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The University of Mississippi Athletics
FEATURE: How to Build a Relay
5/30/2025 | Track and Field
OXFORD, Miss. – Though an unlikely combination, the Ole Miss men's 4x100-meter relay squad has proven to be the perfect fit, emerging as one of the fastest in school history just in time for regionals.
The group this season has featured senior Iangelo Atkinstall-Daley, freshman Jordan Urrutia, freshman Wesley Todd, junior college transfer Joseph Michel, as well as freshman Tarique Wright. A blend of youth and experience that, under the guidance of first-year assistant coach Morrie Turner, has seamlessly come together. Their blazing 39.38 finish in the SEC Championships earned them eighth place – stacking up as the second-fastest relay in school history and the first point scored by a Rebel men's 4x100 since 2019.
Three freshmen. One JUCO transfer. A senior jumper.
Not the typical components that are used to make a high-caliber relay team. But Turner saw pieces of potential that others didn't.
"You just have to have that eye to identify the talent, put the pieces where they need to go and let the puzzle handle itself," Turner said.
New to Oxford, Turner came with a vision – establish a culture fueled by chemistry.
"It's really a matter of teaching them the culture and how to build that culture," Turner said. "Those guys come from different walks of this planet, different corners of this country and building the culture allowed them to build chemistry faster and to create a similar, singular goal."
Building a 4x100 relay isn't just about speed – it takes precision, placement, and above all, execution. Especially when a majority of the squad is learning the nuances of Division I track and field.
"We have three freshmen, an experienced jumper and a junior college guy, all of them except for Iangelo are learning what [the SEC] is, learning how to perform either in Division I and in the SEC for the first time," Turner said.
Although they are new, each runner has found their individual identity.
Iangelo Atkinstall-Daley, the senior and accomplished triple jumper, has recently taken over the first leg. "He's big brother to them," Turner said.
Jordan Urrutia – who already ranks among the best short sprinters in Ole Miss history as a freshman – has run primarily on the second leg and is described as the young leader of the group. "[Urrutia] sets the tone for everybody else, always ready to go," Turner said.
Wesley Todd on the third leg has had an equally talented freshman season, and is described by Turner as a sleeper. "He's still learning how good he is," Turner said.
Joseph Michel – the junior college transfer who is also slated to run in tonight's 100-meter dash quarterfinal – has been the anchor and described by Turner as "the silent assassin."
"[Michel] might not have said two words since he's been here," Turner said. "But he's the quiet assassin, that's who he is."
Fellow freshman Tarique Wright – described by Turner as a workhorse – is currently the squad's alternate. But earlier this season, Wright ran anchor on the sixth-best 4x100 in Ole Miss history, a 39.71 from the Ole Miss Classic to open the outdoor campaign.
"[Wright] wants to come in and prove some people wrong," Turner said.
Each role compliments the next, but building trust has been crucial for this unlikely group – especially when split-second baton exchanges can make or break the race.
"Chemistry is one of the main things that matters in the 4x1," Urrutia said. "Speed is important, but if you can't get the stick around it doesn't matter."
That trust is built in the silence of practice, achieved through repetition and close attention to detail.
"We have been practicing with silent handoffs," Atkinstall-Daley said. "That's where the trust is initiated. The camaraderie, the like-mindedness that we have a goal in mind that we need to achieve. That builds trust, and we all believe in each other."
"Being around each other a lot, we kind of just grew with each other," Todd added. "It helps the chemistry out. We correct each other and keep getting better."
"We don't even just do the relays for ourselves and Coach," Wright said. "We do them for each other. We know our goals and there's still more to come."
For Turner, though, nothing matters more than execution.
"No one should out-execute us," Turner said. "I don't care about the talent level. That's what I preach and praise to them: execute at a high level and let things fall where they may."
"[Turner] has high expectations for us," Michel said. "And so do we. We just try to meet those with every race."
The squad now turns their focus to the NCAA East Regional, where they are set to take off today at 3 p.m. CT in search of a ticket to the national meet.
"They are confident, and going in we have that extra chip on our shoulder," Turner said. "We just missed the school record, we have some goals we are trying to accomplish at the right time, and I think regionals are going to set the stage for us to do that."
The group this season has featured senior Iangelo Atkinstall-Daley, freshman Jordan Urrutia, freshman Wesley Todd, junior college transfer Joseph Michel, as well as freshman Tarique Wright. A blend of youth and experience that, under the guidance of first-year assistant coach Morrie Turner, has seamlessly come together. Their blazing 39.38 finish in the SEC Championships earned them eighth place – stacking up as the second-fastest relay in school history and the first point scored by a Rebel men's 4x100 since 2019.
Three freshmen. One JUCO transfer. A senior jumper.
Not the typical components that are used to make a high-caliber relay team. But Turner saw pieces of potential that others didn't.
"You just have to have that eye to identify the talent, put the pieces where they need to go and let the puzzle handle itself," Turner said.
New to Oxford, Turner came with a vision – establish a culture fueled by chemistry.
"It's really a matter of teaching them the culture and how to build that culture," Turner said. "Those guys come from different walks of this planet, different corners of this country and building the culture allowed them to build chemistry faster and to create a similar, singular goal."
Building a 4x100 relay isn't just about speed – it takes precision, placement, and above all, execution. Especially when a majority of the squad is learning the nuances of Division I track and field.
"We have three freshmen, an experienced jumper and a junior college guy, all of them except for Iangelo are learning what [the SEC] is, learning how to perform either in Division I and in the SEC for the first time," Turner said.
Although they are new, each runner has found their individual identity.
Iangelo Atkinstall-Daley, the senior and accomplished triple jumper, has recently taken over the first leg. "He's big brother to them," Turner said.
Jordan Urrutia – who already ranks among the best short sprinters in Ole Miss history as a freshman – has run primarily on the second leg and is described as the young leader of the group. "[Urrutia] sets the tone for everybody else, always ready to go," Turner said.
Wesley Todd on the third leg has had an equally talented freshman season, and is described by Turner as a sleeper. "He's still learning how good he is," Turner said.
Joseph Michel – the junior college transfer who is also slated to run in tonight's 100-meter dash quarterfinal – has been the anchor and described by Turner as "the silent assassin."
"[Michel] might not have said two words since he's been here," Turner said. "But he's the quiet assassin, that's who he is."
Fellow freshman Tarique Wright – described by Turner as a workhorse – is currently the squad's alternate. But earlier this season, Wright ran anchor on the sixth-best 4x100 in Ole Miss history, a 39.71 from the Ole Miss Classic to open the outdoor campaign.
"[Wright] wants to come in and prove some people wrong," Turner said.
Each role compliments the next, but building trust has been crucial for this unlikely group – especially when split-second baton exchanges can make or break the race.
"Chemistry is one of the main things that matters in the 4x1," Urrutia said. "Speed is important, but if you can't get the stick around it doesn't matter."
That trust is built in the silence of practice, achieved through repetition and close attention to detail.
"We have been practicing with silent handoffs," Atkinstall-Daley said. "That's where the trust is initiated. The camaraderie, the like-mindedness that we have a goal in mind that we need to achieve. That builds trust, and we all believe in each other."
"Being around each other a lot, we kind of just grew with each other," Todd added. "It helps the chemistry out. We correct each other and keep getting better."
"We don't even just do the relays for ourselves and Coach," Wright said. "We do them for each other. We know our goals and there's still more to come."
For Turner, though, nothing matters more than execution.
"No one should out-execute us," Turner said. "I don't care about the talent level. That's what I preach and praise to them: execute at a high level and let things fall where they may."
"[Turner] has high expectations for us," Michel said. "And so do we. We just try to meet those with every race."
The squad now turns their focus to the NCAA East Regional, where they are set to take off today at 3 p.m. CT in search of a ticket to the national meet.
"They are confident, and going in we have that extra chip on our shoulder," Turner said. "We just missed the school record, we have some goals we are trying to accomplish at the right time, and I think regionals are going to set the stage for us to do that."
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