JONESBORO, Ark. (4/23/21) – Looking to continue its outstanding outdoor season, the Arkansas State track and field teams are set for a showdown in the northwest corner of the state, traveling to Fayetteville for the John McDonnell Invitational.
Hosted by Arkansas and held Saturday and Sunday at the John McDonnell Track, the meet is open to the public with tickets available online or at the gate. A-State will compete against several opponents from the NCAA West Region, including athletes from top-25 programs Arkansas, Alabama and Kansas.
Action begins Saturday at 10:15 a.m. CT with the women's hammer throw, while the first track event for the Red Wolves is slated for 5 p.m. with the women's 200m. On Sunday, the men's discus throw will kick things off at 10 a.m., while the women's 100m hurdles prelims is set to begin track action at Noon.
TEAMS COMPETING: No. 2 (women) Arkansas (host), No. 8 (men)/7 (women) Alabama, Arkansas State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Central Arkansas, Friends, No. 16 (men) Kansas, Little Rock, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Wichita State
RED WOLVES IN TOP 10 IN SOUTH CENTRAL REGION: Both Arkansas State teams are ranked inside the top 10 in the NCAA South Central Region this week, with the women ranked ninth and the men up two spots to 10th.
A-STATE IN THE SUN BELT CONFERENCE: A-State's men hold 17 spots ranked inside the top five in the Sun Belt Conference entering this weekend, including the men's 4x400m relay team of Jermie Walker, Kobey Hill, Daidren Davis and Addison Ross. Seth Waters (800m), Bennett Pascoe (1500m), Frank Massey (high jump) and Carter Shell (long jump) lead their respective events while Lexington Hilton (10,000m), Daidren Davis (400m hurdles), Eron Carter (discus) and Aimar Palma Simo (hammer) hold No. 2 spots.
The women's team holds 15 total top-five spots in the league, with Pauline Meyer (1500m and 5000m), Sophie Leathers (10,000m), Avery Shell (pole vault) and Babette Vandeput (discus) all leading events. Sarah Trammel (10,000m), Meyer (3000m steeplechase), Allie Hensley (high jump), Imani Udoumana (triple jump) and Grace Flowers (hammer) ranking second.
A-STATE IN THE NCAA WEST REGION: The Red Wolves own 12 marks inside the top 50 in the NCAA West Region on the men's side, five inside the top 25. Carter Shell leads the way in the long jump, ranking fourth (7.96m | 26-1.5), while Frank Massey is ninth in the high jump (2.17m | 7-1.5). Aimar Palma Simo is 13th in the hammer (65.46m | 214-9.0) while Bradley Jelmert's personal-best jump of 5.25m (17-2.75) at Georgia has him at 22nd in the region.
A-State owns nine marks inside the top 50 in the region on the women's side. Pauline Meyer is 35th in the 3000m steeplechase (10:36.12), while Babette Vandeput is 21st in the discus (53.75m | 176-4.0). Also in the throws, Grace Flowers is 34th in the hammer throw.
PASCOE, MEYER, MASSEY RACK UP #SUNBELTOTF HONORS: Arkansas State continued to rack up Sun Belt Conference weekly honors this week, with Bennett Pascoe, Pauline Meyer and Frank Massey earning laurels. Pascoe and Meyer were named Men's and Women's Track Athletes of the Week after breaking school records in the 1500m while Massey cleared a personal-best 2.17m (7-1.5) in the high jump to be named the league's Men's Field Athlete of the Week.
#EVENTSQUAD: This week, Arkansas State's women's discus throw corps ranks 12th nationally in the USTFCCCA's #EventSquad Rankings with an average distance of 48.94m (160-7.0). Babette Vandeput leads the way with her throw of 53.75m (176-4.0) on April 2 at UAB.
UP NEXT
A-State continues its outdoor season with one final tune-up ahead of the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Championships, traveling to Starkville, Mississippi, for the Maroon and White Invite.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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