From breakout freshmen to rising middle school standouts, Mississippi track and field is full of young talent making an early statement this season. These four athletes have already put together impressive marks, climbed the rankings, and shown they could be future stars on the state and national level.
Ace Hall
The freshman out of Starkville High School, Ace Hall, has been untouchable in the freshman rankings. He is currently the top-ranked freshman in Mississippi in both the 100m and 200m, and the path he has taken to get there has been impressive.
After suffering a hip fracture last season, Hall made his true return to the track this year and immediately put the state on notice. He opened his season in the 100m with an 11.02, then quickly dropped that time to 10.71 at the Starkville Invitational just days ago. That performance ranks him as the eighth-best freshman 100m runner in the country for all conditions. Among wind-legal marks, he is ranked second nationally. In Mississippi, he sits ninth overall regardless of grade, and he is already the seventh-fastest freshman ever in state history in the event.
In the 200m, Hall opened the year with a 22.63 before lowering that to 22.08 at the Starkville Invitational. That makes him the fastest freshman in the state by more than half a second and puts him within striking distance of breaking 22 seconds. Since 2023, a Mississippi freshman has broken 22 in the 200m every year. Can Hall keep that streak alive and move even higher in the record books? The last freshman to do it was Pearl's Braden Pickett, who is now the top sprinter in the state.
Zandon Perkins
We mentioned this standout seventh-grader earlier in the week, but it is safe to say he deserves an even bigger shoutout. Zandon Perkins of Clinton has performances on record dating back to 2019, proving that track has long been part of his story.
Back in the 2019 outdoor season, Perkins ran 16.70 in the 100m and 39.61 in the 200m. He also competed in the long jump, posting a mark of 8-10. Fast forward to 2026, and the seventh-grader has made major strides.
At the Junior Titan Invitational, Perkins ran 11.40 to win the 100m and extend his state lead among seventh-graders. That time also places him among the top overall middle school 100m runners in Mississippi and makes him one of the fastest seventh-graders the state has ever seen.
In the 200m, he clocked 23.63 at the Junior Arrow Invitational #2, giving him the state lead among seventh-graders in that event as well. On the national level, he ranks near the top for his grade and still has plenty of season left to climb even higher.
Kyndahl Baggies-Word
If you have not heard of her yet, now is the time to take notice. Kyndahl Baggies-Word of Petal High School is an eighth-grader who has already made a major impact in the middle school long jump.
At the NR Burger Invitational, she soared 17-4 to improve her lifetime best by nearly a foot. That jump makes her the top middle school long jumper in the state by 10 inches. In Mississippi's all-time middle school rankings, she already sits among elite company. For reference, she is only a few inches away from Charve Gibson's eighth-grade best, and Gibson is now the top long jumper in the state.
Baggies-Word has also shown impressive range as a sprinter, posting a 12.86 in the 100m at the NR Burger Track Classic. That mark puts her among the better middle school sprinters in Mississippi and shows the kind of versatility that could make her a true dual-threat athlete in high school.
Tamea Miller
If there were an award for consistency, sophomore Tamea Miller of Hattiesburg High School would be firmly in the conversation. Miller has been one of the state's most reliable all-around athletes, excelling in the 400m, long jump, and triple jump.
In the 400m, her rise started back in 2024 when she broke 60 seconds for the first time. Since then, she has gone under that mark more than 15 times. Last season, she ran a personal best of 57.78 and won the MHSAA 6A state title. This year, she has already posted a 57.93, which ranks her as the top sophomore in Mississippi and second overall in the state.
Miller has been just as impressive in the jumps. In the long jump, she has improved from a freshman best of 17-9.25 to 18-0.50 this season, which ranks her sixth overall in Mississippi and first among sophomores. In the triple jump, she reached another level last year with a 39-2.50 state title-winning mark, and she has already hit 38-7.00 this season. That places her third overall in the state and first among sophomores, making her one of Mississippi's most complete young stars.
From breakout freshmen to rising middle school standouts, Mississippi track and field is full of young talent making an early statement this season. These four athletes have already put together impressive marks, climbed the rankings, and shown they could be future stars on the state and national level.
Ace Hall
The freshman out of Starkville High School, Ace Hall, has been untouchable in the freshman rankings. He is currently the top-ranked freshman in Mississippi in both the 100m and 200m, and the path he has taken to get there has been impressive.