EUGENE, Ore. — Mississippi State Track and Field athletes begin their stay at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Oregon today, with eight Bulldogs qualifying to compete at the national level. 

Head coach Chris Woods spoke to The Dispatch last week about the group heading west, expressing his pride in their achievements this season. 

“As a coaching staff, we are incredibly proud of the athletes and their performances at the NCAA East First Round,” Woods said. “They pushed through unfavorable weather conditions and put up solid performances, and we are walking away with eight going to Eugene in a few days.”

Woods is in his sixth year as head coach of the MSU track and field program. During his tenure, the Bulldogs have broken numerous program records and are increasingly recruiting at high level for both indoor and outdoor seasons. 

Last year was a historic year marked by several top-five finishes at the SEC Indoor Championships and 22 national qualifiers, including seven All-American honorees. 

This year, the group of eight traveling to Oregon includes several standouts with championship aspirations, with three freshmen making their first appearances.  

“Three All-Americans are returning to the championships in Peyton Bair, Abdullahi Hassan and Rémi Rougetet, with Bair being the indoor heptathlon champion,” Woods said. “On the women’s side, Jessicka Woods is competing in her second consecutive national championships. This is the point of the season that they have trained for all year, and the athletes are primed for the national championships next week.”

Here’s a look at the Mississippi State athletes competing in Eugene this week. 

Men’s team

Peyton Bair

Bair returns to the outdoor championships to compete in the decathlon event after finishing as the runner-up a year ago. He is the reigning national champion in the indoor heptathlon event, a win that helped him earn First Team All-American honors and the USTFCCCA Men’s South Region Field Athlete of the Year for 2025. This season he was also awarded two SEC Field Athlete of the Week awards as well as the SEC Indoor Men’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. 

Abdullahi Hassan

A middle-distance runner, Hassan qualified for the outdoor championships in the 800-meter event after finishing with a time of 1:46.64. 

The senior was the runner-up in the 800-meter at both the SEC and NCAA Indoor Championships and holds the program record for the event. 

Hassan was recently named the SEC Newcomer of the Year, recognizing his contributions to the team after transferring from Wisconsin.

“Abdullahi has been a great addition to our program this season, both on and off the track,” Woods said of Hassan. “His work ethic, resilience, and team-first mindset have set the tone for the season, and he has reaped the benefits of his hard work.”

Tuomas Närhi

Närhi earned a spot at the outdoor championships in the javelin event alongside teammate Remi Rougetet. The freshman is making his first appearance at the event with a collegiate-best distance of 74.89 meters, finishing second in the field in Jacksonville. 

Närhi, a newcomer from Finland, is the only freshman on the men’s team to make it to the outdoor championships. 

Sam Navarro 

The senior middle distance runner will join teammate Abdullahi Hassan in the 800-meter event in Eugene. Navarro finished fourth in his group by beating his personal best with a time of 1:46.47 at the qualification event in Jacksonville two weeks ago. 

Navarro transferred from Fort Scott Community College, where he earned All-American honors at the NJCAA level, and is in his second and final year with the Bulldogs. 

Remi Rougetet

Rougetet qualified for the outdoor championships with a heave of 74.43 meters in Jacksonville, booking his third consecutive appearance on the national stage. 

The junior from France is a two-time All-American and an SEC champion in the javelin event. This year he set a personal best of 76.43 meters at the Maroon and White Tune Up meet and was named SEC Field Athlete of the Week in May. 

Women’s team

Nelly Jemeli

A distance runner, Jemeli qualified for Eugene with a 9:59.39 time in the 3000-meter event, placing fifth in her section. 

The freshman hit the ground running in her first season, competing in 1500-meter and 3000-meter events for the Bulldogs, finishing first in the former at the Maroon and White Tune Up to end the regular season. 

Marie Rougetet

The freshman from France is making her first appearance at the outdoor championships after a record-setting year with the Bulldogs. Rougetet holds program and freshman records in the hammer throw event, keeping the family throwing tradition alive after following her brother, Remi, to Starkville. 

Jessicka Woods

Woods, a veteran of the Outdoor Championships from the 100-meter hurdle event a year ago, will return to Eugene to compete in the 400-meter hurdle event after matching her personal best of 56.48 at qualifiers in Jacksonville two weeks ago. 

The junior is the program record-holder for the 400-meter and earned Honorable Mention All-American honors as a sophomore for her performances in the 100-meter.