AUBURN, Ala. — Powered by seven event wins and 29 personal bests, Auburn track & field opened its outdoor season with a bang Friday and Saturday at Hutsell-Rosen track.
The 2022 season marks the 25th year at the helm of the program for Auburn track & field head coach Ralph Spry. Spry was recognized for his many years of outstanding accomplishments prior to Saturday's competition.
"I've been here for a quarter of a century and there's still no place I'd rather be," Spry said. "It was great to see our team start strong this weekend. We had a lot of people do a lot of things well, and that's not always common in your season-opener. I'm excited to watch this group discover its potential and continue to get stronger throughout outdoor season."
Celebrating 25 years of hard work, integrity and love. ❤️
— Auburn Track & Field (@AuburnTFXC) March 19, 2022
Coach Spry, you are one of a kind!#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/2KDOqLGcKE
The Tigers were led by senior high jumper Dontavious Hill, who, fresh off a bronze medal at NCAA Indoors, cleared a career-best 2.22m/7-3.25 on his first attempt to win the men's high jump and post the nation's leading mark.
The Auburn men's hammer throwers joined Hill with blazing starts to their outdoor campaign, sweeping the top three spots on the podium and posting a trio of top-10 national marks. Redshirt senior Erik Ebel led the pack, throwing a huge PR of 68.74m/225-06 to win the event. Junior Kyle Brown threw 67.13m/220-03 to finish second and sophomore Kyle Moison threw 64.88m/212-10 to finish third.
Brown and Moison also opened the season with career-best throws. Ebel's mark ranks third in the country while Brown's is fifth and Moison's is eighth.
Auburn saw its second podium sweep in the men's 200m dash courtesy of the senior trio of Brandon Smiley, Jevony Murray and Dante Brown. Smiley clocked a 20.78 for the win while Murray and Brown followed tightly behind, running a 20.90 and 20.91 to round out the top three.
Picking up the final event wins on behalf of the Tigers were seniors James Courson and Tommy McDonough as well as junior Maura Huwalt. Courson cleared 5.26m/17-3 to take top honors in pole vault, McDonough ran a 3:50.22 to win the 1500m, and Huwalt collected a pair of wins, throwing 15.88m/52-1.25 in shot put and 57.76m/173-01 in discus.
The Tigers return to action later this week, March 23-26, at the esteemed Clyde Littlefield Relays in Austin, Texas.
TIGER TRACK CLASSIC
Hutsell-Rosen Track
Auburn, Ala.
March 18-19, 2022
WOMEN'S RESULTS
100m
2. Aalliyah Francis 11.50*
18. Hope Igbinoghene 12.67
100m Hurdles
6. Elise Heddens 15.02*
200m
2. Aalliyah Francis 23.43*
15. Elise Heddens 26.57*
400m
11. Jen Dietrich 58.49
13. Brittney Campbell 58.89
400m Hurdles
3. Tylar Colbert 1:00.15
8. Morgan Millikan 1:09.78
800m
11. Presley Miles 2:30.22
12. Lindsey Granier 2:44.03
1500m
4. Hallie Porterfield 4:31.78*
3000m
7. Louisa McPherson 10:16.40
9. GiGi Maddox 10:20.478
5000m
2. Sara Pacer 17:28.19*
3. Hannah Thuss 17:44.21*
5. Hannah Tarwater 18:08.45
Hammer Throw
7. Jocelynn Budwig 53.53m/175-07
11. Dani Gregory 51.13m/167-09
13. Maura Huwalt 48.99m/160-08
Javelin
3. Keira McCarrell 51.13m/167-09
4. Ashley Carter 50.00m/164-00
5. Shaniya Holley 44.45m/145-10
6. Katherine Ratliff 39.53m/129-08*
High Jump
4. Kamiya Dendy 1.71m/5-7.25
XX. Grayson Scott NH
Long Jump
2. Janaya Jones 6.05m/19-10.25*
3. Essence Thomas 5.94m/19-6
12. Elise Heddens 5.27m/17-3.50*
13. Megan Lonneman 5.12m/16-9.75*
Pole Vault
9. Rhiannon Held 3.71m/12-2
10. Lexie Leinneweber 3.71m/12-2
Shot Put
1. Maura Huwalt 15.88m/52-1.25
11. Trinity Love 11.09m/36-4.75
Discus
1. Maura Huwalt 52.76m/173-01*
5. Jocelynn Budwig 48.12m/157-10
15. Trinity Love 38.41m/114-02*
MEN'S RESULTS
100m
3. Dante Brown 10.61
5. Brandon Smiley 10.67
6. Jason Reese 10.84
110m Hurdles
5. Oquendo Bernard 14.61
7. Tray Reynolds 14.89*
11. David Edmondson 15.48
13. John Murray 15.72
200m
1. Brandon Smiley 20.78
2. Jevony Murray 20.90
3. Dante Brown 20.91
13. Jason Reese 21.85
400m
9. Christopher Grant 49.88*
400m Hurdles
4. Luke Roberts 55.37*
8. Caden Ciul 57.83
800m
Cooper Atkins 1:52.03*
1500m Invitational
1. Tommy McDonough 3:50.22
4. Ryan Kinnane 3:51.40*
5. Carson Bedics 3:53.43*
1500m
8. Benson Atkins 4:03.50
5000m
2. Jackson Thomas 14:42.94*
5. Mark Foster 15:12.71*
XX. Tommy McDonough DNF
XX. Carson Bedics DNF
XX. Ryan Kinnane DNF
Discus
9. Ethan Richter 48.02m/157-6*
13. David Edmondson 44.79m/146-11*
16. Quinten Wynn 44.42m/145-9*
17. John Murray 40.11m/131-078
Hammer Throw
1. Erik Ebel 68.74m/225-06*
2. Kyle Brown 67.13m/220-03*
3. Kyle Moison 64.88m/212-10*
High Jump
1. Dontavious Hill 2.22m/7-3.25*
7. Zach Marinko 1.95m/6-4.75*
11. TJ Funches 1.95m/6-4.75
Javelin
5. Josh Wallace 56.65m/185-10
Long Jump
5. David Edmondson 7.02m/23-00.5
17. John Murray 6.26m/20-6.50
Pole Vault
1. James Courson 5.26m/17-3
6. Matthew Asplund 4.81m/15-9.25