April 18, 2009
AUBURN, Ala. - The Auburn men's and women's track and field teams won seven events and collected 13 regional qualifying marks Saturday during the final day of the War Eagle Invitational at Hutsell-Rosen Track.
Sophomore Joanna Atkins headlined the meet for Auburn, winning one individual event and helping two relays place first. She won the 400 meters with a time of 51.77 that ranks second in the NCAA this year and second in school history. Only Juliet Campbell, who set the school record of 50.11 in 1993, has run the 400 meters faster than Atkins. She broke the Hutsell-Rosen track record set by former Tiger Markita James in 2006.
Atkins helped the women's 4x100-meter relay team to a winning time of 43.74 seconds that ranks third in the NCAA this season and fifth in school history. Junior Shaquela Williams led off for the Tigers, with Atkins running the second leg, followed by sophomore Cache Armbrister and freshman Nivea Smith.
The women's 4x400-meter relay team of junior Danielle Gilchrist, Atkins, Armbrister and freshman CeCe Williams won with a time of 3:35.82 that ranks ninth in the NCAA this year and 10th in school history.
In the men's 200 meters, freshman Marcus Rowland was the victor with a time of 20.48 seconds. His time was a regional qualifier and would have tied for fourth best in school history, but a tailwind of +2.4 meters per second was just over the limit for records of +2.0. Sophomore Michael DeHaven was second with a personal-best time of 20.64, improving his regional qualifying mark.
Junior Felix Kiboiywo won the men's 800 meters with a regional qualifying time of 1:49.19, just off his personal best of 1:48.84 from 2007.
Auburn had the top two finishers in the women's 200 meters, as Armbrister improved her regional qualifying time to 23.35 seconds to win the event, and Smith was second with a time of 23.68 seconds.
"We had great weather and great competition, and I'm really pleased with how we performed," said head coach Ralph Spry. "We had a lot of people step up today and run some fast, national times. We had 17 regional qualifying marks during the meet, and Marcus Rowland and Joanna Atkins were extremely fast."
Others with regional qualifying marks for Auburn included junior Eric Werskey, who was third overall and second among collegians in the men's shot put. Werskey improved his regional qualifying mark with a throw of 18.58 meters (60-11.5) that ranks eighth best in the NCAA this year.
Freshman Ryan Fleck placed second in the men's high jump with a mark of 2.10 meters (6-10.75), although he fell just shy of his season best.
The men's 4x100-meter relay team of junior Everette Fox, sophomore Stephen Fly, DeHaven and Rowland was third overall and second among collegiate teams with a season-best time of 39.98 seconds.
Gilchrist placed fourth in the women's 100-meter hurdles with a regional qualifying time of 13.73 seconds, while CeCe Williams placed fourth in the women's 100 meters with a regional qualifying time of 11.64 seconds.
Cathryn Albright was Auburn's seventh event winner, taking the women's 5000 meters title with a time of 17:58.79. Other top-five finishers for Auburn included Jhak Keegan, who was second in the men's 400-meter hurdles with a time of 52.97 seconds, Luke Gaines, who was fourth in the javelin with a throw of 59.93 meters (196-7), and Jeff Sanders, who was fifth in the 1500 meters with a time of 3:48.94.
"Things are going very well right now," said Spry. "The thing we have to do is keep our focus and keep doing the things we have to do to keep ourselves in position for the last part of the season. We have Penn Relays next weekend and then we go to the conference meet. Each weekend we're building and getting a little better so I'm really happy where we are."
Auburn returns to action when the Tigers travel to the Penn Relays next Thursday-Saturday, April 23-25.