Two Ole Miss Track & Field Stars to Miss Remainder of Season With Injuries

Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan and Akaoma Odeluga had unexpected endings to their season following the conference meet last weekend. Both athletes won and placed well at the conference meet, but these injuries will hurt the end of the season for all Rebels.

Head Coach Connie Smith expressed her disappointment after the Rebels lost two key players. “Two freak accidents in three days, no one ever said life was fair. This year's national championship meet will look a lot different for the Rebels without Tarik and Akaoma there vying for a championship title,” said Price-Smith while also talking highly about each player's integrity and pride in being their coach.

Odeluga finished as a SEC Champion in the shot put and third in the hammer, but sustained an injury to her foot last Saturday on the final day of the meet. Robinson-O’Hagan injured his leg in his first practice days after becoming the winningest individual men’s athlete in SEC history in all sports.

The athlete's season-ending injuries did not just affect the athlete and the team, but also those who have the honor of pouring into them. Assistant Coaches John Smith and Dempsey McGuigan spoke about the impeccable athletes Robinson-O'Hagan and Odeluga are and what they have in store for the future.

Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan of Mississippi wins the shot put at 67-2 3/4 during the NCAA Indoor Championships | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Robinson-O’Hagan Concluding his Career

Robinson-O'Hagan is now saying goodbye to a phenomenal career at Ole Miss, becoming one of the best all-around throwers in collegiate history.

Exiting the field, Robinson-O'Hagan has a tremendous trophy case, including four national titles, 14 All-American awards, and 75 NCAA points scored. In the SEC, he has 13 titles, 14 medals, five SEC Field Athlete of the Year awards, and 144 SEC points throughout his career.

Outside of his legacy, he leaves records, including the collegiate record in combined outdoor shot/hammer distance, sitting at 98.50m, second all-time in combined indoor shot/weight distance at 45.53m, and multiple spots on the collegiate all-time top-25 lists in the shots.

The Rebels will struggle without his crucial points in the final meets of the season. Robinson-O'Hagan is missing out on more titles and the ability to have a proper conclusion to the career that made his name known. He plans to continue his career through a professional one, focusing on recovery for the time being.

Walking Away from her Best Year Yet

Odeluga, a junior from Munster, Indiana, was having her best year at Ole Miss, finishing the indoor season as the NCAA runner-up in shot put and fourth place in weight throw. Her outdoor season was not lacking; it might even have been better, amidst some of the national scoring contests in shot and hammer, she grabbed her first career SEC title in the shot put.

Lucky for Ole Miss, they have one more year with Odeluga, as she will have her whole senior year ready to go for 2027.

Both players look to recover and return to their sport and success. The Rebels head to the University of Kentucky for the NCAA East Regional on May 27-30.

Sign up to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google