BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Mississippi College track & field delivered a strong showing at the UAB Blazer Invite on Saturday, highlighted by multiple school records, personal bests, and NCAA provisional marks against a deep field of competition.
The Choctaw men were led by record-breaking performances in the triple jump and weight throw while the women's squad added an event victory and several all-time program marks to cap a productive weekend.
Men's Highlights
Freshman phenom Schyler Chambers continued his standout indoor season in the triple jump, recording a personal-best and school-record mark of 15.14 meters (49 feet, 8 inches) to finish second overall. Chambers' jump ranks 11th nationally in NCAA Division II and currently sits first in the Gulf South Conference.
In the throws, James David Miller reset the Mississippi College record in the weight throw with a personal-best toss of 18.52 meters (60 feet, 9 inches), placing third in the event.
The Choctaws also impressed in the hurdles, as Jake McMillan clocked a personal-best 8.13 seconds in the men's 60-meter hurdles prelims, earning an NCAA provisional mark and moving to third on the program's all-time list. In the finals, Tristan Jusino-Lansing finished tied for third with a time of 8.10 seconds, while McMillan placed fifth at 8.18 seconds.
In the high jump, McMillan added another personal best, clearing 1.99 meters (6 feet, 6¼ inches), which ranks fourth in the GSC and fifth all-time at MC.
The men's 4x400-meter relay team of Matias Vasquez, Samuel Hodson, Gabe Hodson, and Evan Wrights posted a time of 3:14.19 to finish second overall. The mark ranks first in the GSC, 14th nationally in Division II, and seventh on Mississippi College's all-time list, while also meeting NCAA provisional standards.
Additional notable men's performances included Bryan Puckett placing fourth in the shot put with a throw of 15.96 meters (52 feet, 4½ inches), Jacob Keesee finishing eighth in the weight throw at 16.96 meters (55 feet, 8 inches), and Christian Balcer earning a second-place finish in the mile with a time of 4:18.46. Distance runners Caleb Whipp (8:51.51) and Charlie Rock (8:59.32) both recorded personal bests in the 3,000 meters.
Women's Highlights
On the women's side, Taylor Benoit secured an event victory in the 3,000 meters, crossing the line in 9:58.13 to rank third in the GSC this season.
Anna Tucker recorded a personal best of 58.84 seconds in the 400 meters, improving her previous best by over a second, tying for fourth in the GSC and moving to sixth on Mississippi College's all-time list.Â
Sprinter Alana Green placed seventh in the 60-meter dash final with a seasons best time of 7.68 seconds, which is tied for second in the GSC. Green also anchored the women's 4x400-meter relay alongside Haylei Mason, Ann Cobb, and Tucker, as the quartet ran 3:56.32, the second-fastest time in program history.
Additional women's highlights included Madison Flugence earning a third-place finish in the long jump with a personal-best mark of 5.46 meters (17 feet, 11 inches), Kinley Harris placing third in the 3,000 meters with a personal best (10:25.24), and Haylei Mason setting a personal best of 25.92 seconds in the 200 meters, ranking sixth all-time at MC.
In the field events, Mallory Dial cleared 1.63 meters (5 feet, 4¼ inches) to finish third in the high jump, while Kennedy Thompson placed fourth in the weight throw with a mark of 16.85 meters (55 feet, 3½ inches).
What's Next:
Mississippi College track & field will take a smaller group to Vanderbilt next week, competing primarily in the distance medley relay and select distance events, before shifting its focus to the Gulf South Conference Indoor Championships in two weeks.
