USM records, personal bests logged by track teams

From the University of Southern Mississippi Sports Information Department

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - The University of Southern Mississippi track and field team saw two school records fall and multiple personal bests posted at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif., and War Eagle Invitational in Auburn, Ala., over the weekend.

“We had a number of season and lifetime best across many different events,” USM head coach Jon Stuart said. “Ashlee Osaji going over 20 feet in the long jump for the first time in her career really set the tone for us.

“Fred Moudani broke his school record in the shot put with a toss of over 64 feet, then out in California, we got a great performance by freshman Oliwia Wawrzyniak to set the record in the outdoor 5K.”

Jordan Speer got the weekend started in Auburn with a new best in the hammer throw, tossing 184 feet, 7 inches, to pass her coach, Danisha Jones, to move into third all-time in the USM annals in the event.

Arianna White kept it going in the javelin throw with a mark of 144-1 to move into fourth in program history.

Osaji was next, soaring 20 feet 3 1/2 inches, for a life-time best in winning the long jump, and take over the fourth spot all-time, outdoors, at USM.

Hometown product Sarah Parnell shaved off 7 seconds from her previous best in the 3,000-meter steeplechase to post the seventh-best time in school history, crossing the line in 11 minutes, 10 seconds.

Fellow distance runner Carlin Beal closed the first day in Auburn shaving 13 seconds off her former best time in the 5,000-meter run 5,000M.

Out at the Mt. SAC Relays, senior Sandra Szpott went 4:22.95 in the 1,500 meters to move up to second in the USM record books with a new personal record, while freshman Smilla Kolbe improved her best in the 800 meters to move behind Szpott for second all-time in the event with a time of 2:07.82.

Already holding the indoor record for the 5,000 meters, Wawrzyniak came across the line in 16:36.46 to set a new Southern Miss record for 5,000 meters outdoors.

High jumper Corvell Todd got the second day of competition started with a second-place finish, leaping 7′3.0″ for his second-best clearance outdoors.

In her first season at USM, Kenia Seals, set bests in both the 100 meters (11.77 seconds) and 200 meters (23.99 second), with teammate Trinity Flagler following finishing right behind her in the 100 meters in PR of 11.75 seconds and then posting another personal-best in the 200 meters at 24.31 seconds.

“The trio of Trinity Benson, Trinity Flagler and Kenia Seals were all outstanding in the 100-meter dash,” Stuart said. “I’m very pleased with our progress at this stage of the season and I’m excited to see us continue to get better leading up to the Conference USA championships.”

Holding the program standard in the shot put with a mark earlier this season, Moudani extended his record with a put of 64 feet, 1 3/4 inches and becomes the only C-USA athlete to throw past 60 feet this season.

Rebecca DeKay closed out the weekend in style with a nearly 11-second personal-best in the 5,000 meters to finish fourth at the War Eagle Invite.

USM will return to action next weekend taking part in the Crimson Tide Invitational on Friday and Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

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