BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Mississippi Valley State track and field teams will compete against fellow conference members at the 2019 SWAC Indoor Championships February 14-15. The two-day meet will showcase the best track and field student-athletes in the SWAC competing Thursday and Friday at the Birmingham Metro CrossPlex. MVSU women's team enters the conference meet after a third-place showing a season ago, while the Delta Devil men will look to put on a strong performance a week later after competing at the ASU Scarlett and Black Invitational.
 
Sophomores Mya Dumpson and ZaBasjia Price will kick off the action for the Devilettes on Thursday in the women's pentathlon. Last season, Dumpson placed fifth in the pentathlon at SWAC Indoor Championships. Senior Timothy Misoy and freshman Stanley Rop will get the men's team rolling in the 3000m. Rop enters this weekend's conference meet ranked third in the SWAC in the 3000m while sitting at the top of the SWAC rankings in the 5000m.
 
MVSU features several standout sprinters that will hit the track this weekend. Senior Laval Davis enters the conference championships with the fastest time in the SWAC in the 200m, ranks second in the 400m and seventh in the 60m, while true freshman Christopher Bailey is the conference leader in the 400m and seventh in the 200m. Davis placed sixth last SWAC Indoor Championships in the 200m. For the women, sophomore Ajani Williams ranks fifth in the SWAC in the 400m and placed fourth at last year's SWAC Indoor Championships in the event.
 
The Delta Devils and Devilettes also have several talented athletes in the field events. Sophomore Tyefah Saunders enters the SWAC Indoor Championships with the top distance in the shot put, while junior Tiara DeRosa is ranked ninth in the weight throw. MVSU will showcase sophomore Jamarius Shaw in the long jump ranking eighth amongst the SWAC leaders.
 
MVSU will look to score additional points in the distance events with sophomore Jaleel Turner ranking seventh in the 800m and freshman Rakia Ball is 10^th in the 3000m. Last season, Turner placed eighth at the SWAC Indoor Championships in the 800m.
 
The first Devilettes compete Thursday at 8:30 a.m. with the women's pentathlon. The women's 3000m at noon starts the track events and then the field events are underway at 1 p.m. with the women's weight throw and then the men's long jump. Championship Friday for MVSU begins at noon with the 60m hurdle finals while the women's shot put finals begins the field events at 1 p.m.
 
Click HERE for live results of all the action at the SWAC Indoor Championships. The complete meet schedule is available HERE.
 
MVSU Entries
MEN
60m: Samuel Gardner, Jermy Murry
200m: Samuel Gardner, Laval Davis, Chrispther Bailey
400m: Christopher Bailey, Laval Davis, Nicholas Alexander, Joseph Mitchell
800m: Jaleel Turner, Nicholas Alexander
Mile: Jaleel Turner
3000m: Timothy Misoy, Stanley Rop
5000m: Timothy Misoy, Stanley Rop
60m hurdles: Anthony Mosley, D'Vante Lundy
Long Jump: Jamarius Shaw
High Jump: Jamarius Shaw
Shot Put: William Bradley, Kiion Smith
Distance Medley: Maurice Johnson, Jaleel Turner, Tiimothy Misoy, Anthony Mosley, Stanley Rop
4x400 relay: Christopher Bailey, Laval Davis, Joseph Mitchell, Maurice Johnson
 
WOMEN
200m: TraNisha Dukes
400m: Ajani Williams, Markayla Jones, Jala Allen
800m: Derica Pitters, Iyanna Alexander, Jada Allen      
Mile: Derica Pitters
3000m: Rakia Ball, Autezia Sellers
5000m: Rakia Ball, Autezia Sellers
60m hurdles: Mya Dumpson
Long Jump: Destini Banks
High Jump: ZaBasjia Price
Shot Put: TraNisha Dukes, Tiara DeRosa, Tyefah Saunders
Weight Throw: Tiara DeRosa
Distance Medley: Ajani Williams, Iyanna Alexander, Derica Pitters, Rakia Ball
Pentathlon: Mya Dumpson, ZaBasjia Price
4x400 relay: Ajani Williams, Iyanna Alexander, Jala Allen, Mya Dumpson