The MSU men’s and women’s track teams are preparing for the Tyson Invitational meet in Fayetteville, Ark., this weekend, and head coach Al Schmidt said there is a lot to be excited about.
“It’s on the SEC track, and it’s on the national championship track,” he said. “So it gives us a chance to put some great performances down.”
Assistant coach Bryan Fetzer is excited about the meet as well, and said the competition will be fierce for the young Bulldogs, who are still riding momentum from their success in previous meets in the Indiana Indoor Relays in Bloomington and the Millrose Games in New York’s Madison Square Garden.
“When you walk away from a meet with confidence, it allows you to run with no hesitation,” Fetzer said. “We’re really young on both genders, so having confidence is a huge positive.”
Both coaches are excited to see the men’s 4×400 event, led by Starkville native Tavaris Tate. Tate, who has already run in international competition, will now get to line up against some of the best in the SEC.
The Bulldogs also are looking for a big performance from sophomore D’Angelo Cherry, who set one of the nation’s best times in the 60-meter run when he ran it in 6.65 seconds. Schmidt said Cherry is one of the fastest men he has ever seen.
The Bulldogs will be led in distance running by senior Daniel Simpkins, who will compete in the 5,000 meter run. Simpkins said he feels the main point of this meet will be to evaluate where he and his teammates stand as of now, and said it will also be a way to test his fitness.
“It’s a good way to test what we’ve done so far in training and to see what’s working,” he said. “My training’s been going really well.”
Simpkins has been yet another bright spot for the Bulldogs this year. He finished third in the 3,000 meter run at Bloomington two weekends ago with a time of 8:28.50.
Among the women competing, expectations are high for Wendy Copeland, who will be competing in the triple jump. Copeland finished third in the triple jump in Bloomington, and has already qualified for the NCAA championships in the long jump competition. She jumped 20 feet 2.25 inches in the Purple Tiger Invitational in Baton Rouge, La.
Fetzer said he is confident Copeland will raise her name on the national list with a solid performance this weekend. He said Copeland was asked to make some changes in her technique when she first arrived at MSU, and said she was noticeably nervous at her first meet.
“We did some changes, and she’s adjusted to them well,” Fetzer said. “I remember her first meet when she was a sophomore. She was scared.”
Fetzer’s satisfaction with Copeland’s progression seems to be warranted. Schmidt said Copeland has become a national caliber jumper, and this weekend will give her a chance to get on the scene.
Through the eyes of players and coaches, the Bulldog track and field squad has plenty of reasons to be excited for their trip to Fayetteville. An enthusiastic Fetzer said they have good reason for the excitement.
“It’s a great opportunity for our men’s and women’s teams to see some real competition, it’s almost like a mini national championship.”