April 17, 2010
AUBURN - The Auburn men's and women's track and field teams wrapped up their final home meet of the season Saturday, winning five more events during the second and final day of the War Eagle Invitational at Hutsell-Rosen Track. The Tigers also had the top collegiate mark in four other events during the meet, which included several professional athletes.
"Things are really starting to fall into place," said head coach Ralph Spry. "We were fortunate to have good weather and I'm really excited about what we did. Both teams had outstanding days. I'm really pleased with the efforts of everybody on both sides."
Senior Felix Kiboiywo recorded perhaps the most impressive time of the meet, posting the fastest time in the NCAA this year in the men's 1500 meters with a facility-record time of 3:40.50. Kiboiywo posted the second-best time in school history, missing the 29-year-old school record by just over a second. Sophomore Jeff Sanders was fourth in the race in 3:48.78 as well.
Senior Eric Werskey, in his first competition for Auburn this season, won the men's shot put and was second in the discus but first among collegians. In the shot put, he posted a mark of 18.95 meters (62-2.5), which is the No. 2 mark in the NCAA this year and just missed his personal best by an inch and a half. In the discus, he recorded a mark of 53.44 meters (175-4) that will likely be good enough to qualify for the NCAA Preliminary Round.
Senior Amelia Anderson had a fine day as well, winning the 400-meter hurdles and finishing second overall but first among collegians in the 100-meter hurdles. In the 400 hurdles, she clocked a time of 57.64, which only six runners in the NCAA had bettered entering the weekend. In the 100 hurdles, her personal-best time of 11.35 ranks sixth best in Auburn history.
In the women's 100 meters, junior Sheniqua Ferguson took the title with a time of 11.41 seconds. Earlier in the day she posted a mark of 11.33 in the prelims which ranked tied for eighth in the NCAA entering the weekend and tied for seventh best in Auburn history. Sophomore Nivea Smith was third in the finals in 11.56 seconds after clocking a wind-aided 11.37 in the prelims that will put her in the top 20 of the NCAA. Senior Shaquela Williams took fifth in 11.79 after a wind-assisted 11.53 in the prelims.
Junior Latoya Parkinson was second in the 400-meter hurdles in 59.13 seconds, just missing her personal best of 59.07. Junior Krystal Bodie was third overall and second among collegians in the 100-meter hurdles in 13.41 seconds, which ranks eighth in Auburn history.
The Tigers also won the women's 4x100-meter relay even without their usual lineup, as the squad of Parkinson, sophomore CeCe Williams, junior Cache Armbrister and Bodie clocked a time of 44.69 seconds.
Junior Joanna Atkins was third overall but first among collegiate runners in the women's 400 meters with a time of 52.52 seconds that ranks third in the NCAA this year. CeCe Williams was sixth overall, fourth among collegiate runners, with a personal best of 53.61 seconds that ranks eight in school history.
In the women's 200 meters, Smith finished second overall but first among collegians with a time of 23.08 seconds, and the only runner to beat her was former Tiger and Olympic medalist Kerron Stewart. Smith's time ranks fifth in school history and fifth in the NCAA this year. Armbrister was fifth in 23.62 seconds.
Junior Michael DeHaven was second in the men's 200 meters and third in the 100 meters. In the 200, he clocked a personal-best time of 20.70 seconds that ranks tied for seventh in school history. In the 100, he posted a time of 10.46 seconds that should qualify him for the NCAA Preliminary Round. Sophomore Marcus Rowland was fifth in 20.91 seconds.
Freshman Maya Pressley placed second in the women's high jump, matching her season best of 1.78 meters (5-10).
"Everything is starting to click and I'm really excited we're really starting to put ourselves in position to be a factor in the championship meets," said Spry. "If we can keep our focus and keep everybody healthy, I'm really excited about the opportunities we're going to have going to SECs and NCAAs."
Auburn will travel to Philadelphia next weekend to compete Thursday through Saturday at the Penn Relays.