Auburn kicks off indoor season with 13 wins and two NCAA leading times

Auburn kicks off indoor season with 13 wins and two NCAA leading timesAuburn kicks off indoor season with 13 wins and two NCAA leading times
David Leong

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Auburn track and field team kicked off the 2026 indoor season with 11 individual titles, two relays wins and two sprinters that clocked the nation’s top times during the UAB Blazer Invitational at the Birmingham CrossPlex, Friday. 

Senior transfer Reese Webster led the Tigers, winning the women’s 60m and 200m events, including the nation’s leading time in the 200, taking gold in 23.48. Earlier in the afternoon, Webster took the 60m finals in a personal-best time of 7.29.

On the men’s side, senior All-American sprinter Azeem Fahmi started his indoor season off in fine fashion, winning the men’s 60m in a NCAA top time of 6.60, just four hundredths shy of equaling his personal best. Fahmi won two outdoor national titles as part of the men’s 4x100m relay that won back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025.

Senior All-American Megan Hague took the women’s shot put with a toss of 17.10m/56-1.25, the fourth best mark in school history, less than a foot from her personal best. Sophomore Camryn Massey took silver in both the shot and weight throw, including a PR in the later.

The women’s pole vaulters had a strong opening showing, taking home the top four spots, including a win from senior Alyssa Quinones-Mixon, who cleared 4.33m/14-2.25, to take her fourth collegiate indoor win. Elizabeth Dowdy and Ansley Murphy cleared 3.78m for second and third place, respectively, while junior Brook Walden was fourth with a mark of 3.68m.

Junior John Leonard had a strong season opener, winning the men’s weight throw with a personal best mark of 21.63m/70-11.75, the fourth best throw in school history. Teammate Seth Allen took silver in the event (19.15m/62-10), while junior Matthew Rueff also grabbed a silver medal after a toss of 17.66m/57-11.25 in the shot put.

Cassidra Thompson, a senior transfer won the women’s 400m in 54.78, while teammate Zuriel Reed was second in 54.96. The duo teamed with Brieanna Boyce and Shakynah Tresvant to win the 4x400m relay to conclude the meet in a time of 3:42.23.

Senior transfer Devin Nugent, the 2025 ACC Outdoor champion in the 400m hurdles, won the men’s 400m on Friday, clocking a time of 47.90, while teammate LeBron Bessick was second in 48.00. Another newcomer, senior transfer sprinter Omari Lewis was second in 60m (6.66) and third in the 200m (21.21) in his AU debut.

Bessick and Nugent joined Rex Green and freshman Alejandro Cardenas to win the men’s 4x4 in 3:14.00.

In the distance events, freshman Arianna Roy won the mile in a 5:05.13, while sophomore Audrey Dunn, junior Mary Mac Collins and freshman Olivia Stedl swept the women’s 3000m as all established new personal bests times in the event. Collins shaved 23 seconds off her previous best, winning in 9:37.14.

Scottsboro native Evan Hill won his first collegiate indoor event as the junior won the men’s mile in a personal-best time of 4:13.45.

Along with the 13 event wins for Auburn, the men and women combined for 11 personal and collegiate bests during on the day. 

Auburn will return to the CrossPlex for the Samford Open on Saturday, Jan. 17. The one-day meet will start at 11 a.m. CT with the women’s weight throw. Running events starting at 11 am with the women’s 5,000m. 

 

 

UAB BLAZER INVITATIONAL

January 8, 2026

Birmingham CrossPlex – Birmingham, AL

 

WOMEN’S RESULTS

Women’s 60m Hurdles Prelims

  1. Brieanna Boyce                                                8.70 (q)

Women’s 60m Hurdles Finals

  1. Brieanna Boyce                                                        8.67

Women’s Shot Put

  1. Megan Hague                                17.10m/56-1.25
  2. Camryn Massey                              15.99m/52-5.5

Women’s 60m Prelims 

  1. Reese Webster                                                7.42 (Q)
  2. Sophia Efetobore                                           7.59 (Q)

Women’s 60m Finals

  1. Reese Webster                                                         7.29                  PR
  2. Sophia Efetobore                                                    7.36

Women’s Long Jump

  1. Nedra Richardson                            5.85m/19-2.5

Women’s Pole Vault

  1. Alyssa Quinones-Mixon               4.33m/14-2.5
  2. Elizabeth Dowdy                            3.78m/12-4.75
  3. Ansley Murphy                                3.78m/12-4.75                  PR
  4. Brooke Walden                               3.68m/12-4.75

Women’s 400m

  1. Cassidra Thompson                                           54.78
    2. Zuriel Reed                                                              54.96

Women’s Mile

  1. Arianna Roy                                                        5:05.13                  PR
  2. Ava Fields                                                             5:13.47                  PR

Women’s Weight Throw

  1. Camryn Massey                           18.41m/60-4.75                  PR

Women’s 1000m

  1. Hallie Porterfield                                            2:49.09
  2. Kennedy Hamilton                                         2:57.55                  PR
  3. Mary Malone                                                   3:06.43

Women’s 200m

  1. Reese Webster                                                      23.48                  #1 NCAA ’26 time
  2. Sophia Efetobore                                                 24.67

Women’s High Jump

Alvah Lind                                                                            NH

Women’s 3000m

  1. Audrey Dunn                                                      9:37.14                  PR
  2. Mary Mac Collins                                             9:49.16                  PR
  3. Olivia Stedl                                                       10:02.44                  PR

Hallie Porterfield                                                         DNF

Women’s 4x400m Relay

  1. Auburn                                                                   3:42.23

Thompson, Reed, Boyce, Tresvant

 

MEN’S RESULTS

Men’s 60m Prelims

  1. Azeem Fahmi                                                    6.63 (Q)
  2. Omari Lewis                                                      6.72 (Q)
  3. Ian Myers                                                            6.75 (Q)

Men’s 60m Finals

  1. Azeem Fahmi                                                             6.60                  #1 NCAA ’26 time
  2. Omari Lewis                                                               6.66
  3. Ian Myers                                                                     6.75

Men’s Long Jump

  1. Ibukunoluwa Daramola            7.42m/24-4.25                  
  2. Aaron Davis II                                  7.41m/24-3.75
  3. Asande Mthembu                              7.29m/23-11

Men’s Shot Put

  1. Matthew Rueff                          17.66m/57-11.25
  2. John Murray                               15.65m/51-04.25

Men’s 400m

  1. Devin Nugent                                                         47.90
  2. LeBron Bessick                                                     48.00

Men’s 600m

  1. Rex Green                                                             1:22.14

Men’s Pole Vault

  1. John Murray                                      4.23m/13-10.5

Men’s Weight Throw

  1. John Leonard                             21.63m/70-11.75                  PR, #4 AU
  2. Seth Allen                                             19.15m/62-10

Men’s Mile

  1. Evan Hill                                                                4:13.45                  PR

Men’s 200m

  1. Omari Lewis                                                            21.21
  2. Azeem Fahmi                                                          21.85

Men’s 4x400m Relay

  1. Auburn                                                                   3:14.00

Bessick, Green, Nugent, Cardenas 

 

KEY

PR – Personal Record