AUBURN, Ala.—Auburn sophomores Joyce Kimeli and Madi Malone received indoor All-America honors for the 2020 season, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced Tuesday. It is the second indoor All-America honors for Malone and the first indoor honors for Kimeli.
Kimeli was entered in the women's 5000m and Malone the weight throw before the meet was cancelled due to COVID-19 the night before the competitions were to begin.
Kimeli had a stellar indoor season as she broken the Auburn indoor records in the mile, 3000m and 5000m. At the SEC Indoor Championships, Kimeli was a runner up at 3000m and finished fifth in the 5k and was ranked No. 9 nationally at 5000m.
A native of Eldoret, Kenya, Kimeli earned All-America honors in three consecutive seasons (2019 outdoors, 2019 cross country, 2020 indoors), marking just the second time the feat had been accomplished by an Auburn track and field athlete. Angela Homan was the first Tiger to accomplish the feat 14 years ago (2005 outdoors, 2005 cross country, 2006 indoors.
Malone, who finished eighth at the 2019 NCAA Indoors as a freshman, was fourth at SEC Indoors in the weight throw and has two golds and three silvers in five other competitions this season. The school record holder in the event, Malone posted six of the 10 best weight throws in school history this season.
Normal USTFCCA policies dictate that All-America honors are awarded based on classifications of performances at the NCAA Championships. Due to the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships the NCAA Division I Track & Field Executive Committee adopted a criteria based on start lists for the championships, awarding all individual events and relays start lists. There is not distinction of first-team, second-team or honorable mention this year.