Rebel Men Rank Program Record No. 6, Women No. 18 in Week Two USTFCCCA Rankings
2/1/2021 | Track and Field
Previous Program Best Was No. 7 by Rebel Women in Week 1 of the 2008 Indoor Season
NEW ORLEANS – Ole Miss men's track & field set a program record with a No. 6 national ranking, while the Rebel women also jumped into the top-25 at No. 18 in the Week Two USTFCCCA Rating Index released by the coaches association on Monday.
The Rebel men shot up 26 spots after a spectacular weekend of competition at the high-powered Razorback Invite at Arkansas, where Ole Miss finished third behind newly-minted No. 1 Oregon and No. 2 Arkansas. The No. 6 slot is the best in Ole Miss track & field or cross country history, besting the previous top ranking of No. 7 by the Rebel women in Week One of the 2008 indoor season. The Rebel men now own the top program slots in the indoor (No. 6, Week Two, 2021), outdoor (No. 8, Week Five, 2012) and cross country (No. 8, Week Four, 2019) seasons.
This marks the 31st time the Ole Miss men have ranked in the indoor poll since it began in 2008, and its first appearance since Week 7 of the 2019 indoor season. The previous indoor high for the Rebel men was No. 16, which last happened in the 2014 Preseason release.
The Ole Miss women come in at No. 18 after jumping up 11 spots in the Week Two ratings, the 31st national indoor ranking in program history and the 23rd under sixth-year head coach Connie Price-Smith. Additionally, this is the eighth appearance in the last nine releases after Ole Miss ranked for the entirety of the 2020 indoor regular season.
The Ole Miss men's distance squad factored heavily into the rating index this week after a historic two days of competition at Arkansas. Leading the charge is the distance medley relay quartet of Waleed Suliman, Baylor Franklin, Everett Smulders and Mario Garcia Romo, who ran the third-best time in the NCAA and second-best in program history at 9:30.62 – good for 19.37 points in the index. In that same heat, No. 1 Oregon broke the world record at 9:19.42.
All four of those Rebels are also contributing individually as well. Smulders became the fourth Rebel member of the sub-four club in the mile, clocking the fourth-best time in the NCAA at 3:58.93 to become the 565th American to ever break the iconic barrier. Garcia Romo dismantled the school record in the 3K, running a 17-second PR of 7:48.40 to break Robert Domanic's 2016 record by six seconds to notch the NCAA's fifth-best time.
Franklin, meanwhile, has set a new personal best in the 800-meter in both of his meets this season, with his most recent best of 1:48.59 ranking fifth nationally. Suliman ranks seventh nationally in the 3K at his career-best 7:54.57, which would have been a school record if not for Garcia Romo's historic time.
Other men's distance runners contributing are Smulders in the 800-meter (eighth, 1:48.75), Cole Bullock in the 3K (12th, 8:00.13) and Cade Bethmann in the 800-meter (24th, 1:51.34).
All-American senior jumper Allen Gordon is also chipping in following two strong season-best performances at Arkansas. His high jump mark of 2.19m (7-02.25) puts him at No. 6, while his long jump best of 7.72m (25-04.00) ranks eighth nationally.
The Rebel women, meanwhile, are led by sophomore All-American Jasmine Mitchell, who currently ranks fourth in the weight throw at 21.57m (70-09.25). Other Rebel women's weight throwers contributing are Jalani Davis (11th, 20.82m/68-03.75) and Deborah Bulai (26th, 19.56m/64-02.25).
Four from the women's distance squad are included in the rankings: senior Anna Elkin in both the 5K (10th, 16:21.83) and mile (32nd, 4:46.23), senior Victoria Simmons in the 5K (20th, 17:07.22) and sophomore Loral Winn at her school-record mile time of 4:45.60 (28th).
Rebel newcomer Sintayehu Vissa opened her Ole Miss career in superb fashion at Arkansas, running the fourth-best 800-meter time in program history and 11th-best nationally this year at 2:06.45. Other Rebel women contributing are sophomore Lyndsey Reed in the pole vault (17th, 4.15m/13-07.25) and junior Brandee Presley in the 60-meter dash (18th, 7.35).
Ole Miss travels this weekend for the South Carolina Invite, which will be held in Columbia on Feb. 5-6.
No. 6 Rebel Men • USTFCCCA Week 2 Rating Index • 106.63 Points
3. Distance Medley Relay (Suliman, Franklin, Smulders, Garcia Romo) – 9:30.62 – 19.37 Points
4. Everett Smulders – Mile – 3:58.93 – 15.74 Points
5. Mario Garcia Romo – 3K – 7:48.40 – 14.04 Points
5. Baylor Franklin – 800-Meter – 1:48.59 – 13.31 Points
6. Allen Gordon – High Jump – 2.19m (7-02.25) – 11.30 Points
7. Waleed Suliman – 3K – 7:54.57 – 10.08 Points
8. Everett Smulders – 800-Meter – 1:48.75 – 9.18 Points
8. Allen Gordon – Long Jump – 7.72m (25-04.00) – 8.85 Points
12. Cole Bullock – 3K – 8:00.13 – 4.43 Points
24. Cade Bethmann – 800-Meter – 1:51.34 – 0.33 Points
No. 18 Rebel Women • USTFCCCA Week 2 Rating Index • 37.14 Points
4. Jasmine Mitchell – Weight Throw – 21.57m (70-09.25) – 15.75 Points
10. Anna Elkin – 5K – 16:21.83 – 6.83 Points
11. Sintayehu Vissa – 800-Meter – 2:06.45 – 5.67 Points
11. Jalani Davis – Weight Throw – 20.82m (68-03.75) – 5.50 Points
17. Lyndsey Reed – Pole Vault – 4.15m (13-07.25) – 1.15 Points
18. Brandee Presley – 60-Meter Dash – 7.35 – 1.22 Points
20. Victoria Simmons – 5K – 17:07.22 – 0.72 Points
26. Deborah Bulai – Weight Throw – 19.56m (64-02.25) – 0.15 Points
28. Loral Winn – Mile – 4:45.60 – 0.11 Points
32. Anna Elkin – Mile – 4:46.23 – 0.03 Points
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
The Rebel men shot up 26 spots after a spectacular weekend of competition at the high-powered Razorback Invite at Arkansas, where Ole Miss finished third behind newly-minted No. 1 Oregon and No. 2 Arkansas. The No. 6 slot is the best in Ole Miss track & field or cross country history, besting the previous top ranking of No. 7 by the Rebel women in Week One of the 2008 indoor season. The Rebel men now own the top program slots in the indoor (No. 6, Week Two, 2021), outdoor (No. 8, Week Five, 2012) and cross country (No. 8, Week Four, 2019) seasons.
This marks the 31st time the Ole Miss men have ranked in the indoor poll since it began in 2008, and its first appearance since Week 7 of the 2019 indoor season. The previous indoor high for the Rebel men was No. 16, which last happened in the 2014 Preseason release.
The Ole Miss women come in at No. 18 after jumping up 11 spots in the Week Two ratings, the 31st national indoor ranking in program history and the 23rd under sixth-year head coach Connie Price-Smith. Additionally, this is the eighth appearance in the last nine releases after Ole Miss ranked for the entirety of the 2020 indoor regular season.
The Ole Miss men's distance squad factored heavily into the rating index this week after a historic two days of competition at Arkansas. Leading the charge is the distance medley relay quartet of Waleed Suliman, Baylor Franklin, Everett Smulders and Mario Garcia Romo, who ran the third-best time in the NCAA and second-best in program history at 9:30.62 – good for 19.37 points in the index. In that same heat, No. 1 Oregon broke the world record at 9:19.42.
All four of those Rebels are also contributing individually as well. Smulders became the fourth Rebel member of the sub-four club in the mile, clocking the fourth-best time in the NCAA at 3:58.93 to become the 565th American to ever break the iconic barrier. Garcia Romo dismantled the school record in the 3K, running a 17-second PR of 7:48.40 to break Robert Domanic's 2016 record by six seconds to notch the NCAA's fifth-best time.
Franklin, meanwhile, has set a new personal best in the 800-meter in both of his meets this season, with his most recent best of 1:48.59 ranking fifth nationally. Suliman ranks seventh nationally in the 3K at his career-best 7:54.57, which would have been a school record if not for Garcia Romo's historic time.
Other men's distance runners contributing are Smulders in the 800-meter (eighth, 1:48.75), Cole Bullock in the 3K (12th, 8:00.13) and Cade Bethmann in the 800-meter (24th, 1:51.34).
All-American senior jumper Allen Gordon is also chipping in following two strong season-best performances at Arkansas. His high jump mark of 2.19m (7-02.25) puts him at No. 6, while his long jump best of 7.72m (25-04.00) ranks eighth nationally.
The Rebel women, meanwhile, are led by sophomore All-American Jasmine Mitchell, who currently ranks fourth in the weight throw at 21.57m (70-09.25). Other Rebel women's weight throwers contributing are Jalani Davis (11th, 20.82m/68-03.75) and Deborah Bulai (26th, 19.56m/64-02.25).
Four from the women's distance squad are included in the rankings: senior Anna Elkin in both the 5K (10th, 16:21.83) and mile (32nd, 4:46.23), senior Victoria Simmons in the 5K (20th, 17:07.22) and sophomore Loral Winn at her school-record mile time of 4:45.60 (28th).
Rebel newcomer Sintayehu Vissa opened her Ole Miss career in superb fashion at Arkansas, running the fourth-best 800-meter time in program history and 11th-best nationally this year at 2:06.45. Other Rebel women contributing are sophomore Lyndsey Reed in the pole vault (17th, 4.15m/13-07.25) and junior Brandee Presley in the 60-meter dash (18th, 7.35).
Ole Miss travels this weekend for the South Carolina Invite, which will be held in Columbia on Feb. 5-6.
No. 6 Rebel Men • USTFCCCA Week 2 Rating Index • 106.63 Points
3. Distance Medley Relay (Suliman, Franklin, Smulders, Garcia Romo) – 9:30.62 – 19.37 Points
4. Everett Smulders – Mile – 3:58.93 – 15.74 Points
5. Mario Garcia Romo – 3K – 7:48.40 – 14.04 Points
5. Baylor Franklin – 800-Meter – 1:48.59 – 13.31 Points
6. Allen Gordon – High Jump – 2.19m (7-02.25) – 11.30 Points
7. Waleed Suliman – 3K – 7:54.57 – 10.08 Points
8. Everett Smulders – 800-Meter – 1:48.75 – 9.18 Points
8. Allen Gordon – Long Jump – 7.72m (25-04.00) – 8.85 Points
12. Cole Bullock – 3K – 8:00.13 – 4.43 Points
24. Cade Bethmann – 800-Meter – 1:51.34 – 0.33 Points
No. 18 Rebel Women • USTFCCCA Week 2 Rating Index • 37.14 Points
4. Jasmine Mitchell – Weight Throw – 21.57m (70-09.25) – 15.75 Points
10. Anna Elkin – 5K – 16:21.83 – 6.83 Points
11. Sintayehu Vissa – 800-Meter – 2:06.45 – 5.67 Points
11. Jalani Davis – Weight Throw – 20.82m (68-03.75) – 5.50 Points
17. Lyndsey Reed – Pole Vault – 4.15m (13-07.25) – 1.15 Points
18. Brandee Presley – 60-Meter Dash – 7.35 – 1.22 Points
20. Victoria Simmons – 5K – 17:07.22 – 0.72 Points
26. Deborah Bulai – Weight Throw – 19.56m (64-02.25) – 0.15 Points
28. Loral Winn – Mile – 4:45.60 – 0.11 Points
32. Anna Elkin – Mile – 4:46.23 – 0.03 Points
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.