Ole Miss Track & Field Heads to UVA for Virginia Challenge
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Ole Miss track and field heads to Charlottesville for the Virginia Challenge on April 17-18. The meet marks a key point in the Rebels’ outdoor season, with athletes aiming to improve national standings and qualify for upcoming championships.
Ole Miss’s men’s team remains ranked No. 6 nationally in the USTFCCCA Track & Field Rating Index, a position they have held for three consecutive weeks. Head coach Connie Price-Smith has overseen 40 of the program’s 43 top-10 all-time rankings, including 17 during the outdoor season.
Among the standout athletes is Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan, a 14-time All-American and four-time NCAA shot put champion. Robinson-O’Hagan has maintained his national lead in both shot put and hammer throw this season. His season-best hammer throw of 77.62 meters (254-8) broke Ole Miss records and earned him national weekly honors earlier this month.
Robinson-O’Hagan’s performances have positioned him as one of the top collegians in the world. His 20.81-meter (68-3.25) shot put from LSU’s Battle on the Bayou ranks seventh worldwide and second among Americans. He is also the first collegian to surpass 98 meters in combined collegiate record attempts, with his season total reaching 98.50 meters.
Ole Miss also features strong relay teams, with the men’s 4×100-meter relay breaking school and SEC records at the Ole Miss Classic. The relay team of Dekell Minor, Jordan Urrutia, Wesley Todd and Tarique Wright finished in 38.98 seconds. The 4×400-meter relay posted a time of 3:06.13, the best since 1999 and ranked 23rd nationally.
The Rebels have multiple athletes ranked in the NCAA top-50 across various events, including sprinters, jumpers, distance runners, and throwers. On the women’s side, junior Akaoma Odeluga leads in shot put and hammer throw, while the relay teams continue to perform at a high level. The team’s success is under the leadership of coach Connie Price-Smith, who has guided the program to numerous NCAA and SEC accomplishments.
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