Pierce, Simmons Log 1-2 Finish In Long Jump At Alumni Bulldog Relays

Friday, March 27

Starkville, Miss.

All Day

Mercer University

(1) Alumni Bulldog Relays

Pierce, Simmons Log 1-2 Finish In Long Jump At Alumni Bulldog Relays

3/28/2026 8:06:00 PM | Track & Field

2026 Alumni Bulldog Relays

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Sophomores Naomi Pierce and Jayla Simmons registered a 1-2 finish in Friday's Long Jump competition and the 4x100m Relay squad finished seventh in a strong season debut to highlight action for the Mercer track & field team at the Mississippi State-hosted Alumni Bulldog Relays.

Three different Bears established at least one personal best across the two days of competition at MSU's Mike Sanders Track Complex, including newcomer TaLaya Broaders who outdid her personal records in both the 100m and 200m Dash disciplines.

Akira Brown, likewise, tallied a personal-best time of 25.88 seconds in the 200m Dash, while freshman Carmen Pollard was 16^th in the 400m Dash with a personal-best mark of 59.76 seconds.

The Bears are back in action again on Friday and Saturday when they trek to southeastern Alabama for the Troy-hosted Doc Anderson Multi & Invitational.

ALUMNI BULLDOG RELAYS (MARCH 27-28)
100m Dash
23	TaLaya Broaders	! 12.31
26	Melissa Ubani	12.43
27	Jayla Simmons	12.45
33	Akira Brown	12.59
37	Naomi Pierce	12.74

200m Dash
27	TaLaya Broaders	! 25.54
32	Akira Brown	! 25.88

400m Dash
16	Carmen Pollard	! 59.76
17	Shanise Newton	1:00.34
21	Kendyl Maddox	1:00.62

400m Hurdles
19	Arielle Livingston	1:11.39

4x100m Relay
7	Mercer - Akira Brown, Charity Obazughanmwen, Jayla Simmons, TaLaya Broaders	47.14

4x400m Relay
10	Mercer - Shanise Newton, Kendyl Maddox, Arielle Livingston, Carmen Pollard	4:15.11

Long Jump
1	Naomi Pierce	^ 5.99m
2	Jayla Simmons	^ 5.92m
23	Kamryn Copeland	4.95m

Triple Jump
10	Kamryn Copeland	^ 11.52m
15	Lauryn McDougald	^ 10.93m
n/a	Pria Pullin	NM

! - Personal Best Time/Mark ^ - Wind-Aided Time/Mark