April 8, 2006
Texas Relays Results
Seminole Invitational Results
AUSTIN, Texas/TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Auburn women's 4x400m relay team set a new school record with a time of 3:28.47 to highlight the final day of the Texas Relays for the Auburn men's and women's track and field teams.
The team of Josanne Lucas, Kerron Stewart, Tamara Thomas and Markita James finished a close third in a race that posted the three fastest collegiate times in the nation this season. Miami (Fla.) won the race in 3:28.07, while LSU was second in 3:28.23. Auburn's time beat the previous school record of 3:29.21 set last year by a group that included Lucas, Thomas, James and Kareen Gayle.
Lucas also competed Saturday in the finals of the women's 100m hurdles, and set a new personal best, finishing fourth in 13.21 seconds while improving her regional qualifying time in that event.
Ty Akins set a new personal best in the 110m hurdles, placing a close third in Saturday's final with a time of 13.76 seconds, improving his regional qualifying time and previous best of :13.79. Richard Phillips of George Mason was the race winner in 13.71 seconds, while Linnie Yarbrough of Middle Tennessee State was second in :13.73.
Auburn had a pair of competitors in the men's 400m hurdles. Reuben McCoy finished fifth with a time of :50.84, improving his regional qualifying time of :51.37 set during Thursday's prelims. Tavaris Washington, who clocked a time of 51.52 seconds in the prelims, was ninth with a time of :53.45 Saturday.
Michelle Vaughn was Auburn's final competitor Saturday in Austin, placing 13th in the triple jump with a mark of 12.66m (41-6.5), which ranks her seventh in Auburn outdoor history and qualifies her for the NCAA Regional.
"This was one of those national-level meets where you line up against best in nation," said head coach Ralph Spry of the team's three-day performance at Texas. "There were a couple areas to improve on, but for the most part I was impressed with our effort. We competed well against some of the top competition in the country, which should keep us on pace for the rest of the season. We're competing at the level that we need to and we've got everybody going in the right direction."
Meanwhile, several members of the Auburn track and field teams competed Saturday at the Seminole Invitational in Tallahassee, Fla. A strong thunderstorm halted the meet late in the afternoon, and although action resumed after a long delay, the Auburn squad headed home and did not compete in the few remaining events that had not yet begun.
Danielle Threatt was Auburn's lone individual winner at Florida State, claiming the women's high jump title with a season-best leap of 1.65m (5-5).
Drew Lovette placed second in the pole vault with a personal-best mark of 4.85m (15-11), which ranks him tied for ninth in Auburn outdoor history. Jasmine Johnson was also a second-place finisher, completing the women's 400m hurdles in 1:02.87.
Other top-five finishers for Auburn included Imani White, who finished fourth in the women's long jump with a mark of 5.55m (18-2.5), Evander Holyfield, who placed fifth in the men's long jump with a leap of 6.69m (21-11.5), and Jennifer Amobi, who was fifth in the shot put with a throw of 12.73m (41-9.25).
Auburn will compete at the Sun Angel Classic in Tempe, Ariz., next Saturday, April 15.