CLEVELAND, Tenn. --- The stage is set for the 2023 Gulf South Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, to be held at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn. on Thursday, May 4 through Saturday, May 6.
The Mississippi College Men's Track and Field team heads into the event as the reigning GSC Indoor Track and Field Champions, while the Women's team enters the competition as the GSC Indoor Track and Field runner-ups. Mississippi College will bring a talented roster of 54 athletes to the championships, each ready to showcase their hard work and determination.
Among the standouts is Al Ferrill, who was named the USTFCCCA South-Region Field Athlete of the Year for Indoor Track and Field. Ferrill, a three-time GSC Champion, is currently ranked first in Shot Put and second in both Discus and Hammer.
Joining Ferrill is the 2022 Weight Throw GSC Champion, Essence Tornabene, who brings her own impressive throwing talents to the Lady Choctaws. Together, Ferrill and Tornabene will spearhead a formidable group of Mississippi College athletes in the throwing events, poised to make a significant impact at the GSC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
In addition to these accomplished throwers, the Choctaws also feature Pole Vault specialist Ben Woolhouse. Woolhouse enters the competition as the reigning Indoor Track and Field GSC Champion in Pole Vault, and is eager to continue his success on the outdoor stage.
In the running events, the Choctaws feature a remarkable group of NCAA Division II All-Americans, including Niklas Klei, Kelechi Christian, Jan Lukas Becker, Cole Benoit, Connor Stewart, Gabe Hodson, Fabio Palmieri, and Christian Balcer. Klei, who placed third in the Decathlon at the 2022 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, will also demonstrate his versatility by participating in both field and running events at the upcoming GSC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Becker and Balcer will compete in the Men's 3,000-meter Steeplechase on Thursday night, while two-time GSC Champion Gabe Poulin will take part in the Men's 10,000-meter run. In the Women's events, Emily Berry, the Women's 3,000-meter school record holder, will lead a strong team in the Women's 10,000-meter run. Meanwhile, Bre Bell, the school record holder and No. 1 seed in the Women's 3,000-meter Steeplechase, will also be vying for a top finish.
Palmieri, Klei, Christian, and others will participate in the 200-meter prelims, aiming to qualify for the finals.
Day two of the competition will see 60-meter dash school record holder Kevin Turner and recent GSC Freshman of the Week Alana Green, among others, in the 100-meter dash preliminary rounds. Shemar Patten, the 60-meter hurdles school record holder, will showcase his versatility by moving from the 100-meter dash prelims to the 110-meter hurdles prelims, aiming to qualify to the finals in both events.
Becker, a three-time GSC Champion, plans to double his efforts in the Men's 5,000-meter run alongside the aforementioned Kurz, Poulin, and other skilled distance runners. In the Women's events, 5,000-meter school record holder Jazmin Hernandez and 1500-meter school record holder Lauren Wallace will lead a group of talented Lady Choctaws in the Women's 5,000-meter run.
On the final day of competition, spectators can look forward to witnessing the school-record Men's 4x100-meter relay team, consisting of Turner, Klei, Patten, and Turner, as they join forces and enter the event as the No. 1 seed.
Cole Benoit, the reigning GSC Indoor Track and Field 1-mile Champion, will compete in the Men's 1500-meter run as the top returner and No. 1 seed. Hernandez and Wallace will return for the Women's 1500-meter run, accompanied by Berry, Bell, and freshman sensation Haley Hall.
Klei and Palmieri will participate in the Men's 400-meter dash, entering as the top two seeds, both holding GSC titles in the distance. Klei also boasts a top-10 national ranking in the event, while Palmieri holds the No. 47 spot nationally. Kelechi Christian will compete in the Women's 400-meter dash as the reigning GSC Indoor 400-meter dash Champion, No. 1 seed, and a top-20 national ranking.
The 800-meter run will feature an impressive group of Choctaws, including Benoit, Kurz, and Balcer, who will triple their efforts. Gabe Hodson, a silver medalist in the event, and Preston Speed will also join the competition. In the Women's 800-meter run, keep an eye on Hernandez, Wallace, Hall, Steeplechase specialist Ava Dickerson, and middle-distance ace Leslie Baxter.
Finally, the Mississippi College Men's team will aim to defend their outdoor title in the Men's 4x400-meter relay, entering as the No. 1 seed with a No. 3 national ranking. The Women's team also enters as the third seed, seeking a spot on the podium.
With such a strong lineup, the final day of the competition promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the 2023 GSC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
The Mississippi College Choctaws are prepared to embark on the postseason and showcase their hard work and dedication at the upcoming GSC Track and Field Championships. With a strong and talented roster of athletes, the Choctaws are eager to represent the Navy Blue and Gold with pride and determination, striving for excellence in every event. All in all, the 2023 GSC Outdoor Track and Field Championships promises to be an exciting and memorable competition for all involved.
