BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- The Mississippi College Track and Field team is ready to take center stage at the 2023 Gulf South Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships to be held in Birmingham, Alabama. The Choctaws, who have had a phenomenal indoor season thus far, come into the championships with a strong line-up of athletes.
"I am so proud of the men's and women's program", expressed head Track and Field coach Matthew Reneker. "During the regular season, we have broken a plethora of school records, and I can't imagine we will perform any better than we already have. However, I have a small feeling that these athletes will prove me wrong, just as they have been doing all season."
The men's team, who are ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division II South Region and No. 5 in NCAA Division II, are positioning themselves to compete for the team title.
The team is led by standout athletes such as Niklas Klei, Jan Lukas Becker, Hunter Kurz, Shemar Patten, Kevin Turner, Al Ferrill, and Ben Woolhouse, among many others. Klei, ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II in the 400-meter dash, will be looking to continue his winning streak at the championships. Becker, an eight-time NCAA Division II All-American, holds school records in the 3,000 and 5,000-meter run and will be a top contender in those events. Kurz, who leads the GSC and holds the school record in the 1-mile run, will also be representing the blue and gold and looking to make his mark at the championships.
With record holders such as Patten in the 60-meter hurdles, Turner in the 60-meter dash, Ferrill in the Shot Put and Weight Throw, and Woolhouse in the Pole Vault, the Choctaws are ready to showcase their depth and talent at the Birmingham Crossplex. The men's team also boasts a nationally ranked Men's Distance Medley Relay and Men's 4x400-meter relay, adding to their already impressive resume.
The women's team enters the competition as the No. 2 ranked team in the NCAA Division II South Region.
Jazmin Hernandez, who holds school records in the 800-meter and 1-mile run, is a force to be reckoned with on the track. Kelechi Christian, who holds the school records in the 60-meter, 200-meter, and 400-meter dash, will also be representing the blue and gold and will chase more top-notch marks to add to her 2023 Indoor Track and Field resume. Essence Tornabene, the school record holder in the Women's Weight Throw and Shot Put, will be one to watch in those events. Lastly, Women's 3,000-meter school record holder Emily Berry will lead a strong contingent in the Women's 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter run.
In addition to Hernandez, Berry, Tornabene, and Christian, the Mississippi College Women's Track and Field team is composed of many other talented athletes, including a school record holding Women's 4x400 meter relay, who have etched their names in the Mississippi College Track and Field record books.
The Choctaws have broken 26 school records this indoor season and own 28 NCAA Division II provisional standard marks, setting the bar high for their competitors. They have been preparing all season and are ready to showcase their hard work and carry their momentum into the Championships.
The 2023 Gulf South Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships will take place on February 14th-15th at the Birmingham Crossplex, with Choctaw action starting on Tuesday at 1:30 PM. Stay tuned to follow the Mississippi College Track and Field team as they make their mark in the GSC!
