Jackson Free Press

While no athletes from universities in our state won at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, there were strong performances. The University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University and the University of Southern Mississippi all saw athletes qualify for the meet.

USM junior Cra’vorkian Carson finished 18th overall in the 100 meters, reaching the semifinals to earn Honorable Mention All-American. His teammate, senior Emron Gibbs, placed 20th in javelin to ensure Honorable Mention All-American honors, as well.

The MSU women placed two athletes on First Team All-American and one on Second Team All-American. Junior Logan Boss placed fourth in the high jump, and junior Tiffany Flynn finished eighth in the long jump for First Team honors. Junior Rhianwedd Price landed on the Second Team with a ninth-place finish in the 1,500-meters.

Two Bulldogs men earned First Team honors in the same event. Junior Nicolas Quijera finished second in the javelin, as teammate and defending national champion Curtis Thompson, who is a junior, finished seventh.

The MSU 4x400-meter relay team of Stephan James, Rasheed Tatham, Charles Taylor and Juston Waters finished 15th for Second Team All-American honors. Senior Leah Lott finished 18th in the women’s long jump, sophomore men’s long-jumper Willie Reed finished 19th overall, and the men’s 4x100-meter team of Charles Taylor, Philip Smith, Stephan James and Lawrence Crawford placed 19th overall to earn Honorable Mention All-American.

UM junior Janeah Stewart racked up the honors. She placed fifth in the women’s shot put for First Team All-American honors, and ninth in discus and 10th in hammer throw for Second Team All-American honors.

Teammate Raven Saunders, who is also a junior, finished ahead of Stewart in shot put in fourth place to earn First Team All-American for the Rebels. Shelby Brown finished 23rd in the steeplechase, and the women’s 4x100-meter relay team of Deanna Tate, Breanna Tate, Shannon Ray and Nicole Henderson finished 19th to earn Honorable Mention All-American.

Three UM men earned First Team All-American honors. Senior Craig Engels finished third in the 1,500-meters, senior MJ Erb finished fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, and junior Brian Williams finished fourth in the discus.

Junior Dempsey McGuigan finished in 10th place in the men’s hammer throw to become the only men’s athlete to earn Second Team All-American honors for the Rebels.

MSU men finished in 26th place overall, and the university’s women’s team finished 38th overall. The Rebels’ men finished in 19th place overall, and the UM women took 29th in the final standings. USM’s two participants didn’t earn points to place overall.

The SEC placed six teams in the NCAA Baseball Super Regionals, but only three reached the College World Series. Two teams from the ACC made it out of the Super Regionals to the CWS, and one team from the Big 12, Pac-12 and Big West conferences are in the CWS.

Louisiana State University took out fellow SEC West member Mississippi State University. The Tigers barely got by the Bulldogs in game one 4-3 but won 14-4 in game two and advanced.

The University of Florida needed three games to get past Wake Forest University. Weather delays plagued this series, as the Gators won game one 2-1, the Demon Deacons took game two 8-6, and UF won game three 3-0 and moved on.

Texas A&M University played two games against Davidson College and advanced. The Aggies took game one 7-6 and outlasted the Wildcats 12-6 in game two.

Oregon State University swept Vanderbilt University in the Super Regional. The Beavers won 8-4 in game one and 9-2 in game two, getting past the Commodores.

The University of Louisville battled past in-state rival University of Kentucky and reached the CWS. The Cardinals took game one 5-2 and game two 6-2, sweeping the Wildcats out of the tournament.

Florida State University slipped past Sam Houston State University in game one, scoring 7-6. The Seminoles had no trouble in game two, winning 19-0 over the Bearkats and reaching the CWS.

California State University, Long Beach and California State University, Fullerton need all three games to decide their Super Regional. The 49ers of Long Beach took game one 3-0, but the Titans won game two 12-0 and game three 2-1 and advanced.

Texas Christian University swept past Missouri State University, reaching the CWS. The Horned Frogs nipped the Bears in game one 3-2 but won in an 8-1 blowout in game two, finishing the sweep.

Top national seed Oregon State opens the tournament against CSU Fullerton on Saturday, June 17, at 2 p.m. on ESPN. LSU is the No. 4 national seed and takes on FSU on June 17 in game two at 7 p.m.

Louisville is the No. 7 national seed and will open day two of the CWS on Sunday, June 18, at 1 p.m. against Texas A&M. The second game on day two features No. 3 national seed Florida against No. 6 national seed TCU at 6 p.m. on June 18.

The first elimination game will be played on Monday, June 19, at 1 p.m. on ESPN against the losers of the OSU-Fullerton and LSU-FSU from games one and two. The winners between the Beavers versus Titans game and Tigers versus Seminoles game face off on June 19 at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

Game three and four losers between Louisville-Texas A&M and Florida-TCU will try to stay alive on Tuesday, June 20, at 1 p.m. on ESPN. The winners between the Cardinals-Aggies and Gators-Horned Frogs take the …