AUSTIN, Texas — Anderson Peters headlines a group of 10 Mississippi State student-athletes at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships this week. The reigning national champion will opens the competition for MSU on Wednesday afternoon.
Peters would be just the third MSU athlete to win consecutive national titles, joining Olympian C.S. Cochran in the 440-yard (1923, 1924) and Tiffany McWilliams in the 1,500 meters (2003, 2004). Tyriq Horsford and Curtis Thompson will join Peters, marking the 14th time a school has put three finalists in the event.
Only one team has swept the NCAA podium when a trio of Oregon seniors did so in 1964. There have only been 10 podium sweeps across all events in NCAA Outdoor history. The Bulldogs went 1-2-3 at the Southeastern Conference Championships in May.
Competing at Mike A. Myers Stadium, Peters will get a chance to cross the Longhorns’ facility record off his list while taking a shot at the all-time collegiate leader Patrik Boden (Texas – 1990). The last time he threw off that runway, he launched his NCAA-leading throw and every attempt traveled more than 80 meters (262 feet, 5 inches).
Stephen Jones will look to continue his stunning steeplechase season by advancing from Wednesday’s semifinals to Saturday’s competition. In his first year, in the event, the junior already has broken the school record to earn a bid to the Championships.
Rasheed Tatham will compete in the 400 hurdles, and Dejon Devroe will run the 800. Both will need to advance from Wednesday’s semifinals to compete Friday.
For the women, Sarah Blake will throw the javelin Thursday. The school record holder will make her third appearance at the finals. Alon Lewis will compete in the 800 Thursday evening and would run again Saturday if she were to advance.
Two Bulldog jumpers will round out the meet Saturday. Logan Boss returns to the national meet for the first time since she claimed a bronze medal at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championships. Tiffany Flynn, who was the top qualifier out of the NCAA East Prelims two weeks ago, will triple jump Saturday.
Football team welcomes 16 new players
With less than 13 Saturdays until MSU opens its 120th season of football, 16 Bulldogs started their careers with summer classes and workouts this week.
The summer first term runs June 3-July 1. The second term will run from July 8-Aug. 6.
The new enrollees include: cornerback Martin Emerson, defensive end Jack Harris, offensive lineman Brevyn Jones, cornerback Jarrian Jones, cornerback Dylan Lawrence, transfer defensive tackle Allen Love, wide receiver JaVonta Payton, offensive lineman Nick Pendley, defensive tackle Nathan Pickering, wide receiver Kyziah Pruitt, safety J.P. Purvis, defensive end De’Monte Russell, graduate transfer quarterback Tommy Stevens, wide receiver Quinton Torbor, punter Corliss Waitman, running back Lee Witherspoon.
The Bulldogs report for preseason camp Aug. 1. They will hold their first practice Aug. 2.
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