LUBBOCK, Texas – Senior thrower Madi Malone delivered the biggest performance for the Auburn track and field team over the weekend at Texas Tech's Open and Multis as the All-American won first place in the women's weight throw with a season's-best mark of 22.31m/73-2.50.
"Madi Malone is one of the best at her craft in the country," Auburn head coach Ralph Spry said. "She's reliable, and always gives the team a boost when we need it."
Malone's throw is the fifth-best in school history and the third-best in the nation this season. It also broke the Texas Tech Sports Performance Facility record, which was set only a week ago by Houston's Priscilla Adejokun.
Junior Maura Huwalt also impressed for women's throwers, notching a personal-best of 20.34m/66-8.75 to finish fourth.
"As a team, we were able to string together some really strong performances against some stacked competition," Spry added. "It was encouraging to see how we responded in a challenging environment. I'm pleased with where we are now, and I'm excited about our potential moving forward."
Senior Alex Spyridonidis claimed bronze in the heptathlon in his first action of the year for the Tigers. Spyridonidis posted personal-bests in the 60m dash and shot put en route to collecting 5717 points, the fifth-best total in the country this year. Sophomore David Edmondson also scored 4995 points in the heptathlon while recording career-best marks in the 60m dash, 60m hurdles and pole vault.
Another Tiger that performed well on the weekend was 2021 SEC 60m champion Dante Brown. Brown finished second in the finals of the men's 60m dash behind a time of 6.66, his fastest time of the year. In the men's 200m, Brown ran a personal-best 20.94 to finish fourth.
Reigning SEC Men's Field Athlete of the Week, Dontavious Hill, matched his PR from a week ago, clearing 2.19m/7-2.25, to finish fourth in men's high jump. Hill's mark remains top-10 nationally.
Other strong outings for Auburn came from Keira McCarrell and Elise Heddens, the Tigers' female representatives in the pentathlon who scored 3612 and 3476 points, respectively, and men's throwers Kyle Brown and Erik Ebel, both of whom finished top five and threw for PRs in the men's weight throw.
Up Next
A pair of single-day meets is on the docket for the Tigers next week as Auburn's female distance veterans Presley Weems and Joyce Kimeli are set to compete in the Meyo Invitational on February 4 in South Bend, Ind., before the team makes the trip to Birmingham for the USA Invitational on February 6.
TEXAS TECH OPEN & MULTIS
Texas Tech Sports Performance Center
Lubbock, Texas
January 28-29, 2022
MEN'S RESULTS
60m
First Round
3. Dante Brown 6.69
Semi-Finals
5. Dante Brown 6.67
Finals
2. Dante Brown 6.66
60m Hurdles
Prelims
24. John Murray 8.27*
Semi-Finals
24. John Murray 8.47
200m
4. Dante Brown 20.94*
9. Brandon Smiley 21.24
17. Jevony Murray 21.56
High Jump
4. Dontavious Hill 2.19m/7-2.25*
11. TJ Funches 2.04m/6-8.25
Pole Vault (B)
5. Matthew Asplund 4.85m/15-11
Weight Throw
3. Kyle Brown 21.69m/71-2*
5. Erik Ebel 19.46m/63-10.75*
7. Kyle Moison 19.28m/63-3.25
Weight Throw (B)
7. Quinten Wynn 16.79m/55-1*
Shot Put (B)
6. Ethan Richter 15.33m/50-3.50
Heptathlon
60m
7. Alex Spyridonidis 7.06*
11. David Edmondson 7.13*
Long Jump
4. Alex Spyridonidis 7.19m/23-7.25
14. David Edmondson 6.34m/20-9.75
Shot Put
3. Alex Spyridonidis 14.12m/46-4*
13. David Edmondson 11.74m/38-6.25
High Jump
7. David Edmondson 1.97m/6-5.50
8. Alex Spyridonidis 1.97m/6-5.50
60m Hurdles
9. Alex Spyridonidis 8.35
10. David Edmondson 8.44*
Pole Vault
3. Alex Spyridonidis 4.95m/16-2.75
10. David Edmondson 3.85m/12-7.50*
1000m
10. Alex Spyridonidis 2:57.02
11. David Edmondson 2:59.65
Heptathlon Overall
3. Alex Spyridonidis 5717 pts
10. David Edmondson 4995 pts
WOMEN'S RESULTS
60m
First Round
20. Tylar Colbert 7.66
48. Niya Benton-Andrews 7.94
Semi-Finals
22. Tylar Colbert 7.76
200m
22. Tylar Colbert 24.79
X. Asia Jinks DNF
400m
11. Asia Jinks 55.87
600m
9. Jen Dietrich 1:37.73
13. Brittney Campbell 1:39.79
Long Jump
11. Janaya Jones 5.77m/18-11.25
X. Imani Jones FOUL
High Jump
12. Kamiya Dendy 1.67m/5-5.75
17. Grayson Scott 1.62m/5-3.75
20. Allison Tanner 1.62m/5-3.75
Triple Jump
12. Janaya Jones 12.06m/39-6.75
Pole Vault (B)
1. Rhiannon Held 3.82m/12-6.25*
5. Lexie Leinneweber 3.67m/12-0.50
Weight Throw
1. Madi Malone 22.31m/73-2.50^
4. Maura Huwalt 20.34m/66-8.75*
9. Jocelynn Budwig 17.52m/57-5.75
Shot Put
6. Jocelynn Budwig 15.21m/49-11
7. Maura Huwalt 14.98m/49-1.25
Pentathlon
60m hurdles
11. Elise Heddens 8.97*
16. Keira McCarrell 9.49
High Jump
11. Keira McCarrell 1.65m/5-5*
15. Elise Heddens 1.56m/5-1.25*
Shot Put
2. Keira McCarrell 12.97m/42-6.75
13. Elise Heddens 10.45m/34-3.50*
Long Jump
11. Elise Heddens 5.41m/17-9*
13. Keira McCarrell 5.14m/16-10.50
800m
8. Keira McCarrell 2:30.71
9. Elise Heddens 2:34.44*
Pentathlon Overall
10. Keira McCarrell 3612
13. Elise Heddens 3476*
*- Personal Best
^- Facility Record
Malone’s weight throw highlights Tigers’ outing at Texas Tech
