Mississippi State University’s track & field team headed south to the Sunshine State this weekend to compete at the Florida Pepsi Relays, where the athletes not only made multiple podium appearances but also gave reason to update the record books.
Five bulldogs broke personal records with their times this weekend. These achievements updated the school-wide track & field records for program history. Sophomore Kyndall Sessom, senior Alfonso Hale Jr., junior Jessicka Woods, sophomore Jaitlyn Ware and Caleb Kaplan all smashed their records.
Ware, a sophomore from Memphis, Tenn., ran a 23.23 in the 200-meter dash, advancing to number three in MSU program history. She placed thirteenth at the relays this weekend in the 200m, and twenty-first in the 100m with a time of 11.55 seconds.
“Honestly, when I found out that I was a top-five record holder, I couldn’t do nothing but smile in joy because the things I wanted and planned for are all coming together,” said Ware.
Ware also competes in the 100, 300, and 400-meter dashes in the outdoor season, but the indoor 200m seems to be her specialty, as she holds the MSU record with a time of 23.44 seconds.
“Over the weekend, I did accomplish my goal in the 200m dash at the Pepsi Relays,” Ware said. “I went ahead and set a new PR and I couldn’t be more proud of myself when I heard the time was 23.23. I’m progressing and getting better and that’s all that matters to me.”
Sessom ran for 11.47 seconds in the 100-meter dash, which puts her at the number four spot in the MSU records. During the 2025 indoor season, she ran a personal best, as well as the third fastest time in program history at the Charlie Thomas Invite with a 7.40 in the 60-meter dash.
Sessom also competed in the 4×100 relay this weekend alongside Ware, Chanice Spicer and Rickyla Fagan, where they placed eleventh with a time of 44.86 seconds.
Hale, a native of Fayetteville, Georgia, earned third in program history for the 400-meter hurdle with a time of 50.13 seconds. He is 0.74 seconds away from tying the school record of 49.39, which was set by Scottie Hearns in 2015. Hale placed third at the Pepsi Relays with his personal best, falling behind Iowa and Texas A&M.
Woods set the program record for 400-meter hurdles with her PR of 57.37 seconds. Woods, from Atlanta, Ga., races in the 100 meter hurdles, 400 meter hurdles and 200 meter dash for the outdoor season.
She placed seventh this weekend, surpassing former record holder Riley White. She also placed seventh in the 400H and eleventh in the 100H with a time of 13.41 during this weekend’s relays.
The team does not fall short of upper-body records either. Freshman Caleb Kaplan moved his way up to No. 2 in program history for hammer throw of 57.15 meters.
“Feeling good about getting a new personal best and can’t wait to build on that mark for the rest of the season,” said Kaplan.
Kaplan is from Rye, New York, and competes in both hammer throw and weight throw. Kaplan is 3.61 meters away from tying the school record of 60.76m held by Daniel Pepper in 2022.
Aside from setting records, the bulldogs made top-ten appearances in multiple events. In long jump, sophomore Kennedy Stringfellow jumped 7.68m earning him third place. Senior Kennedy Jackson jumped 6.06m, placing her with the silver.
In triple jump, junior Manie Mevo jumped 12.54m, earning fifth place, and the women’s 4x400m relay team placed No. 5 with a time of 3:39.77.
On Friday, these athletes will head to Tuscaloosa to to compete at the Crimson Tide Invitational, then back to Florida for the Tom Jones Memorial meet.
“To me, accomplishment means setting a new goal and achieving it,” Ware said. “For example, every time I set a new PR or run better than I did the previous meet. When I do that, I feel as accomplished as my goal.”
