CLEVELAND, Tenn. --- In the final meet before the NCAA Division II National Championships, the Mississippi College outdoor track and field programs sent a select group of competitors the Lee University Last Chance Meet on Saturday, May 14.
 
Sophomore Cole Benoit and freshman Christian Balcer improved their times in their respected events. Benoit posted a time of 3.44.94 in the men's 1,500 meters to grab sixth place in the Volunteer State. The time moved him into the top 20 in the nation in the event.
 
Balcer clocked a 9:04.26 in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase to garner an eight-place finish in the event. The mark reset his previous best of 9:13.25 set at the Gulf South Conference Championships last weekend in Clinton, Miss.
 
Three other Choctaws posted PRs during the day led by Shemar Patten's pair. Patten clocked a 14.69 in the men's 110 hurdles to take eighth in the event. He added his second PR in the 100-meter preliminaries with a time of 10.76.
 
Gabe Hodson added a PR in the men's 800 meters with a time of 1:53.53 as he was the second Choctaw to cross the finish line in the event. Jake Russell was the top MC finisher with a time of 1:52.27 while Wesley Gibbs turned in a time of 1:53.70.  
 
Hunter Kurz finished 13th in the men's 1,500 meters with a time of 3:49.49. Will Grames and Connor Stewart turned in times of 49.47 and 49.73 respectively in the 400 meters.
 
Tytavia Hardy turned in a pair of top 15 finishes in the women's field events. The Pensacola, Fla., native finished eighth in the long jump with a distance of 5.70 meters. The junior posted a leap of 11.17 meters in the triple jump to take 13th.
 
Kelechi Christian finished sixth in the women's 200 meters as she turned in a time of 24.55. Jazmin Hernandez rounded out the track events on the women's side with a time of 4:45.92 in 1,500 meters.
 
Mississippi College now awaits the NCAA announcement of the field for Nationals in Allendale, Mich., Wednesday, May 25-27.