With NCAA indoor track and field season underway and the outdoor season approaching, Ole Miss fans have lots to look forward to: Two NCAA medalists from last year, high jumper Arvesta Troupe and thrower Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan, are among the Rebels’ returnees for 2026.
Arvesta Troupe
The Fulton, Miss., native had a breakout junior season, when he took home the gold medal in men’s high jump at the NCAA Outdoor Championships last June.
Troupe narrowly failed to qualify for nationals as a sophomore, but he used that as motivation to come back stronger his junior year. Troupe had a dominant 2025; not only did he win the national title, but he also blew away the field with his jump of 2.27 meters (7-5.25 feet).
After the meet, Troupe told Runnerspace in an interview that he left everything up to God.
“Just God’s timing,” Troupe said. “I can’t get down on myself, but I know God. He has everything written for me.”
Troupe carried that mindset into the summer when he competed at the U.S. Outdoor Track Championships. There, Troupe finished No. 4 with a jump of 2.22 meters (7-3.25).
With a season full of impressive performances, Troupe solidified himself as a top high jumper in the nation. Troupe looks to be in a strong position to defend his 2025 high jump title. He has already jumped 2.23 meters at the Rod McCravy Memorial for a new personal best and third highest jump this season.
This season, he will look to build upon his success and keep the national title in Oxford as a repeat champion.
Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan
Robinson-O’Hagan is no stranger to success in the track and field world. As a thrower, he competes in the hammer throw, shot put and discus throw. Across both indoor and outdoor seasons, he has won nine SEC titles and three national titles, along with three bronze medals at the national level.
He wrapped up another excellent season this past summer. He finished No. 3 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in both the hammer throw and the shot put after winning the indoor shot put national title. He then competed at the U.S. Track and Field Championships on July 31 and finished No. 6 in the hammer throw.
Robinson-O’Hagan does not run from tough competition. He has echoed this statement in an interview with Runnerspace.
“Competition is competition,” Robinson-O’Hagan said. “I don’t care who is in the competition, I’m not scared of anyone. Nobody makes me nervous.”
Robinson-O’Hagan will look to replicate his success and bring home some more hardware for Rebel fans this season. He is off to a good start after winning his competition in the Vanderbilt Invitational and setting a new Ole Miss shot put record with a 21.18 meter throw on Jan. 31.
Akaoma Odeluga
A junior this season, Akaoma Odeluga is a successful thrower not only for the Rebels in the NCAA but also on the world stage.
As a freshman, Odeluga earned numerous accolades for herself and the Ole Miss program. She became one of the two Rebel freshmen to qualify for the outdoor national meet in shot put. In addition, she earned the bronze shot put medal at the outdoor SEC championships.
Odeluga’s efforts her freshmen year did not go unnoticed by others. For all her hard work, she won the 2024 SEC Women’s Freshman Field Athlete of the Year.
Odeluga took her talents to the next level when she finished runner-up in shot put at the US Under 20 Championships. With that finish, Odeluga qualified for the 2024 World U20 Championship and won the gold medal.
Last season, Odeluga placed No. 2 at the SEC outdoor shot put competition. At the NCAA Regional, she finished No. 2 in the shot put to earn a berth to the national championship in Eugene, Ore.
At the 2025 NCAA Outdoor National Championship, Odeluga finished No. 12 to earn Second Team All-American Honors.
Odeluga stays focused when it comes to big competitions and said in an interview with FloTrack that her biggest advice to others is to rely on a positive mindset and a good support system.
“There’s a reason why you’re here, never doubt the reason,” Odeluga said. “You just got to trust yourself, trust your training, trust your coach and just go for it.”
This season, Odeluga will look to use her experience to ascend more podiums and cement herself as one of the best Rebel throwers of all time. She placed second in shot put in the Vanderbilt Invitational. Her best mark so far this season is from the Rod McCravy Memorial with a 22.95 meter throw
Other returnees
In addition to those medalists, Ole Miss returns three previous track and field Second Team All-Americans.
Bryson Smith finished No. 13 in the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the hammer throw. The All-American from Madera, Calif., returns as a redshirt senior this year and will look to top the podium in his final season as an Ole Miss Rebel.
John Kendricks started at Arkansas, but transferred to Ole Miss last year. In his first season as a Rebel, he earned All-American honors with his No. 13 finish and vault of 5.33 meters (17-5.75) at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Kendricks, the brother of Rebel legend Sam Kendricks, will look to find his groove this season and move up in the record books.
