April 7, 2007
AUBURN, Ala. - The Auburn men's and women's track and field teams claimed five event titles and Shamar Sands broke a 30-year-old school record to highlight the final day of action Saturday at the Tiger Track Classic at Hutsell-Rosen Track.
Sands broke the school record in the 110m hurdles that was set 30 years ago by James Walker and only equaled once - 27 years ago by Gene Miller. Sands' winning time of 13.64 broke the previous school record of 13.67 and his personal best of 13.72, and is the fastest collegiate time in the nation this season.
Ty Akins was right behind Sands, clocking a time of 13.72 which ranks him fourth in Auburn history and ranks fourth best in the NCAA this season.
"This was a good breakout meet for us," said head coach Ralph Spry. "The weather wasn't great, but it was a good meet with good competition. We're right where we want to be and now we can really start getting focused on preparing for the SECs and the NCAAs. We're looking forward to a good trip next week to Arizona."
Tracy Ann Rowe won the women's 100m dash with a time of 11.41 seconds, which is a regional qualifying mark that ties for ninth best in the NCAA this season and ranks her ninth in Auburn history.
The women's 4x100m relay team of Shaquela Williams, Rowe, Danielle Gilchrist and Kerron Stewart finished first for the third weekend in a row, posting a time of 44.62 seconds, which is a regional qualifying mark but not a season best for the Tigers.
Felix Kiboiywo, who had already regionally qualified in the 800m earlier this season, met the regional mark in the 1500m by winning the event with a time of 3:47.50. Joey Giattino finished third in 3:52.68, while Scott Novack was fourth in 3:53.93.
Cory Martin won the shot put with a facility-record throw of 18.50m (60-8.5), which ranks sixth in the NCAA this season and is just shy of his personal best of 61-10.25.
The Tigers regionally qualified for the first time in the women's 4x400m relay, as the team of Gilchrist, Stewart, Rowe and Amelia Anderson posted a time of 3:41.07, which was third overall and second among collegiate teams.
Reuben McCoy regionally qualified in the 400m, finishing third overall with a time of 47.02 seconds, and then also regionally qualified in the 400m hurdles. His time of 52.27 in the hurdles placed him second, but his time would have been much quicker had he not stumbled over the final hurdle.
Gilchrist finished third in the 100m hurdles, but improved her regional qualifying time by a tenth of a second with a mark of 13.66.
Michelle Vaughn, who has already regionally qualified in the women's triple jump, had a long jump mark that was also long enough to qualify, although a wind reading of +3.3 was too strong for it to be allowed. Her mark of 6.14m (20-1.75) placed her third overall and second among collegians.
In the high jump, Michelle Williamson and Raevan Harris tied for second with a mark of 1.70m (5-7), and Amelia Anderson was fifth in the 200m with a time of 24.71.
Chase Oliver finished third in the men's 5,000m with a time of 14:50.40, just ahead of teammate Simon Nyang, who was fourth in 14:51.88. In the men's 100m, Gregory Rogers was fourth in 10.731 seconds, edging teammate Hailey Foster was fifth in 10.737 seconds.
Auburn returns to action when the Tigers visit Tempe, Ariz., for the Sun Devil Classic hosted by Arizona State next Saturday, April 14.