FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.—Auburn junior Joyce Kimeli followed up her NCAA championship at 5000m on Friday with a bronze medal on Saturday in the 3000m at the NCAA Indoor Championships, helping lead the Tigers to a 10th-place team finish.
For the second consecutive race, Kimeli led a majority of the race before being overtaken by BYU's Courtney Wayment with 600m left in the race. Kimeli tried to stay with Wayment and Arkansas' Lauren Gregory, but could not keep up over the last 100m and fell short of a second national title by just under two seconds. Kimeli crossed in 9:02.79, the second fastest time in school history behind her school record and SEC Indoor championship record time of 8:56.02 two weeks ago.
Kimeli's first and third place finishes combined with teammate Madi Malone's fifth in the weight throw gave the Tigers' 20 points in the team standings, its best team finish since the 2010 team was sixth. It was head coach Ralph Spry's seventh women's indoor Top 10 finish during his 24-year career at Auburn.
Kimeli's 16 points were the fourth most ever by an Auburn individual at the indoor championships behind Elva Gouldbourne (28 pts, 2003), Kerron Stewart (20 pts, 2007) and Fana Ashby (18 pts, 2005).
Also competing Saturday was junior pole vaulter James Courson who did not clear the opening height in his first NCAA Championship appearance.
Overall, the meet saw five Tigers earn a total of six All-America honors. Joining Kimeli and Malone as first team All-America was heptathlete Alex Spyridonidis. Sprinter Dante Brown and high jumper Dontavious Hill earned second team honors.
The men finished tied for 42nd with four points.
A re-air of the championship will take place at 8 p.m. CT on Sunday, March 14 on ESPNU.
Auburn will open the outdoor season at Hutsell-Rosen Track next weekend, March 19-20, when it hosts the Tiger Track Classic.
2021 NCAA INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
RANDAL TYSON TRACK CENTER
FAYETTEVILLE, AR
WOMEN'S 5000m
1. Joyce Kimeli 15:48.98
WOMEN'S 3000m
3. Joyce Kimeli 9:02.79
WOMEN'S WEIGHT THROW
5. Madi Malone 22.16m/72-8.5
MEN'S HEPTATHLON
5. Alex Spyridonidis 5863 pts
60m Hurdles 8.29
Pole Vault 5.06m/16-7.25
1000m 2:48.38
60m 7.10
Long Jump 7.45m/24-5.5
Shot Put 13.47m/44-2.5
High Jump 1.97m/6-5.5
MEN'S 60m
10. Dante Brown 6.66
MEN'S HIGH JUMP
T-9. Dontavious Hill 2.13m/6-11.75
MEN'S POLE VAULT
James Courson No Height
Kimeli bronze at NCAA Indoor 3000m, leads women to 10th place
