Zita Magloire finished what Jen McPherson started, helping the Mississippi State women’s distance medley relay (DMR) team to finish first at the LSU Tiger Relays Saturday.
The Lady Bulldogs DMR team, also consisting of Antrese Banks and Andrea Wahlin, ran 11 minutes and 36.86 seconds, the second-best time in school history.
The MSU men’s and women’s teams won four more events in the final day of competition, much to the delight of head coach Al Schmidt.
“We dominated women’s middle distance and distance events at this meet,” Schmidt said.
“The women’s distance medley relay ran 11:36, and that’s big time. The men also won the DMR. Our men’s 4×2 was second to LSU. Our male sprinters held their own against LSU this weekend. Liz (Grube) won the 1500, Annie (Falor) was second and Nicola (Wilson) won the shot.”
The team of McPherson, Banks, Grube and Magloire also ran a school-record 8:51.12 to win the 4×800-meter relay title.
Meanwhile, sophomore all-American Chris Woods anchored the Bulldogs sprint medley relay team, and the Bulldogs bested host LSU’s quartet of all-Americans.
Elzie Coleman, Arthur Davis, Nathan Daniels and Woods ran 3:19.57, finishing just ahead of the Tigers’ 3:19.95.
“Chris ran them down,” Schmidt said. “We beat four all-Americans, two of them are Olympians. That’s huge.”
Also, the men’s distance relay team of Wade Martin, Bruce Davis, Ryan Irwin and John Brigham captured the meet title in 10:09.13.
Grube and Falor finished first and second in the women’s 1500-meter run, with each setting personal bests. Grube crossed the line at 4:36.53.
Freshman Emily Sanders won her first collegiate event, winning the hammer throw with a mark of 165 feet, three inches and recording a new MSU freshman record. Sanders’ throw is also the fourth-best in the event in school history.
Nicola Wilson’s throw of 49 feet, 10 inches was good enough to take home the shot put title, while Tim Williams won the men’s high jump title with a 6-08 clearing.
“It was a great weekend,” Schmidt said.
The Bulldogs hope to repeat their success next at the Bulldog Invitational at W.O. Spencer Stadium/Carl Maddox Track on the MSU campus. Collegiate action begins Saturday at 9 a.m.