March 18, 2012

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – After recently concluding an indoor season that produced five USTFCCCA All-Americans, the Ole Miss track and field team began its outdoor season in style Saturday at the Rhodes Open held at Rhodes College in Memphis.

The Rebels received brilliant performances by numerous athletes, claiming first place in 10 different events.

For the Rebel men, Bradley Shields won the 100 meters (10.70), freshman Sam Kendricks captured the pole vault title (16-6.5) and Benjamin Lapane won the javelin throw (206-9). Kendricks’ height Saturday currently ranks him 12th nationally in the event and fifth in school history after his first career outdoor meet.

Also, all three Rebel men’s relay teams earned victories. The relay teams included the 4x100 meter relay (Mike Granger, Isiah Young, Shields, Jarius Baker), 4x400 meter relay (Dante Oliver, Creighton Serrette, Young, Montez Griffin) and the 4x800 meter relay (Max Holman, Loren Newsom, Riley Young, Kipchirchir Kiptoo).

The 4x400 meter relay time of 3:10.10 ranked as the nation’s third-fastest over the weekend, while the 4x100 meter relay time of 40.25 was the fifth-fastest in the nation.

Granger and Shields also competed in the 200-meter dash Saturday. Granger finished third and Shields fourth. Granger’s time of 21.34 ranks him 12th nationally in the event while Shields’ time of 21.54 ranks him 24th in the nation at the conclusion of the opening weekend.

Malcolm Davis finished second in the high jump with a height of 6-9.75, which ranks him 15th nationally in the event.

In the 400 meter hurdles, Carson Blanks placed second and Brian Word, third. Blanks’ time of 52.79 ranks him 17th nationally in the event, while Word’s time of 53.06 ranks him 22nd.

On the women’s side, Lauren Hollingsworth won the 200 meters with a time of 24.60.

Two of the Ole Miss women’s relay teams also put together first-place finishes. The 4x100 meter relay team consisting of Taryn Hartfield, Hollingsworth, Jasmine Williams and Kristin Bridges won their relay clocking a time of 45.65, which ranks as the ninth-fastest relay team in the nation. The 4x800 meter relay team composed of Kayleigh Skinner, Anne Threlkeld, Tia Leake and Haley Cutright finished first with a time of 9:15.04.

Pamela Lee and Fabia McDonald went 1-2 in the high jump. Lee’s jump of 5-7.75 ranks her 13th nationally in the event.

Sofia Hellberg-Jonsen was impressive in the 400-meter hurdles, earning a second-place finish with a time of 1:01.23 that ranks her 15th nationally this year.

Jazmin Miller placed second in the hammer throw with a personal-best heave of 172-4, which continues to rank her fifth in school history in the event.

The Rebel women also dominated the mile run. Led by senior Logan Waites’ second-place finish, the Rebels then had six athletes finish from 3-8 in the event.

Deonna Walton’s second-place jump of 19-4.25 in the long jump ranks her 13th nationally after the opening outdoor weekend of competition.

Freshman pole vaulters Ashleigh Culpepper and Kelly McCormick both cleared 10-6 to rank them in the top five in school history in just their first career outdoor meet.

Ole Miss will return to action Friday March 23 and participate in the SEC/Big Ten Challenge Meet in Starkville, Miss.

AGATE

MEN

100 Meters
1. Bradley Shields – 10.70
5. Jarius Baker – 10.85
28. Alec Arena – 11.86

110 Meter Hurdles
2. Robert Semien – 14.71

200 Meters
3. Mike Granger – 21.34
4. Bradley Shields – 21.54
8. Montez Griffin – 21.93
10. Dante Oliver – 22.07
14. Creighton Serrette – 22.34

400 Meter Hurdles
2. Carson Blanks – 52.79
3. Brian Word – 53.06
16. Robert Semien – 59.10
17. Jonathan Redding – 59.33

Mile Run
2. Riley Young – 4:15.20
6. Kipchirchir Kiptoo – 4:23.01
13. Loren Newsom – 4:28.89
17. Al Lowe – 4:29.46
22. Max Holman – 4:31.46

4x100 Meter Relay
1. Granger, I. Young, Shields, Baker – 40.25

4x400 Meter Relay
1. Oliver, Serrette, I. Young, Griffin – 3:10.10

4x800 Meter Relay
1. Holman, Newsom, R. Young, Kiptoo – 8:07.98

High Jump
2. Malcolm Davis – 6-09.75

Long Jump
4. Morris Kersh – 22-04.50
7. Kentrell Sanders – 21-10.75
12. Alec Arena – 20-11.25

Triple Jump
3. Kentrell Sanders – 47-07.75
Morris Kersh – FOUL

Pole Vault
1. Sam Kendricks – 16-06.50
4. Jason Anderson – 14-06.00
9. Garrett Ferguson – 14-00.00
11. Michael Greer – 13-00.25

Javelin Throw
1. Benjamin Lapane – 206-09

WOMEN

100 Meters
6. Shari Russell – 12.31
10. Marci Morman – 12.48
11. Deonna Walton – 12.49
14. Rachel Jenkins – 12.56
18. Amber Wilson – 12.94
26. LorRena DeJurnett – 13.29

100 Meter Hurdles
2. Taryn Hartfield – 14.17
10. Mary Ashton Nall – 15.51
22. Christiana Coleman – 17.20

200 Meters
1. Lauren Hollingsworth – 24.60
21. Amber Wilson – 27.33
40. Christiana Coleman – 28.79

400 Meters
8. Destiny Lundy – 59.02
15. Tia Leake – 1:00.76
34. Jasmine Williams – 1:03.65
42. Monica Williams – 1:06.69

400 Meter Hurdles
2. Sofia Hellberg-Jonsen – 1:01.23
12. Taryn Hartfield – 1:09.18
Kim White - DNF

800 Meters
11. Ryan Flore – 2:21.47
24. McKenna Coughlin – 2:24.18
43. Emily Haberstroh – 2:35.04

Mile Run
2. Logan Waites – 4:57.87
3. Kayleigh Skinner – 4:59.96
4. Katie Breathitt – 5:03.39
5. Kelsey Breathitt – 5:03.66
6. Anne Threlkeld – 5:05.83
7. Haley Cutright – 5:08.80
8. Giana Leone – 5:10.58
24. Emily Haberstroh – 5:32.08

4x100 Meter Relay
1. Hartfield, Hollingsworth, J. Williams, Bridges – 45.65
5. Spence, Gaines, Morman, Russell – 47.55
7. Dejurnett, Wilson, M. Williams, Jenkins – 48.37

4x400 Meter Relay
5. Flore, Lundy, Nall, McDonald – 3:55.30

4x800 Meter Relay
1. Skinner, Threlkeld, Leake, Cutright – 9:15.04
3. Ke. Breathitt, Waites, McCrory, Leone – 9:34.62

High Jump
1. Pamela Lee – 5-07.75
2. Fabia McDonald – 5-05.75
6. Taylor Irby – 5-01.75
9. Mary Ashton Nall – 4-11.75

Long Jump
2. Deonna Walton – 19-04.25
3. Rachel Jenkins – 18-06.50
7. Shari Russell – 17-06.00
16. Christiana Coleman – 15-07.50

Pole Vault
4. Ashleigh Culpepper – 10-06.00
5. Kelly McCormick – 10-06.00

Hammer Throw
2. Jazmin Miller - 172-04

Javelin Throw
2. Mary Ashton Nall – 127-02
6. Caroline Williams – 114-04
11. Christiana Coleman – 106-11