2012 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships Begin Wednesday

DES MOINES, Iowa - In a season that saw Mississippi State capture its highest SEC finish since 1989, the Bulldogs will conclude their 2012 campaign this week at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

MSU has 12 athletes competing in eight events - nine men and three women. Competition begins on Wednesday at Drake University, with action concluding on Saturday.

"It all comes down to this," said coach Steve Dudley, whose men's team posted a fifth-place finish at the SECs. "Everything you have as an athlete will be tested, and all of the hard work will pay off. I know our athletes are prepared. Now, it is up to them to give it their all and earn the rewards I know they deserve and are capable of."

Erica Bougard, who is coming off an impressive regular season that saw her earn SEC All-Freshman honors in both the long jump and the heptathlon, will lead the charge as she takes to the field on Wednesday for the first part of the heptathlon.

Joining Bougard for the Lady Bulldog charge will be reining SEC Indoor Champion Favian Cowards in the hammer throw and Jody-Ann Muir in the 400-meter dash.

Daundre Barnaby and Tavaris Tate lead the Bulldogs qualifiers, as both are scheduled to compete in two events. Barnaby will split his time between the 400-meter dash and the 4x400-meter relay, while Tate will take turns running in both the 4x400- and 4x100-meter relays.

Tate will first line up with Justin Christian, D'Angelo Cherry and Jarrett Samuels in the 4x100-meter relay, before pairing up with Barnaby, Emanuel Mayers and James Harris in the highly-anticipated 4x400-meter showdown.

Rounding out the Maroon and White male competition will be high jumper Marcus Jackson and Nathan Arnett, who is seeing his first National Championship competition, in the 400-meter hurdles.

To follow MSU's time in Iowa you can follow @msutrackjason and @msuhoopsgregg on Twitter, as well as visit www.flashresults.com for live results throughout the competition.

Men Qualifiers
Nathan Arnett (Nassau, Bahamas): 400-Meter Hurdles
Daundre Barnaby (Hartford, Conn.): 400-Meter Dash, 4x400-Meter Relay
D'Angelo Cherry (Jonesboro, Ga.): 4x100-Meter Relay
Justin Christian (Jonesboro, Ga.): 4x100-Meter Relay
James Harris (Lanett, Ala.): 4x400-Meter Relay
Marcus Jackson (Greenwood, Miss.): High Jump
Emanuel Mayers (Lakewood, N.J.): 4x400-Meter Relay
Jarrett Samuels (Charlotte, N.C.): 4x100-Meter Relay
Tavaris Tate (Starkville, Miss.): 4x100-Meter Relay, 4x400-Meter Relay

Women Qualifiers
Erica Bougard (Byhalia, Miss.): Heptathlon
Favian Cowards (Jackson, Miss.): Hammer Throw
Jody-Ann Muir (St. Catherine, Jamaica): 400-Meter Dash