University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss
Conference USA Indoor Championships
Southern Miss women’s track repeats as Conference USA Indoor Champions
2/20/2022 6:52:00 PM | Track & Field/Cross Country
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southern Miss women's track team once again stood atop the podium, outlasting Middle Tennessee to capture back-to-back Conference USA Indoor Championships on Sunday afternoon at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
"On paper, we faced impossible odds," Southern Miss coach Jon Stuart said. "We simply never quit fighting. Our women gave everything they had, then gave a little more."
With Southern Miss clinging to a five-point advantage over Middle Tennessee entering the final event, Trinity Benson, Savi'a Varnell, Trinity Flagler and Smilla Kolbe put the nail in the coffin, combining to run 3:47.67 to take fourth in the 4x400 relay and give the Golden Eagles their second-straight C-USA title.
Poland native Oliwia Wawrzyniak became the second-straight Golden Eagle to earn Freshman of the Meet honors, winning the 5,000m with a new program best of 16:33.99 and taking fourth in the 3,000m with another school record time of 9:35.15.
"Oliwia was amazing," Stuart added about his freshman's performance. "She took over the 5,000 with three laps remaining and smashed the previous school record by nine seconds."
In total, the Black and Gold made nine trips to the podium on the women's side, with a pair in both the 60m and triple jump.
Trinity Benson took silver with a personal-best of 7.48, while Kenia Seals followed right behind with a time of 7.55 in the 60m. Seals earned another medal, finishing the 200m dash in a time of 24.05 to put her second all-time in Southern Miss history in the event, with Benson also picked up four points in the event with a fifth-place finish.
Marquasha Myers (42'4.75") and Ashlee Osaji (41'10.5") both shattered their PR's in the triple jump to pick up a vital 14 points in the event. Myers added another top-three finish in the 60m hurdles with a third-place finish behind a personal-best of 8.50, matching the second-best time in program history and Osaji picked up a pair of points with a seventh-place finish in the long jump.
The women's DMR relay of Kate Mattox, Flagler, Kolbe and Sandra Szpott closed the opening day of competition with a school record of 11:32.65, breaking the old record of 11:38.05 set in 2017, to seize silver.
On top of her DMR medal and 4x400 finish, Kolbe earned her second medal in the 800m with a gutsy performance of 2:09.67 to receive bronze in the event.
Other point scoring performances for the women included: Varnell (7th, 400m, 56.12), Szpott (5th, mile, 4:53.49), Lina May (6th, 5,000m, 17:01.05 / 8th, 3,000m, 9:43.76), Janique Burgher (7th, high jump, 5'4.5") and Jordan Speer (5th, shot put, 48'4.5" / 6th, weight throw, 58'3.75").
Overall the women finished with 101 points to edge the 91 of Middle Tennessee and capture the title.
On the men's side, Southern Miss had three different student-athletes claim individual C-USA titles to earn a seventh-place finish as a team.
Corvell Todd won his second-straight men's high jump title on Saturday night, clearing the bar at 7'3.75" for the fourth-best mark in the country this season and second-best mark in program history, to take gold.
Leading the conference from wire-to-wire this season, transfer Fred Moudani earned the shot put crown with a throw of 59'5.5".
Just missing the podium a season ago with a fourth-place finish in the 400m, DJ Butler left no doubt in that race this year with a time 47.30 to take first.
"Corvell electrified the crowd with the NCAA's fourth-best jump this season. DJ continues a long line of great quarter-milers here at Southern Miss and then Fred took control of the competition early and never looked back.
"I'm so proud of our girls, our coaches, trainers and staff," said Stuart. "It was a tremendous effort to win and everyone performed when it mattered most."
Stuart earned his second-straight Coach of the Year honor for the performance.
Players Mentioned
