KNOXVILLE, Tenn.—The Auburn track and field program had a strong showing over the weekend as the Tigers brought home six event wins, notched two school records and collected 38 total personal bests while competing at the Tennessee Relays and Joe Walker Invitational.
All-American Joyce Kimeli, making her outdoor debut, picked up where she left off from a national championship indoor season to break the school record in the women's 1500m at the Joe Walker Invitational In her first collegiate 1500m, the Eldoret, Kenya, native crossed in 4:13.15 to break teammate Presley Weems' time of 4:14.35 just a week prior at the Florida Relays. Kimeli's finished second in the race while posting the nation's No. 3 time.
At the Tennessee Relays, freshman Kyle Brown broke the school freshman record in the men's hammer throw with a personal-best toss of 66.14m/217-0 while recording his first-ever collegiate outdoor win.
The Tennessee Relays, which featured Auburn's multi and field athletes, saw four PRs in the multis, including senior Natosha Jordan, who won the women's heptathlon with 5521 points. Jordan's 5521 was a new personal best and is the second-best total in school history behind Lacena Golding's school record of 5750 set in 1998.
In the men's decathlon, Alex Spyridonidis became the No. 4 performer in Auburn history after a lifetime-best score of 7454 to grab silver in the event. Spyridondis left the weekend ranked tenth nationally in the event.
Indoor All-SEC performer James Courson won the men's pole vault while clearing a new outdoor best of 5.35m/17-6.5, making him the No. 2 performer all-time at Auburn in the event. His clearance was the best outdoor mark by an Auburn vaulter in 21 years.
Off to a strong start to her outdoor season, junior Caroline Lawrence cleared a new lifetime-best 1.79m/5-10.5 for silver in the high jump, while on the men's side, teammate Dontavious Hill also took second, clearing 2.14m/7-0.25.
All-American Kylee Carter (54.27m/178-0) took silver in the women's javelin throw as Auburn took three of the top four spots in the event. Teammates Ashley Carter (49.98m/163-11) and Shaniya Holley (45.26m/148-6) were third and fourth, respectively. Fellow All-American Madi Malone was fourth overall, but the second-place collegiate finisher in the women's hammer throw with a mark of 65.50m/214-10.
Auburn garnered three event wins at the Joe Walker Invitational in Oxford, Miss., on the University of Mississippi campus, including a pair of first-time wins in an Auburn uniform.
Sophomore Tylar Colbert and freshman Niya Benton-Andrews went 1-2 in the women's 400m hurdles as both posted PR times. Colbert won her second collegiate 400m hurdles race of her career crossing in 59.51, while Benton-Andrews finished in 1:00.26.
Freshman Oquendo Bernard and senior Brandon Smiley each captured their first Auburn victory, as Bernard won the men's 110m hurdles in a lifetime-best 14.23, while Smiley took the men's 200m in 20.78.
Auburn middle-distance runners had a strong outing, led by Presley Weems and transfer Eric Brown. Weems was second in the women's 800m in 2:04.61, just three one-hundredths off her school record 2:04.58 set a week earlier. On the men's side, transfer Eric Brown established a lifetime best 1:48.06 in the 800m to take third. Brown's time was the fastest by an Auburn male since 2005 and established him as the No. 3 performer in school history.
Sophomore sprinter Hope Igbinoghene had her best meet as an Auburn Tiger, taking bronze in the women's 100m in a PB time of 11.96. She also established a new best in the 200m in 24.94.
Auburn will host the War Eagle Invitational this coming weekend, April 16-17, at Hutsell-Rosen Track.
2021 TENNESSEE RELAYS
TOM BLACK TRACK
KNOXVILLE, TN; APRIL 8-10
WOMEN'S RESULTS
Heptathlon
1. Natosha Jordan, 5521 pts (PR)
100m Hurdles, 14.00
High Jump, 1.73m/5-8
Shot Put, 12.43m/40-9.5 (PR)
200m, 24.88
Long Jump, 5.87m/19-3.25
Javelin Throw, 33.97m/111-5
800m, 2:29.30
Hammer Throw
4. Madi Malone, 65.50m/214-10
9. Jocelynn Budwig, 55.30m/181-5
15. Danielle Gregory, 50.22m/164-9
Shot Put
9. Maura Huwalt, 15.40m/50-6.25
12. Jocelynn Budwig, 15.27m/50-1.25
14. Tori McKinley, 15.08m/49-5.75
High Jump
2. Caroline Lawrence, 1.79m/5-10.5 (PR)
7. Allison Tanner, 1.65m/5-5
Javelin Throw
2. Kylee Carter, 54.27m/178-0
3. Ashley Carter, 49.98m/163-11
4. Shaniya Holley, 45.26m/148-6
7. Alex Webb, 43.83m/143-9
Discus Throw
6. Jocelynn Budwig, 51.19m/167-11
10. Maura Huwalt, 47.78m/156-9
16. Tori McKinley, 42.89m/140-8
Pole Vault
8. Lexie Leinneweber, 3.76m/12-4
MEN'S RESULTS
Decathlon
2. Alex Spyridonidis, 7454 pts (PR)
100m, 11.22
Long Jump, 7.01m/23-0
Shot Put, 13.16m/43-2.25
High Jump, 1.95m/6-4.75
400m, 50.62
110m Hurdles, 14.80 (PR)
Discus Throw, 40.88m/134-1
Pole Vault, 4.80m/15-9
Javelin Throw, 50.83m/166-9
1500m, 4:53.23
7. David Edmondson, 6572 pts (PR)
100m, 11.14 (PR)
Long Jump, 6.50m/21-4 (PR)
Shot Put, 11.83m/38-9.75 (PR)
High Jump, 2.04m/6-8.25 (PR)
400m, 49.97 (PR)
110m Hurdles, 15.36 (PR)
Discus Throw, 26.17m/85-10
Pole Vault, 3.70m/12-1.5 (PR)
Javelin Throw, 40.26m/132-1 (PR)
1500m, 4:50.59
9. John Murray, 6478 pts (PR)
100m, 11.53 (PR)
Long Jump, 6.22m/20-5
Shot Put, 12.78m/41-11.25 (PR)
High Jump, 1.95m/6-4.75 (PR)
400m, 52.24
110m Hurdles, 15.50
Discus Throw, 36.31m/119-1 (PR)
Pole Vault, 3.60m/11-9.75 (PR)
Javelin Throw, 49.52m/162-5 (PR)
1500m, 5:10.42 (PR)
Hammer Throw
1. Kyle Brown, 66.14m/217-0 (PR, AU Frosh Record)
6. Erik Ebel, 60.08m/197-1
8. Kyle Moison, 59.41m/194-11 (PR)
Javelin Throw
5. Erik Ebel, 62.66m/205-7 (PR)
12. Josh Wallace, 56.17m/184-3
Shot Put
6. Adam Strouf, 18.12m/59-5.5
Pole Vault
1. James Courson, 5.35m/17-6.5 (PR)
5. Matthew Asplund, 4.95m/16-2.75
High Jump
2. Dontavious Hill, 2.14m/7-0.25
5. TJ Funches, 2.00m/6-6.75
Discus Throw
9. Kyle Moison, 49.51m/162-5
2021 JOE WALKER INVITATIONAL
OLE MISS TRACK & FIELD COMPLEX
OXFORD, MS; APRIL 9-10
WOMEN'S RESULTS
100m
3. Hope Igbinoghene, 11.96 (PR)
7. Sarah Little, 12.14
200m
12. Hope Igbinoghene, 24.94 (PR)
400m
11. Jen Dietrich, 58.60
800m
2. Presley Weems, 2:04.61 (No. 2 AU history)
31. Abbey Zane, 2:13.46 (PR)
36. Jen Dietrich, 2:21.81
1500m
2. Joyce Kimeli, 4:13.15 (PR, School Record)
34. Samantha Rogers, 4 :39.11 (PR)
400m Hurdles
1. Tylar Colbert, 59.51 (PR)
2. Niya Benton-Andrews, 1:00.26 (PR)
Long Jump
6. Sarah Little, 5.44m/17-10.25
Cassandra Carlile, FOUL
MEN'S RESULTS
100m
5. Brandon Smiley, 10.56 (PR)
200m
1. Brandon Smiley, 20.78
800m
3. Eric Brown, 1:48.06 (PR)
1500m
59. Silas Kipngetich, 3:55.42
60. Jack Rogers, 3:55.84
67. Evan Rogers, 3:58.40 (PR)
5000m
11. Tommy McDonough, 14:16.07 (PR)
22. Ryan Kinnane, 14:33.15 (PR)
110m Hurdles
1. Oquendo Bernard, 14.23 (PR)
400m Hurdles
3. Caden Ciul, 54.18
4. Sherwayne Allen, 55.62
Six event wins and two school records highlight Tigers’ weekend
