BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Mississippi College track and field teams will begin their 2025 season this Saturday, January 18, at the Samford Open held at the Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Alabama. The event, hosted by Samford University, will feature a competitive field of teams, including Alabama, Mississippi State, and several other regional programs.
"We are expecting an exciting start to the 2025 season this weekend," said Joe Snyder, head coach of Mississippi College. "Work ethic, character, and toughness are qualities that we expect from all the athletes in our program, and this group exemplifies those qualities so well. They have worked extremely hard over the winter break, and I am excited for them to showcase all that hard work this weekend."
The Choctaws will compete in a variety of events, including the 60-meter and 200-meter sprints, 1-mile and 3000-meter runs, and the 400-meter and 800-meter races. Field events will feature the weight throw, shot put, and long jump.
Mississippi College Athletes to Watch:
Men's 1 Mile — Heat 1
Mississippi College's depth in the men's mile is unmatched, with four of the top five seeds in this event:
Men's 400m — Heat 1
Sophomore Grayson Foster is poised for a breakout performance as he enters the event with a seed time of 46.38, the fastest in the heat.
Women's 1 Mile
Junior Taylor Benoit leads the women's mile with a seed time of 4:54.09, putting her among the event's top contenders.
Women's 800m — Heat 1
Taylor Benoit will also compete in the 800m, entering with a seed time of 2:13.62, highlighting her versatility across middle-distance events.
Men's 800m — Heat 1
Senior Cole Benoit, an All-American in the 1500m last season, continues to impress with a seed time of 1:50.99 in the 800m.
Additional Events:
Men's 60m Prelims (10:30 AM)
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Davion Smith (JR) - Heat 8, Pos 6, 7.07
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Matias Vasquez (JR) - Heat 6, Pos 4, 7.11
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Damone Daniels (SO) - Heat 3, Pos 3, 7.17
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Jonathan Bunch Jr. (FR) - Heat 4, Pos 2, 7.23
Women's 60m Prelims (10:00 AM)
Men's 200m (4:00 PM)
Women's 200m (3:25 PM)
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Livia Fischer (SR) - Heat 6, Pos 6, 25.96
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Katie Gates (SO) - Heat 8, Pos 4, 26.72
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Madison Flugence (SO) - Heat 8, Pos 6, 26.72
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Ann Cobb (FR) - Heat 9, Pos 5, 26.90
In the field events, the Choctaws will be represented by athletes including Steven Conrad (JR) in the men's shot put at 4:00 PM and Rashanna Thorne (SR) in the women's shot put at 1:30 PM. In the long jump, Hannah Jackson (SO) will compete at 11:30 AM.
Live results will be available throughout the event at Xpress Timing.
The meet will also feature a relay competition, with the men's and women's 4x400m relays scheduled for 5:10 PM and 5:25 PM, respectively.
The Samford Open marks the beginning of what is expected to be an exciting season for Mississippi College track and field as they aim to build on their success from previous seasons and continue to push for excellence on the track.
