 60-Meter Hurdles (Prelims) | Bayli Major (Heat 6, Lane 3) |
| 2:30 PM | Women's Shot Put | Natalie Brown (Flight 2) Akaoma Odeluga (Flight 2) Temidayo Owoyemi (Flight 2) |
| 3:20 PM | Men's 400-Meter Dash | Joshua Knox (Heat 1, Lane 5) |
| 3:30 PM | Women's Pole Vault (Open) | Katelyn Hulsey |
| 4:00 PM | Men's 60-Meter Dash (Final) | -- |
| 4:05 PM | Women's 60-Meter Dash (Final) | -- |
| 4:30 PM | Women's 60-Meter Hurdles (Final) | -- |
| 4:40 PM | Women's 800-Meter | Jo-Lauren Keane (Heat 1) Cassie Williamson (Heat 1) |
| 5:25 PM | Women's 3K | Hannah Doyle (Heat 2) Ella Johnson (Heat 2) Leah Penick (Heat 2) Brooke Preputnick (Heat 2) |
| 6:00 PM | Men's 3K | Owen Kelley (Heat 2) |
| 6:35 PM | Women's 4x400-Meter Relay (Heat 2) | Patchnalie Compere Royannah Farmer Zion Lockette Cassie Williamson |
| 6:55 PM | Men's 4x400-Meter Relay | A Relay (Heat 1, Lane 6) Joshua Knox, Cade Flatt, Wesley Todd, Carson Turner B Relay (Heat 2, Lane 2) Max Armstrong, Dekell Minor, Chase Rose, Tarique Wright |
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Multi
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Multi
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Multi
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Multi
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and FieldThe Season: New Heights (2025)
Friday, August 01
From Walk-On to National Champ: Arvesta Troupe (T&F)
Monday, June 23
HIGHLIGHTS: Arvesta Troupe Makes History as NCAA High Jump Champ
Friday, June 13
PRESSER: Arvesta Troupe Talks Historic NCAA High Jump Win
Friday, June 13