JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps men's and women's track and field programs will be led by veteran head coach
Natalie Bach-Prather in her first year with the Majors and bring back seven All-SAA student-athletes. Additionally, 26 newcomers (14 men and 12 women) will bolster a quality roster.
Adding experience to the coaching staff will be first-year assistant head coach
Mack Broussard, who set several conference records under the direction of Bach-Prather at East Texas Baptist University. Bach-Prather spent the previous 18 seasons as a student-athlete and coach at East Texas Baptist University.
On the men's side, the Majors will look to shine brightest in field and distance events again as they return three All-SAA members in
Chris Butler,
Patrick Elliott and
William Weber. Also expect
Storm Buescher and
Landry Lemoine to make noise this season.
Butler, a junior from New Orleans, etched his name in the SAA and Millsaps record books with a bound of 7.30 meters (23 feet-11.50 inches) in the long jump to rank 13th nationally last season. An All-SAA First Team selection, he also was the first Major from the men's program to compete at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Butler's jump of 6.68 meters (21 feet-11 inches) was good for 15th place on the Irwin Belk Track on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University at nationals. He was also named to the All-Region team for the South/Southeast by the USTFCCCA.
Elliott, a sophomore hailing from Covington, La., was also dubbed to the All-SAA first team when he beat his own program-best time in the 1500m with a mark of 4:01.48 at the SAA Championships last spring.
Rounding out the All-SAA selections from a year ago is Weber, who placed second in the pole vault at 3.94m (12 feet-11 inches). It was the fourth time last season in which the junior cleared 3.94 meters or better.
Buescher, a senior from San Antonio, was also a part of the All-Region team, he will look to reclaim his throne as the SAA high jump champion. Buescher owns the SAA high jump record with a leap of 2.00m. He is a two-time SAA Field Athlete of the Week and the 2019 SAA high jump champion.
Another returning student-athlete to expect big things from is Lemoine, who is the 5000m school record holder (15:46.21).
On the women's side, senior
Carolina Teague (Ellijay, Ga.) won the 400m at the SAA conference meet by nearly four seconds with a time of 59.82 and was named to the All-SAA Second Team. It was her first time competing in the distance all season and was enough to be ranked 71st in the country.
Teague was also a member of the school record breaking 4x400 team that placed second at last year's SAA Championships. The team will expect more success with her,
Alli Despaux and
Alyssa Navarre set to bolster their time as returners.
The final Major that was recognized on the women's side by the SAA was junior
Rose Ward (Brandon, Miss.). She posted an impressive toss in the hammer throw at the SAA Championships by reaching 41.76m (137 feet). She was nominated to the Third Team and currently sits at No. 3 in Millsaps program history.
Millsaps will commence the season in Clinton at the Mississippi College Season Opener on Saturday, March 4, beginning at 9 a.m.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps men's and women's track and field programs follow the Majors on Twitter and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.
