AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn track & field looks to finish the indoor season strong at its final two meets of the regular season, the David Hemery Valentine Invitational and the Tiger Paw Invite, before heading to SEC Championships in two weeks.
On Friday, distance veterans Joyce Kimeli and Presley Weems will compete in Boston while Auburn sends the rest of its squad to the campus of Clemson University to compete in the Tiger Paw Invite on both Friday and Saturday.
"Both meets that we're headed to this weekend are known for elite, gritty competition," Auburn head coach Ralph Spry said. "We're going to be lining up against some of the best in the country, and that is what is really exciting about it. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of firepower we can bring and watching our team piece together everything that they've been working on all season."
Weems headlined last week's distance outing at the Meyo Invitational after breaking teammate Kimeli's record for the mile. The Hoover, Alabama native clocked in at 4:37.41 to push herself into first all-time in school history by more than a second. Kimeli also impressed in her indoor season debut, running a 9:14.11 in the 3000m, which ranks as the fourth-best run in Auburn history.
Leading the pack heading to Clemson will be senior All-American thrower Madi Malone. Malone earned the second SEC Field Athlete of the Week honor of her career after breaking her own school record in the weight throw by nearly a foot and a half. Not only does her mark of 23.32m/76-6.25 rank third in the country and sixth nationally, but it was also the farthest throw by any male or female athlete last week.
Other Tigers to keep an eye on as the indoor season winds down are junior thrower Kyle Brown who ranks 13th nationally in weight throw, senior high jumper Dontavious Hill who claimed the Tigers' first conference athlete of the week honor after a nationally-ranked outing, senior pole vaulter James Courson, nationals competitor and the reigning SEC men's silver medalist in the event, and senior sprinter Christopher Grant who earned All-SEC honors last season after second place finish in the men's 60m dash at SEC Championships.
Auburn also split duties at both meets two seasons ago, during the 2020 campaign, when Kimeli broke the school record in the 3000m while racing in Boston and the Tiger team amassed 21 PRs while competing at Clemson.
Friday's action at the Clemson University Indoor Complex begins with women's long jump trials at 11 a.m. CT while Weems and Kimeli will race later in the day at the Boston University Track and Tennis Center in the mile at 4 p.m. CT and the 3000m at 7:10 p.m. CT.
Adkins Track will broadcast live results from the Clemson Tiger Paw Invite, and Lacer Timing will provide live results from the David Hemery Valentine Invitational.