March 26, 2011
AUBURN - Auburn track and field athletes won six event titles as the Tigers opened the 2011 outdoor season Saturday at the SEC/Big Ten Challenge hosted by Mississippi State.
The SEC/Big Ten Challenge featured four teams from the Southeastern Conference and four teams from the Big Ten Conference competing against each other to score points for their respective conferences. Auburn, Georgia, Ole Miss and the host Bulldogs represented the SEC, while Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State and Purdue competed for the Big Ten.
The Big Ten won both team competitions, earning a 379-349 edge in the women's competition and a 399-337 advantage in the men's competition.
"I'm pleased with how we competed with it being our first outdoor meet," said head coach Ralph Spry. "We had a little rain and high winds that had a big effect on the races, and that was okay because conditions aren't always going to be perfect outdoors so it gave us a chance to focus on competing. We competed well and had some good marks.
"Overall, I'm satisfied with our performance. It was a good transition from the indoor season to the outdoor season."
The Tigers had the top two finishers in the men's discus, and both were freshmen. Redshirt freshman Stephen Saenz won the competition with a mark of 55.92 meters (183-5), which ranks sixth best in Auburn history, while true freshman Marcus Popenfoose was second with a throw of 53.07 meters (174-1).
Popenfoose also placed third in the men's shot put with an effort of 16.44 meters (53-11.25), while Saenz was ninth in the hammer throw with a mark of 51.99 meters (170-7).
Auburn did well in the sprints, winning the men's 100 and 200 meters and the women's 200 meters and 4x100-meter relay. In the men's 100 meters, freshman Keenan Brock won the individual title, racing to a time of 10.36 seconds to edge Ole Miss All-American Michael Granger by .02 seconds.
Sophomore Harry Adams won the men's 200 meters, zipping to a time of 20.74 seconds, which ranks eighth best in Auburn outdoor history. The time is more impressive considering that Adams ran into a strong headwind.
Sophomore Kai Selvon was the winner of the women's 200 meters, posting a solid time of 23.38 seconds - also into a headwind - to win by a comfortable margin.
The Auburn women won the 4x100-meter relay by more than half a second, as the team of freshman V'Alonee Robinson, senior Sheniqua Ferguson, Selvon and junior Nivea Smith clocked a time of 44.39 seconds. Smith also finished a close second in the women's 100 meters, recording a time of 11.81 seconds into a headwind while finishing just .01 seconds behind the race winner.
Auburn's sixth victory came from sophomore Maya Pressley, who won the women's high jump title, clearing 1.77 meters (5-9.75). Two jumpers cleared that bar, but Pressley won the individual title because she had no misses up to that point.
Freshman DJ Smith finished third against a very strong field in the men's high jump, clearing 2.18 meters (7-1.75), which ranks him tied for sixth in Auburn outdoor history in his first collegiate outdoor meet.
The Tigers had two of the top five in the men's javelin, as sophomore Tyler Kennedy placed fourth with a top throw of 55.19 meters (181-1), while junior Michael Dekich was one place behind with a mark of 53.76 meters (176-4)
Senior Stephanie Barnes took fourth in the women's 1500 meters, posting a time of 4:39.46.
The Auburn track and field teams will return to action next weekend when the Tigers host the Tiger Track Classic April 1-2 at Hutsell-Rosen Track.