OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss track and field kicked off its last home meet of the 2026 season with standout performances Friday at the Joe Walker Invitational. Freshman Patchnalie Compere set a new national record and finished first in the 200-meter dash.
Compere’s time of 22.96 seconds (+0.5 wind) broke Haiti’s all-time record and ranks third in Ole Miss history outdoors. Her performance also marked her as the first Haitian woman to run under 23 seconds in any wind condition, according to the university.
Senior Alicia Burnett, the reigning SEC Indoor 60-meter champion, opened her outdoor season with a time of 23.24 seconds (+0.5), placing her second in the race and ranking No. 8 all-time at Ole Miss in the 200 meters. Sophomore Wesley Todd won the men’s 200 meters with a wind-legal PR of 21.04 seconds (-0.3).
In the middle-distance events, senior Loral Winn led the women’s 1500-meter invitational with a time of 4:18.72. Senior Beth Arentz and Sophie Baumann recorded PRs of 4:19.09 and 4:19.62, respectively, tying Arentz for fifth and placing Baumann at No. 8 all-time at Ole Miss.
Senior Gabe Scales narrowly missed a career-best with a 3:41.91 finish in the men’s 1500 meters, while freshman John Shoemaker placed second in his first collegiate 1500 with a time of 3:44.19. Samuel Ferguson won the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:09.26, ranking No. 10 in school history.
Ole Miss also excelled in field events, sweeping the women’s long jump and pole vault. Redshirt junior Lizzie Hatton won with a wind-legal mark of 6.33 meters (20-09.25), just shy of her all-conditions best. Junior Sterling Scott leapt 7.40 meters (24-03.50) for the men’s long jump victory, his first since 2024.
In the pole vault, Lily Beattie cleared 4.22 meters (13-10) to win her event for the second consecutive week. Mary Cate Doughty, with a career-best 4.12 meters (13-06.25), finished second and ranks seventh in the Ole Miss outdoor record books. On the men’s side, Logan Kelley cleared 5.28 meters (17-03.75) to secure the victory.
Senior Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan continued his undefeated streak in the hammer throw, winning with a heave of 74.95 meters (245-10). His five throws exceeded 70 meters, with three surpassing 74 meters. Mason Hickel and Bryson Smith finished second and third with throws of 63.85 and 63.80 meters, respectively. Competition resumes Saturday at 10 a.m. with the men’s decathlon.
