AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn track & field will split its squad between the Wake Forest Invitational in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, April 17-18 and the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida, April 18-19 this weekend.
Running events from Kentner Stadium in Winston-Salem begin Thursday at 7:20 p.m. CT with the women’s 5k while action from Gainesville on the Percy Beard Track begins Friday at 11 a.m. CT with men’s hammer throw.
As the team heads into the backend of the season, the women are ranked 18th in the most recent USTFCCCA poll.
At their last outing, the Tigers had a limited squad compete at the 44 Farms Team invitational in Bryan-College Station, Texas where two Texas natives secured collegiate outdoor personal best at the E.B. Cushing Stadium.
Sophomore Aaron Davis II landed a massive PR of 7.72m in the men’s long jump to claim silver. His mark is currently No. 12 in the nation. Junior Alyssa Quinones-Mixon cleared 4.28m in the women’s pole vault invite to place sixth overall.
While in Gainesville, Auburn plans to utilize the sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers, throwers and pole vaulters against NR/No. 5 Arkansas, No. 4/3 Georgia, NR/No. 19 Kentucky, No. 16/20 LSU, No. 5/NR Tennessee, No. 7/NR USF and host No. 8/17 Florida.
The last time the team was in Florida, they delivered 13 collegiate personal bests, eight top 10 program performances and two event wins. The highlight of the weekend was sophomore Camila Gomes’ win in the women’s 1500m invite. Her time was the second fastest in program history (4:13.72).
Racing in the 200m, senior Dario Matau also earned a spot on the winner’s podium (20.49). His time is No. 3 in the SEC. Also competing in the event, junior Azeem Fahimi (20.79) and Ian Myers (20.96) delivered PRs in the race.
As the outdoor season progresses, the women’s 4x400m relay team continues to show their dominance. The quartet of seniors Vimbayi Maisvorewa and Ashantae Harvey and sophomores Zuriel Reed and Deborah Oke hold the third fastest time in the country (3:27.92).
“It is going to be purely an elite meet, especially in the events that we’re contesting,” Auburn track & field head coach Leroy Burrell said. “It’ll be very close to the national field ... you’re going to see some of the competitors that will make the podium come June in Eugene.”
Auburn looks to their distance crew to deliver solid performances in Winston-Salem via senior Cooper Atkins, junior Gené Coetzee, sophomores Max Hardin, Camila Gomes and freshman Brenda Jepchirchir.
At their last outing, Atkins and Hardin finished in the top 10 of the 1500m invite. Hardin claimed silver (3:42.11) and Atkins ran 3:44.26 to take seventh.
Jepchirchir clocked 4:17.59 in the women’s 1500m invite to break the program’s freshman record in the event.
The distance crew will line up against No. 14/23 Alabama, NR/No. 13 Duke, No. 18/NR Houston, Michigan, No. 12/NR Mississippi State, No. 15/4 South Carolina, Princeton and host Wake Forest.
Live results for the Wake Forest Invitational can be found on expresstiming.com.
Live results for the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational can be found on pttiming.com.
Up Next
The Tigers will compete at home Saturday, April 26 at the Hutsell-Rosen Track for the Tiger Track Classic.