March 1, 2017
AUBURN, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Six athletes will represent the Auburn track and field team at the 2017 Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships, the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field and Cross Country Committee announced Tuesday. The championships will be held March 10-11 in College Station, Texas.
"This is a very tough meet to qualify for and I am very excited to have six athletes representing the Auburn Tigers," Auburn head coach Ralph Spry said. "We not only have athletes that qualified, but they also have the potential to score at the national level. I feel confident going into this meet that we will go in and continue to compete hard, like we've done all season. I am looking forward to watching them compete."
Auburn qualifiers on the men's side include Odean Skeen (60m), Teray Smith (200m), Akeem Bloomfield (400m) and Wellington Zaza (60mH). Seniors Marshay Ryan (Triple Jump) and Jasmine Manigault (Weight Throw) qualified for the women's squad.
Marshay Ryan, the 2014 NCAA Indoors runner up as a freshman, will be making her third trip to the NCAA Indoor Championships and second consecutive. Last season, Ryan finished ninth and earned Second Team All-America honors. A Chambersburg, Pa., native, Ryan enters nationals ranks seventh with a mark of 44-2/13.46m.
Jasmine Manigault added to her school record in the weight throw at the SEC Indoor Championships, with a mark of 70-9.75/21.58m. The SEC silver medalist becomes Auburn's first qualifier in the weight throw since Ronda Gullatte in 2006.
The Auburn men's sprinters will all be making their first trip to the NCAA Indoor Championships. Three-time outdoor All-American and 2016 Olympians (Bahamas), Teray Smith is Auburn's first NCAA 200m qualifier since Marcus Rowland in 2010. Smith ran a personal best 20.75 on Feb. 10, which ranks third all-time at Auburn.
Skeen finished second at the 2017 Southeastern Conference Championships with an Auburn best 6.60 in the 60m, which currently ranks ninth in the NCAA and fifth in Auburn history. The 2015 NJCAA Indoor Champion is Auburn's first qualifier since 2013.
Freshman Bloomfield broke the school record in the finals 400m at the SEC Indoor Championships on Saturday with a time of 45.43. The Jamaica native is the first Auburn qualifier in the 400m since Reuben McCoy in 2008.
A two-time outdoor All-American, Zaza comes into the NCAA Indoor Championships after finishing second in the 60m hurdles at SEC Indoors with a 7.72, which is tied for seventh in the nation. Zaza will be Auburn's first qualifier in the 60mH since Ty Akins and Shamar Sands in 2008.
ESPN3 will stream the meet live on March 10 starting at 6:25 p.m. ET and March 11 starting at 4:55 p.m. ET. A re-air of the championship will take place on Sunday, March 12 starting at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
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