House Concurrent Resolution 62

(As Adopted by House and Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING JALANI DAVIS FOR WINNING THE 2024 NCAA INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS, WOMEN'S WEIGHT THROW.

WHEREAS, Ole Miss senior, and two-time NCAA Champion, Jalani

Davis, successfully defended her national title in the women's weight throw at the 2024 NCAA Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships, held in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 7-9, 2024, a truly extraordinary achievement; and

WHEREAS, born in Columbus, Georgia, to Jacqueline and Kenneth Davis, Ms. Davis grew up between Harker Heights, Texas, and Hampton, Virginia, where she went to Bethel High School, and while at Bethel, she earned three varsity letters, was a two-time state champion, a two-time All-State honoree, a three-time Team MVP and was a team captain all four years, as well as Virginia MileSplit's Thrower of the Year; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Davis joined Ole Miss as a walk-on in

2019-2020, and has since blossomed into one of the best all-around throwers in both NCAA and world history, and during her Rebel career, she has become a two-time NCAA Champion, l0-time NCAA qualifier, seven-time All-American, four-time SEC Champion, nine-time SEC medalist, the 2024 USTFCCCA South Region Women's Field Athlete of the Year, and a four-time USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Davis also owns 29 career NCAA points, including an Ole Miss record 26 points indoors, as well as 96 points at the SEC level, and she is the only woman in world history to break 80 feet in the weight throw and 60 feet in the shot put, and she has done so twice in her career within the same meet; and

WHEREAS, on the international stage, Ms. Davis is a three-time U.S. qualifier, a two-time NACAC U23 medalist, and was a member of Team USA for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, following her bronze medal shot put finish at the U.S. Championships; and

WHEREAS, indoors in 2024, Ms. Davis permanently etched her name into the record books as one of the best weight throwers in world history, and she successfully defended her national title in the women's weight throw, becoming the first Rebel woman to ever repeat as an NCAA champion in any event, indoors or outdoors, and she also became the first repeat winner in the women's weight nationally since 2009-2010, and one of just seven in collegiate history to ever win multiple titles in the event, and her victory also made Ole Miss one of just three schools to win at least three in a row; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Davis won by nearly seven feet on her winning toss of 81 feet, 4.5 inches, making her the No. 4 performer in NCAA meet history, and earlier in the season, she threw 82 feet, 3.75 inches to rank No. 3 in collegiate history and No. 9 in world history, and she is only the third collegiate woman to ever break 25 meters in the weight throw, only the 10th in world history, and she ended her indoor career as the collegiate record holder, in career 80-foot throws (6), tied the collegiate record in 24-meter throws'(9) and tied for second in 23-meter throws (21), and she owns 12.4 percent of all 23-meter throws in collegiate history, as well as 19.1 percent of all 24-meter throws, 35.3 percent of all 80-foot throws, and owns one of just seven to ever travel at least 25 meters in the collegiate ranks; and

WHEREAS, outstandingly, under the direction of ninth-year Head Coach Connie Price-Smith, Ole Miss is one of just two schools nationally to have placed both its men's and women's track and field teams within the top-15 indoors in each of the last three seasons; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize extraordinary student-athletes, especially those such as Jalani Davis, who completed her ascension from walk-on to superstar, repeating as NCAA Champion and putting herself into rare company in the history of her sport collegiately, and whose hard work, dedication, and outstanding accomplishments bring honor to Ole Miss and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize and commend Jalani Davis for winning the 2024 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, Women's Weight Throw, and express our most sincere wishes for continued success in all her future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Jalani Davis and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.