COLUMBIA, S.C.—It was a huge weekend for the Auburn track and field team as it posted eight event wins, one school record and 23 personal best marks at the South Carolina Open. Junior Madi Malone broke her own school record in the weight throw with toss of 22.56m/74-0.25, bettering her previous mark set earlier this season by over a foot, to garner gold.
Malone had a great day, with a field series that saw four of six throws surpass 21.50m, including two over 22.00m. Her fifth throw went 22.12m before her sixth and final record-breaking throw of 22.56m which is the No. 2 mark in the country.
Malone wasn't alone achieving success in the ring as the Tigers swept the medal stand and had four of the top five finishers. Sophomore Maura Huwalt (18.77m/61-7), who won the women's shot put earlier in the day, was second followed by Jocelynn Budwig (17.46m/57-3.50) in third and Danielle Gregory (16.56m/54-4) who was fifth.
Huwalt continued her winning ways with her third consecutive shot put win, with a best mark of of 15.89m/52-1.75. Budwig, who PRed in the weight throw, took silver with a throw of 15.89m/52-1.75.
I'm really, really pleased with the team as a whole and how we completed this weekend. As a team we fought hard and competed," Auburn head coach Ralph Spry said. "We had a lot of event wins, a school records and several national marks. That's always a good thing headed into SECs."
Junior high jumper Dontavious Hill cleared a new personal-best of 2.18m/7-1.25 on his first attempt to win the men's high jump. Hill moved into No. 4 all-time on Auburn's performance list with the jump and moved up to No. 8 nationally on the season.
The Auburn sprints swept the men's 60m dash as junior Dante Brown won in a personal-best 6.66 with teammates Christopher Grant and Jason Reese finishing second and third in 6.72 and 6.79, respectively. Brown's time tied him for thirteenth nationally and made him the No. 10 performer in Auburn history, while Reese's time was a new indoor PB.
On Friday night in Nashville, Joyce Kimeli broke away after 3000m to win the women's 5000m at the Music City Challenge on the Vanderbilt campus. The school record holder in the event, Kimeli posted the second-fastest time in school history with a 16:04.35 to win by three seconds. Kimeli was one of three Tiger distance runners competing in Nashville.
Senior Jack Rogers and Faith Bett each won their first collegiate race, winning the men's and women's mile, respectively. Rogers dropped nearly nine seconds off his PR to outstretch teammate Ryan Kinnane, crossing in 4:11.25. Kinnane finished in 4:11.67. Bett also PRed winning in 4:57.36 to beat Jack and Evan Rogers' younger sister, Samantha, who brought home silver for the Tigers in 4:57.96.
Junior pole vaulter James Courson won in a jump off over Sam Blumer from the Citadel with a height of 5.01m/16-5.25. It was Courson's first collegiate victory and four medal performance in as many meets this season.
"As a whole, I'm happy to see the progressions we've made throughout the season and how we have continued to become more competitive," Spry said. "We've ended the regular season on a high note and now we need to carry that over to SECs in two weeks."
The weekend saw the Tigers amass 23 medal performances. Other top performers included second place finishes on the women's side from Imani Jones in the triple jump (11.77m/38-7.50), Kamiya Dendy in the high jump (1.71m/5-5.25) and Jen Dietrich in the 800m (2:13.98). On the men's side freshman Adam Strouf in the shot put (16.76m/55-0).
The Tigers will have their first off weekend if the season next week before returning to action February 25-27 at the SEC Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.
USC OPEN
SOUTH CAROLINA INDOOR TRACK & FIELD COMPLEX
COLUMBIA, SC
February 13, 2021
MEN'S RESULTS
60m
1. Dante Brown 6.66
2. Christopher Grant 6.72
3. Jason Reese 6.79
Prelims: Brown, 6.77; Grant, 6.79; Reese, 6.87
200m
2. Brandon Smiley 21.28
5. Jason Reese 21.68
Dante Brown DQ
800m
8. Silas Kipngetich 1:55.67
10. Tommy McDonough 1:57.71
Mile
1. Jack Rogers 4:11.25
2. Ryan Kinnane 4:11.67
5. Tommy McDonough 4:14.66
Silas Kipngetich DNF
60m Hurdles
5. Oqendo Bernard 8.33
7. Alex Spyridonidis 8.47
12. David Edmondson 8.76
Prelims: Bernard, 8.21; Spyridonidis, 8.42
High Jump
1. Dontavious Hill 2.18m/7-1.25
3. TJ Funches 2.05m/6-8.75
4. David Edmondson 2.05m/6-8.75
Pole Vault
1. James Courson 5.01m/16-5.25
3. Alex Spyridonidis 5.01m/16-5.25
Shot Put
2. Adam Strouf 16.76m/55-0
5. Kyle Moison 14.48m/47-6.25
Weight Throw
4. Erik Ebel 18.04m/59-2.25
5. Kyle Moison 17.74m/58-2.50
7. Adam Strouf 16.43m/53-11
WOMEN'S RESULTS
60m
4. Niya Benton-Andrews 7.61
7. Destiny Charles 7.74
Prelims: Benton-Andrews, 7.62; Charles, 7.74
200m
4. Destiny Charles 24.28
5. Niya Benton-Andrews 24.36
22. Jen Dietrich 25.96
800m
2. Jen Dietrich 2:13.98
5. Faith Bett 2:18.35
7. Samantha Rogers 2:21.18
Mile
1. Faith Bett 4:57.36
2. Samantha Rogers 4:57.96
High Jump
2. Kamiya Dendy 1.71m/5-5.25
3. Allison Tanner 1.66m/5-5.25
4. Caroline Lawrence 1.61m/5-3.25
Pole Vault
7. Lexie Leinneweber 3.78m/12-4.75
Long Jump
5. Imani Jones 5.40m/17-8.75
11. Sarah Little 5.05m/18-7
Triple Jump
2. Imani Jones 11.77m/38-7.50
Shot Put
1. Maura Huwalt 15.89m/52-1.75
2. Jocelynn Budwig 14.48m/47-6.25
Weight Throw
1. Madi Malone 22.56m/74-0.25
2. Maura Huwalt 18.77m/61-7
3. Jocelynn Budwig 17.46m/57-3.50
5. Danielle Gregory 16.56m/54-4
MUSIC CITY INVITATIONAL
VANDERBILT MULTIPURPOSE FACILITY
NASHVILLE, TN
February 12, 2021
WOMEN'S RESULTS
800m
7. Presley Weems 2:09.91
22. Abbey Zane 2:15.76
Mile
15. Presley Weems 4:50.84
5000m
1. Joyce Kimeli 16:04.35
Abbey Zane DNF
Big weekend for Tigers with eight events wins
