Southern Miss finds success at the Crimson Tide Invite and Joe Walker Invite

Friday, April 9

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Southern Miss

Crimson Tide Invite

Photo by: University of Alabama Athletics

Southern Miss finds success at the Crimson Tide Invite and Joe Walker Invite

4/10/2021 10:34:00 PM | Track & Field/Cross Country

Hattiesburg, Miss. – Senior Savannah McMillon set the tone with a new personal best in the 1500m race on Friday night at the Crimson Tide Invite in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and her teammates followed suit on Saturday as the Golden Eagles achieved 15 lifetime-best over the weekend, including Lina May in the 5000m at the Joe Walker Invite hosted by Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss.

"Upperclassmen leadership came through for us by way of Trey Johnson, Savannah McMillon and Elijah Miller," head coach Jon Stuart said. "Trinity Benson gets faster and faster every week and Patricia Johnson showed she can sprint and jump. We're still looking for a total team effort as we get closer to May."

Conference USA Male Track Athlete of the Week Trey Johnson matched his PR of 46.31 in the 400m to capture gold in the event for the second-straight week. He was the lone winner for the Black and Gold against a loaded field.

Elijah Miller put together an all-around impressive performance as he finished in the top-eight three different times on Saturday. The Lawrenceville, Ga. native was the opening leg of the men's 4x100 that finished sixth, while finishing fourth in the 100m and eighth in the 200m with a new PR of 21.24 to cap off his individual performances.

Freshman Trinity Benson continues to shine in her debut season for the Golden Eagles, as she ran a personal-best 24.06 to move into fourth in Conference USA in the event.

Patricia Johnson, Landon Chalden and Eric Richards all made trips to the podium with a trio of third place finishes in the long jump, 400m hurdles and high jump. For Richards, it marks the 22-straight meet finishing inside the top 10.

At the Joe Walker Invite, Lina May and Cassidy Teuscher put together solid performances in the 5000m to etch themselves at third and fourth all-time for outdoors in the event, while May ran a lifetime-best by eight seconds.

"It was a really aggressive race," assistant coach Aaron Kindt added. "I thought the girls did a really good of settling in and competing. I'm proud of the effort they've put in, not only to get to a meet like this, but to attack a race like that. I'm definitely excited for their futures. They'll both be able to build off of this experience."

The Golden Eagles will be back in action next weekend at the War Eagle Invitational hosted by Auburn University on Apr. 16 and 17.