AUBURN, Ala.—The Auburn track and field program will have six athletes, including four men and two women, competing in the 2021 NCAA Division I Indoor Championships, March 11-13, at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark. The top 16 declared athletes in each event and relay receive bids to the championships. Auburn enters the meet ranked No. 14 in the women's poll and No. 28 in the men's rankings.
Representing Auburn at the championships include Dante Brown (60m), James Courson (Pole Vault), Dontavious Hill (High Jump) and Alex Spyridonidis (Heptathlon) on the men's side and Joyce Kimeli (3000m & 5000m) and Madi Malone (Weight Throw) from the women's team.
"Everyone we have competing is right there in the mix and have the ability to score points and that's what we're focusing on," Auburn head coach Ralph Spry said. "The goal is always for each of them to score and become an All-American. It's going to be a very competitive meet, but that's our mindset to score points and leave as an All-American."
Action will begin Thursday at 11 a.m. CT with Spyridonidis in the heptathlon with four of the seven events to be contested on Day 1. Malone will compete Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
The four men will be making their first appearance, while Kimeli and Malone are repeat NCAA qualifiers. Malone competed as a freshman in 2019 while she and Kimeli qualified for last year's championships that were eventually cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SEC Champion at 3000m and 5000m, Kimeli has qualified in both events and enters the championships seeded No. 2 in the 3000m and No. 3 in the 5000m. The USTFCCCA South Region Female Runner of the Year, Kimeli holds the Auburn indoor record in the mile, 3000m and 5000m. Auburn's school record holder in the weight throw, Malone was eighth at nationals in the event as a freshman and this season has posted nine of the top 10 marks in Auburn history. She has the third best mark in the country this season.
"I like our chances with Joyce and she's ranked right up there in the 3000m and 5000m," Spry said. "Madi is No. 3 nationally and faced the two above her at SECs, so she's familiar with each of them. Joyce and Madi have been consistent all year long, so I think there's no reason that they don't continue to do what they've done all year long."
A junior transfer, Brown won the SEC Indoor title at 60m two weeks ago, becoming the first Auburn sprinter to claim an SEC title since 2012. Brown won the NAIA national title at 60m indoors last season at William Carey and is ranked ninth nationally.
Spyridonidis was the NCAA Division II runner up in the indoor heptathlon at Angelo State in 2019 and after solidifying a bronze at SECs with a score of 5712, he is ninth in the country. Hill and Courson, meanwhile, are ranked No. 10 and No. 11, respectively, in the country after both winning silver medals at the conference meet.
Courson and Hill, both silver medalists at SEC Indoors, enter the meet ranked No. 11 and No. 10, respectively, in the country. Courson set three new personal bests two weeks ago, clearing 5.43m/17-9.75, the third best mark in Auburn history. Hill's personal best height in the high jump of 2.18m/7-1.75 came a month ago at the South Carolina Invitational.
"On the men's side the 60 is wide open and Dante is right there. If he is hot that day, he could be top five," Spry said. "Dontavious and Alex have been consistent all year and if James can have another meet like SECs, every one of them can be right in the mix to score."
Live championship coverage will be streamed on ESPN3 with additional details to be forthcoming. A re-air of the championship will take place at 8 p.m. CT on Sunday, March 14 on ESPNU.
Auburn to compete at NCAA Indoor Championships
