COLUMBIA, S.C. – Highlighted by a trio of top-10 national performances, Auburn track and field left the Carolina Challenge on a high note after an outing that also included 17 personal bests and seven event wins.
"I was pleased with this weekend's effort," Tigers head coach Ralph Spry said. "We're getting a little better each meet, and that's what we're looking for as we head through indoor season. I look forward to seeing how our team will step up to the challenge next weekend at Texas Tech."
Senior All-American Madi Malone was the first to land a performance inside the nation's top-10. Her weight throw mark of 21.74m/71-04 is the eighth-best by any woman in the country this season.
Junior Kyle Brown joined Malone, continuing a strong start to his indoor campaign with a 21.59m/70-10 mark in the men's weight throw, the ninth-best amongst collegiate competition. The throw also marks a new personal best for Brown.
In addition to Malone and Brown, the Tiger throwers impressed all-around in the weight throw with personal bests coming from junior Maura Huwalt (20.00m/65-07.50), junior Jocelynn Budwig (18.28m/59-11.75), senior Erik Ebel (19.42m/63-08.75) and sophomore Kyle Moison (19.34m/63-05.50).
Capping the night with the Tigers' final top-10 national outing was senior high jumper Dontavious Hill. Hill cleared a personal-best 2.19m/7-02.25 to win the event and post the country's third-best jump this season.
Auburn's distance runners collected two more wins for the Tigers, first with a 4:44.37 run from senior Presley Weems in the women's mile followed by a 4:10.23 victory from freshman Cooper Atkins in the men's mile. Tommy McDonough finished on the heels of Atkins, 4:10.67, with yet another strong showing in his senior campaign.
Atkins and McDonough both posted personal bests while Weems' mile sits as the fifth-fastest in program history.
Sophomore Janaya Jones also came up big for the Tigers, winning the women's open long jump with a huge personal-best mark of 5.85m/19-02.50. Jones' jump was the best amongst both the open and invite competition.
The Tigers' men's sprinters continued to prove their dominance with senior Christopher Grant matching his personal best (6.64) in the prelims of the 60m dash before senior Dante Brown brought home bronze in the finals (6.77).
Up Next
The Tigers head west to compete in Texas Tech's Open & Multis on January 28-29.
CAROLINA CHALLENGE
South Carolina Indoor Track & Field Complex
Columbia, S.C.
January 21-22, 2022
MEN'S RESULTS
60m
Prelims
1. Christopher Grant 6.64*
2. Dante Brown 6.69
9. Jason Reese 6.85
22. Brandon Smiley 7.05
Finals
3. Dante Brown 6.77
X. Christopher Grant DNF
60m Hurdles
Prelims
13. David Edmondson 8.54
200m
9. Brandon Smiley 21.72
X. Jason Reese DNF
Mile
1. Cooper Atkins 4:10.23*
2. Tommy McDonough 4:10.67*
6. Ryan Kinnane 4:12.60
High Jump
Invite
1. Dontavious Hill 2.19m/7-02.25*
6. TJ Funches 2.03m/6-07.75
Open
6. Zach Marinko 1.90m/6-02.75*
7. Alex Spyridonidis 1.90m/6-02.75
Long Jump
Open
10. David Edmondson 6.63m
Pole Vault
Invite
3. James Courson 5.05m/16-06.75
4. Matthew Asplund 4.95m/16-02.75
Shot Put
Open
1. Ethan Richter 15.77m/51-09
7. Alex Spyridonidis 14.01m/45-11.75*
Weight Throw
Invite
2. Kyle Brown 21.59m/70-10*
4. Erik Ebel 19.42m/63-08.75*
5. Kyle Moison 19.34m/63-05.50*
Open
4. Quinten Wynn 16.06m/52-08.25*
WOMEN'S RESULTS
60m Hurdles
Qualifiers
7. Keira McCarrell 9.13
9. Elise Heddens 9.18
Prelims
9. Niya Benton-Andrews 8.67
20. Keira McCarrell 9.17
23. Asia Jinks 9.29
200m
11. Niya Benton-Andrews 24.67
400m
7. Asia Jinks 55.57
30. Brittney Campbell 1:01.48
800m
17. Jen Dietrich 2:17.81
Mile
1. Presley Weems 4:44.37
5. Hallie Porterfield 4:58.74*
High Jump
Invite
4. Kamiya Dendy 1.73m/5-08
Open
1. Grayson Scott 1.68m/5-06*
8. Allison Tanner 1.60m/5-03
Long Jump
Open
1. Janaya Jones 5.85m/19-02.50*
14. Elise Heddens 5.11m/16-09.25
15. Keira McCarrell 5.10m/16-8.75
X. Megan Lonneman Foul
Triple Jump
Invite
6. Janaya Jones 11.81m/38-09
Pole Vault
Invite
5. Lexie Leinneweber 3.75m/12-03.50
6. Rhiannon Held 3.65m/11-11.75
Shot Put
Invite
3. Jocelynn Budwig 15.56m/51-00.75
6. Maura Huwalt 14.96m/49-01
Open
11. Keira McCarrell 12.41m/40-08.75
32. Trinity Love 9.94m/32-07.50
33. Elise Heddens 9.50m/31-02*
Weight Throw
Invite
1. Madi Malone 21.74m/71-04
3. Maura Huwalt 20.00m/65-07.50*
5. Jocelynn Budwig 18.28m/59-11.75*
Open
14. Trinity Love 13.69m/44-11*
*- Personal Best