Ole Miss Places Seventh in Women’s 4x100m Relay at NCAA Championships

Photo courtesy Joshua McCoy, Ole Miss Athletics

The final day of the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships was historic for the Ole Miss women, as the Rebels’ 4×100-meter relay competed in their first ever national final.

The Rebel relay, made up of freshmen Nicole Henderson and Shannon Ray, junior Khadijah Suleman and senior Jhorden Hunter, placed seventh in 44.64. All four will earn first team All-America distinction for making the eight-team final.

The school-record contingent of 17 Ole Miss competitors at the NCAA Championships produced some impressive results. Nine Rebels finished top 16 in their events, which will earn them All-America honors. It will be the most All-Americans in a season in school history.

Only three of the 17 Ole Miss athletes in attendance are seniors.

“I’m proud of the way our athletes competed this week,” said head coach Brian O’Neal. “With so many first-timers here at the meet, I think the experience will be invaluable moving forward. As coaches, we can help prepare you mentally, but until you’re here you can’t draw on the actual experience. It will be a major plus in the years to come.

“Our young men and women overcome challenges and adversity all year. I’m proud of the class they display both in the classroom and on the track. Excited to add a new recruiting class and go about the business of competing for championships.”

On Friday, juniors Adam Aguirre and Branden Greene, who transferred to Ole Miss this year from junior college, made their NCAA Championships debuts. Greene tied for 14th with a clearance of 2.12m/6-11.5, which Aguirre finished 24th at 2.08m/6-9.75.

Other Rebel men who finished top 16 at the national meet were Jalen Miller in the 100, Craig Engels in the 800, Robert Domanic in the 1500. Other women who finished top 16 were Ray in the 200 and Fabia McDonald in the heptathlon.

That concludes the 2014-15 college season for Ole Miss. It was a successful year that included the men’s runner-up at SEC Cross Country Championships and first-ever NCAA team appearance in cross country, the best SEC men’s indoor finish in 31 years and the most outdoor NCAA participants (men and women combined) in school history.

Several current and former Rebels will compete at the U.S. Championships this summer in hopes of making Team USA for the World Championships. Some current Rebels will also compete at the U.S. Junior Championships.

For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissTrack, as well as Facebook and Instagram. And follow Coach O’Neal at @CoachBrianOneal.

COMPLETE AGATE

MEN

100 Meter Semifinals
16. Jalen Miller — 10.22

800 Meter Semifinals
8. Craig Engels — 1:47.33
24. Holland Sherrer — 1:52.98

1500 Meter Semifinals
15. Robert Domanic — 3:46.27
18. Trevor Gilley — 3:46.93

110 Meter Hurdle Semifinals
20. Robert Semien — 13.89

4×100 Meter Relay Semifinals
20. Ole Miss (Burdette, Semien, Brown, Miller) — 41.00

High Jump
14. Branden Greene — 2.12m/6-11.5
24. Adam Aguirre — 2.08m/6-9.75

WOMEN

200 Meter Semifinals
15. Shannon Ray — 23.03

800 Meter Semifinals
23. Brooke Feldmeier — 2:13.65

4×100 Meter Relay Semifinals
7. Ole Miss (Henderson, Ray, Suleman, Hunter) — 44.10q

4×100 Meter Relay Final
7. Ole Miss (Henderson, Ray, Suleman, Hunter) — 44.64

Heptathlon
13. Fabia McDonald — 5,757 (SR)
21. Brittany Kelly — 5,394

Courtesy Ole Miss Athletics