Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
MT Represented Heavily on National Top-15 Lists
1/24/2018 11:00:00 AM | Track & Field/Cross Country
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The indoor track and field season has reached its midway point, and Middle Tennessee finds itself well-represented across the nation's top-15 lists, most notably on the women's side.
Joining men Kigen Chemadi and Jacob Choge (fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 5,000-meter run), MT women are currently in the top 15 nationally in six events across several distances.
Senior Elizabeth Dadzie and freshman Cecelia Francis are the top-ranked Blue Raiders. They currently lead the country in their respective events, Dadzie in the 55-meter hurdles and Francis in the 55-meter run. Dadzie has also run the third-fastest time in the 55 hurdles.
Joining Dadzie and Francis on top-15 lists are freshman Mirlege Castor (12th in the 55), sophomore Ida Mensah (14th in the 55) and senior Agnes Abu (fifth in the 800). Junior Abike Egbeniyi, an All-American last year in the 800, is also third in the 800 and ninth in the 400.
Middle Tennessee's top times have given the program enough recognition to be placed in the top 10 of the South Region. The Blue Raiders were ranked ninth on the women's side in the most-recent poll, released Jan. 22.
The ninth-place nod made MT the top-ranked Conference USA team in its respective region as the Raiders prepare for the C-USA Championships on Feb. 17 and 18.
Last season, Middle Tennessee finished third on the women's side at the conference meet, while its men captured their first C-USA crown and 50th title overall for head coach Dean Hayes.
If the Blue Raiders' success in the first half of the season is a precursor, they could be set up well on the women's side for another push at a title. The MT women represent six of the 10 C-USA athletes located in the top-15 nationally across all events.
Middle Tennessee's push towards the C-USA Championships will continue on Sunday at the Kevin Stevenson Invite at UAB. The Raiders will then return to Murfreesboro Feb. 3 for a meet in the Murphy Center, followed by a trip to Vanderbilt Feb. 9 and 10.
Joining men Kigen Chemadi and Jacob Choge (fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 5,000-meter run), MT women are currently in the top 15 nationally in six events across several distances.
Senior Elizabeth Dadzie and freshman Cecelia Francis are the top-ranked Blue Raiders. They currently lead the country in their respective events, Dadzie in the 55-meter hurdles and Francis in the 55-meter run. Dadzie has also run the third-fastest time in the 55 hurdles.
Joining Dadzie and Francis on top-15 lists are freshman Mirlege Castor (12th in the 55), sophomore Ida Mensah (14th in the 55) and senior Agnes Abu (fifth in the 800). Junior Abike Egbeniyi, an All-American last year in the 800, is also third in the 800 and ninth in the 400.
Middle Tennessee's top times have given the program enough recognition to be placed in the top 10 of the South Region. The Blue Raiders were ranked ninth on the women's side in the most-recent poll, released Jan. 22.
The ninth-place nod made MT the top-ranked Conference USA team in its respective region as the Raiders prepare for the C-USA Championships on Feb. 17 and 18.
Last season, Middle Tennessee finished third on the women's side at the conference meet, while its men captured their first C-USA crown and 50th title overall for head coach Dean Hayes.
If the Blue Raiders' success in the first half of the season is a precursor, they could be set up well on the women's side for another push at a title. The MT women represent six of the 10 C-USA athletes located in the top-15 nationally across all events.
Middle Tennessee's push towards the C-USA Championships will continue on Sunday at the Kevin Stevenson Invite at UAB. The Raiders will then return to Murfreesboro Feb. 3 for a meet in the Murphy Center, followed by a trip to Vanderbilt Feb. 9 and 10.
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