HATTIESBURG, Miss. --- The Mississippi College Track and Field team continued their record-breaking streak at the Southern Miss Invitational, shattering four school records, bringing the season's total to 10 total school records eclipsed. The Choctaws also added seven event wins to their impressive tally.

Essence Tornabene achieved a provisional standard mark of 53.01 meters in the Women's Hammer Throw, finishing as the runner-up in the event and now leading the GSC. German native Niklas Klei, a recent third-place finisher at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in the 400m, won the 400m race with a new lifetime best and school record of 46.89 seconds. Klei now ranks first in the GSC and fifth in NCAA Division II. He also set a personal best in the 200m with a time of 21.69 seconds.

NCAA Division II All-American Kelechi Christian from Lagos, Nigeria, broke the school record in the Women's 100m, running an incredibly fast 11.76 seconds, meeting the provisional standard. Christian now ranks No. 2 in the GSC and No. 17 in NCAA Division II. Additionally, she secured a win in the Women's 200m with a season-best time of 24.23 seconds.

Bre Bell set a new Mississippi College school record in the Women's 3K steeplechase, winning the Southern Miss Invite in 11:33.0. Ava Dickerson followed closely behind, finishing as runner-up with a time of 11:48.6, resulting in a Choctaw 1-2 finish.

Event winners included Cole Benoit, who captured two event wins at the invitational. Benoit and Brock Kelly showcased the strength of the Choctaws in the Men's 1500m, with Benoit narrowly outperforming Kelly with times of 3:54.9 and 3:55.5, respectively. Benoit, the 2023 Gulf South Conference Indoor Track and Field 1-mile Champion, also claimed victory in the 800m with a time of 1:55.0.

Kevin Turner added a win in the Men's 100m, running a lifetime best and provisional standard time of 10.52 seconds. Turner now ranks No. 22 in NCAA Division II.

Lastly, freshman phenom Baxter Friedman secured his first-ever career win in the Men's 3K Steeplechase, running a lifetime best of 10:28.4.

Other notable performers include the Women's 800-meter crew, who placed four in the top five led by Lauren Wallace in 2:15.9. In addition, the Women's Throws, who have a total of five school records and 16 lifetime bests through just three competitions so far this season. 

The Mississippi College Track and Field team will carry this momentum forward as they continue to break records and achieve personal bests in upcoming competitions. Their recent success at the Southern Miss Invitational serves as a testament to the dedication, hard work, and culture the Choctwas continue to build at Mississippi College.