BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Mississippi College Track and Field program had a combined total of six school records and five event wins in their season opener at the 2022 BCS Indoor Icebreaker hosted by Birmingham-Southern College.
The Choctaws' astonishing performances were highlighted by Essence Tornabene, who picked up two school records in two events for the day, the Weight Throw and the Shot Put. Kevin Turner tied the school record of 6.77 before going on to win the final. Shemar Patten and Al Ferrill broke their own school records, Patten in the 60mH(8.10) and Ferrill in the Weight Throw(17.24m). Lastly, freshman Alana Green put on a show in the short sprints, running 7.66 in the 60m dash and putting on a great series overall in the rounds, eventually finishing second in the final.
It should be noted that Kelechi Christian was also under the Mississippi College Women's 60m dash record, running 6.70 in the semi-final and finishing fourth in the final.
In total, the Mississippi College Track and Field program saw 39 collegiate bests, as well as three provisional marks in their first event of the 2022-23 season.
Meet Information:
Event: BSC Indoor Icebreaker
Date: 12/02/22
Host: Birmingham-Southern College:
Site: Birmingham Crossplex (Birmingham, Ala.)
Full Results: 2022 BSC Indoor Icebreaker Results
Mississippi College Throws Coach Joe Snyder
*commenting on the team's performance at the 2022 BSC Indoor Icebreaker
"This weekend's performances were a culmination of all the hard work our athletes have put in this fall. They have wholeheartedly bought in to the vision that we have for this program's future. We took a big step forward this weekend as a program, and we are truly excited about what the future holds for this team!"
Men/Women Field Post-meet Statistics
-Essence Tornabene secured the school records in both the Weight Throw and Shot Put, her only two events of the day. Tornabene threw 16.25 meters in the WT and 11.90 meters in the SP, perhaps having one of the best season openers in Mississippi College Women's Track and Field history.
-Al Ferrill re-broke his own WT school record, throwing 17.24 meters to finish third overall.
-In his collegiate debut, Joshua Dare broke the Mississippi College Men's Freshman record in the SP, throwing 14.51 to finish third overall, just behind Ferrill in second.
-Ben Woolhouse opened up his season in a fourth-place finish in the Men's Pole Vault, vaulting 4.6 meters. This performance was the best season opener in his career.
Men/Women Running Post-meet Statistics
-In her collegiate debut, freshman Alana Green first broke the Mississippi College freshman record in the Women's 60m dash prelims before breaking the overall Mississippi College record in the Women's 60m dash in the semi-finals one hour later. Green ran 7.66 before going on to finish second in the final. Fellow Lady Choctaw Kelechi Christian was also under the school record, running 7.70 in the semi-finals before going on to finish fourth in the final. Green's 60m mark of 7.66 was a 2022-23 NCAA Women's Indoor Track and Field provisional mark. Lastly, Green ran an indoor lifetime best of 25.15 in the 200m dash to finish third overall.
-Lauren Wallace ran an indoor lifetime best in the Women's 1 mile, posting a mark of 5:09.4 to finish third overall.
-The trio of Emily Berry, Norma Gutierrez, and Bre Bell all finished inside of the top six in the Women's 3000m. Berry led the way in third place, running a lifetime best of 10:25.2. Gutierrez was fifth in 10:40.7 and Bell sixth in 10:48.9, both athletes also securing lifetime bests.
-The women's 4x400m relay of Christian, Hilary Udechukwu, Leslie Baxter, and Ereyonna Gore ran 3:58.4 to finish fifth overall. This is the fastest 4x400m relay season opener in Mississippi College Women's Track and Field history, and were less than a second off the school record of 3:57.6.
-Kevin Turner won the Men's 60m dash, as well as tying the Mississippi College Men's school record in the event of 6.77 in the prelims. This was an NCAA Division II 2022-23 Indoor Track and Field provisional mark for Turner, who went on to post a lifetime best of 21.94 in the Men's 200m dash later in the competition.
-Shemar Patten re-broke his own 60mH school record, running 8.10 to finish third overall in the final, as well as garnering an NCAA Division II 2022-23 Indoor Track and Field provisional mark in that event.
-Gabe Hodson won the Men's 800m in a lifetime best of 1:52.99.
-Cole Benoit led 1-4 finish in the fast heat of the Men's 1-mile, winning in a time of 4:23.3. Hollis Johnson, Ryan Williams, and Preston Speed, the rest of the 1-4 sweep, all hit lifetime bests.
-In his collegiate track and field debut, freshman Cooper Parmer won the Men's 3K in a lifetime best of 8:53.6.
-The squad of Johnson, Williams, Benoit, and Parmer won the Men's DMR in a time of 10:35.8.
-Mississippi College had two Men's 4x400m relay go head-to-head. The end result was 3:21.6 and 3:21.7, finishing fifth and sixth overall. However, if one takes the fastest four splits from the 4x400m relay squads, it equals up to 3:13, which has qualified for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field National every year in the last five years.
Up Next:
The Mississippi College Track and Field team will now go into winter training before returning next semester to compete at the 2023 UAB Vulcan Invite on Saturday, January 14, which will be held back at the Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Ala.
FOLLOW THE CHOCTAWS:
For complete coverage of Mississippi College Track & Field/Cross Country, follow the Choctaws on social media @GoChoctaws_XCTF (Twitter), @gochoctaws_xctf (Instagram), or visit the official home of Mississippi College athletics at gochoctaws.com.
