PUEBLO, Colo. — Mississippi College senior Oliver Ollesch and the Choctaws' men's 4x400-meter relay team are set to compete on the national stage at the 2025 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, taking place May 22–24 at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl.
Ollesch earned his spot in the 400-meter hurdles with a standout time of 51.41 seconds, ranking him among the top hurdlers in Division II. He will also anchor the Choctaws' 4x400-meter relay team, which includes freshman Samuel Hodson, junior Matias Vasquez, and sophomore Evan Wrights. The relay team punched its ticket to nationals with a season-best time of 3:08.59.
This marks the fifth consecutive season that Mississippi College has qualified a men's 4x400-meter relay squad for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, continuing a tradition of elite sprinting.
"We are excited to represent Mississippi College on the national stage," said head coach Joe Snyder. "This is the fifth year in a row that we've qualified a men's 4x400 to nationals. This group has worked extremely hard to get to this point, as we have a completely different four members on our relay squad this year compared to last year. It shows the resiliency and toughness of these guys. It's going to be fun to watch them mix it up among the best in D2."
Ollesch enters the championship meet with strong momentum after being named Gulf South Conference Track Athlete of the Year, following a dominant outdoor season with top finishes in both the hurdles and sprints.
Schedule of Events (Central Time):
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400m Hurdles Prelims: Thursday, May 22 – 8:55 p.m.
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4x400m Relay Prelims: Friday, May 23 – 9:05 p.m.
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400m Hurdles Final: Saturday, May 24 – 8:35 p.m.
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4x400m Relay Final: Saturday, May 24 – 10:05 p.m.
Mississippi College NCAA Outdoor Championship Qualifiers
