Ole Miss track & field opened its final home meet of the 2026 season with several excellent performances, including a new national record courtesy of freshman Patchnalie Compere, at Day One of the Joe Walker Invitational on Friday.
Compere became the first on Haiti’s all-time list to break the 23-second barrier in any wind condition, let alone her superb wind-legal winning time of 22.96 (+0.5) tonight. That time also ranks as the wind-legal Ole Miss freshman record ahead of Jayda Eckford’s 22.98 (+0.6) from 2019 (but behind Eckford’s 22.72/+2.2 in all conditions). All-time, it ranks third in Ole Miss history behind Eckford and 2024 NCAA Champion McKenzie Long’s 21.83 (+1.0). Compere hails from Oakland Park, Florida, but her parents’ Haitian lineage allows her times to count.
Senior and reigning SEC Indoor 60-meter champion Alicia Burnett opened her outdoor season with a similarly impressive time as the runner-up at 23.24 (+0.5), already good for No. 8 all-time at Ole Miss in her first 200-meter outdoors.
Sophomore Wesley Todd was victorious in the men’s 200-meter dash Friday night, running into a slight headwind but still clocking a wind-legal PR 21.04 (-0.3) for the win.
Senior Loral Winn ran her first race in Oxford since the 2023 Joe Walker Invite, opening her final campaign as a Rebel with a victory in the women’s 1500-meter invite at 4:18.72. Senior Beth Arentz – fresh off a new school record in the 5K last week at Stanford – was the runner-up at a new PR 4:19.09, which ties her for fifth all-time at Ole Miss. Senior Sophie Baumann, meanwhile, improved her spot at No. 8 all-time on her new PR tonight of 4:19.62.
Senior Gabe Scales narrowly missed a career-best of his own in his victory of the men’s 1500-meter invite, crossing the line at 3:41.91. Freshman John Shoemaker was the runner-up in his first collegiate 1500 at 3:44.19.
Other wins (and all-time performances) on the track included sophomore Samuel Ferguson in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase (9:09.26; No. 10 all-time) and senior Chase Rose in the men’s 800-meter invite (1:47.32; No. 12 all-time).
In the field, Ole Miss nabbed five more event wins – including sweeps in the long jumps and pole vaults.
In the women’s long jump, redshirt junior Lizzie Hatton soared to a wind-legal PR of 6.33m/20-09.25 (+0.0) for the win, just one centimeter off her all-conditions best 6.34m/20-09.75 (+2.9) from last year’s Joe Walker Invite. Redshirt freshman Indya Dotson notched a wind-legal best of her own as the runner-up at 5.96m/19-06.75 (+0.3).
Junior Sterling Scott took the crown in his first long jump competition since his freshman season at Missouri in 2024, leaping an overall career-best 7.40m/24-03.50 (+1.5) for the win.
Sophomore Lily Beattie won for a second straight week in the women’s pole vault, today clearing 4.22m/13-10 for the top spot. Redshirt sophomore Mary Cate Doughty was the runner-up on a career-best height of 4.12m/13-06.25, good for No. 7 in the Rebel record books outdoors.
Senior Logan Kelley improved his season-best in his pole vault victory on the men’s side, clearing 5.28m/17-03.75.
Senior Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan had another steady day of work in the hammer, remaining undefeated for 2026 on his winning heave of 74.95m/245-10. Five of his throws traveled beyond 70 meters, with three going past the 74-meter mark. Seniors Mason Hickel (63.85m/209-5) and Bryson Smith (63.80m/209-4) followed in second and third, respectively.
Competition picks back up Saturday at 10 a.m. CT with the resumption of the men’s decathlon.
REBELS IN DAY ONE COMPETITION
Women’s 200-Meter Dash
1. Patchnalie Compere – 22.96 (+0.5) – Overall PR, Haitian National Record, No. 3 Ole Miss History Outdoors, 2026 NCAA No. 27
2. Alicia Burnett – 23.24 (+0.5) – Ole Miss Outdoor Debut, No. 8 Ole Miss History Outdoors
Men’s 200-Meter Dash
1. Wesley Todd – 21.04 (-0.3) – Season Debut, Wind-Legal PR
Men’s 800-Meter Invite
1. Chase Rose – 1:47.32 – Overall PR, No. 12 Ole Miss History
3. Carson Turner – 1:47.71 – SB
DNF Max Armstrong
Women’s 1500-Meter Invite
1. Loral Winn – 4:18.72 – Season Debut
2. Beth Arentz – 4:19.09 – PR, T-No. 5 Ole Miss History
3. Sophie Baumann – 4:19.62, PR, No. 8 Ole Miss History
4. Ella Johnson – 4:24.76 – PR
6. Hannah Doyle – 4:27.53 – First Collegiate 1500
8. Madison Archdale – 4:31.07
9. Brooke Preputnick – 4:31.80 – PR
11. Zoe Marsh – 4:35.73
Men’s 1500-Meter Invite
1. Gabe Scales – 3:41.91 – SB
2. John Shoemaker – 3:44.19 – First Collegiate 1500
5. Zack Gilbertson – 3:46.92 – PR
7. Stone Smith – 3:48.84 – PR
9. Connor Henson – 3:58.92 – Season Debut
DNF Sergio Del Barrio
DNF Evan Thornton-Sherman
Men’s 3000-Meter Steeplechase
1. Samuel Ferguson – 9:09.26 – PR, No. 10 Ole Miss History
DNF Sergio Del Barrio
Women’s Long Jump
1. Lizzie Hatton – 6.33m/20-09.25 (+0.0) – Wind-Legal PR
2. Indya Dotson – 5.96m/19-06.75 (+0.3) – Wind-Legal PR
18. Bayli Major – 4.90m/16-1 – Collegiate Debut
Men’s Long Jump
1. Sterling Scott – 7.40m/24-03.50 (+1.5) – Overall PR
Women’s Pole Vault
1. Lily Beattie – 4.22m/13-10
2. Mary Cate Doughty – 4.12m/13-06.25 – Overall PR, No. 7 Ole Miss History Outdoors
4. Katie McFarland – 4.02m/13-02.25 – Outdoor SB
5. Rachel Homoly – 3.57m/11-08.50
NH Aly Francolini
Men’s Pole Vault
1. Logan Kelley – 5.28m/17-03.75 – Outdoor SB
Women’s Hammer
3. Akaoma Odeluga– 64.56m/211-9 – SB
4. Skylar Soli – 60.77m/199-4 – SB
5. Nyah Edwards – 59.01m/193-7
9. Naomi Woolfolk – 53.29m/174-10 – PR, No. 15 Ole Miss History
11. Temidayo Owoyemi – 50.24m/164-10
Men’s Hammer
1. Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan– 74.95m/245-10
2. Mason Hickel – 63.85m/209-5
3. Bryson Smith – 63.80m/209-4
Men’s Javelin
9. Caughran Fowler– 39.55m/129-9
Women’s Heptathlon (Through Four Events)
Nyajah Gordon – 2,875 Points, 6th Place
100-Meter Hurdles: 6th, 14.25 (+1.8) – 943 Points – PR
High Jump: 10th, 1.41m/4-07.50 – 523 Points – Outdoor PR
Shot Put: 5th, 11.06m/36-03.50 – 599 Points – Overall PR
200-Meter Dash: 5th, 25.85 (+0.3) – 810 Points
Carmela Coulter – 3,017 Points, 5th Place – Collegiate Debut
100-Meter Hurdles: 4th, 14.13 (+1.7) – 960 Points – PR
High Jump: 7th, 1.59m/5-02.50 – 724 Points – Outdoor PR
Shot Put: 9th, 8.94m/29-4 – 460 Points – Overall PR
200-Meter Dash: 3rd, 25.15 (+0.3) – 873 Points – Overall PR