AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn track & field team closed the War Eagle Invitational Saturday, celebrating head coach Ralph Spry and its 24 seniors in their final meet at Hutsell-Rosen track.
"This is one of the most special groups I've had the privilege of coaching in my 25 years," Spry said. "They've got a lot of fight and a lot of determination, which is exactly what you like to see as a coach. I'm very proud of how far they've all come, but the work is not done yet. We're going to finish this season the right way."
Soaking it all in. 25 years in the making. #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/PQQmhIWqHT
— Auburn Track & Field (@AuburnTFXC) April 16, 2022
In their curtain call, the senior class put on a show, racking up six different event wins.
All-American Madi Malone kickstarted the action Friday afternoon, not only picking up a win in the women's hammer throw but also breaking her own school record for the second time within the last month. The Wichita, Kansas native's series included three throws all better than her previous record, settling into first with a remarkable distance of 69.12m/226-09.
Following Malone was the dangerous duo of Keira McCarrell and Ashley Carter in javelin, both of whom rank top-15 nationally in the event. McCarrell tossed for 53.69m/176-01 to take second place while Carter finished first with a career-best throw of 54.03m/177-03. Carter's top throw came on her final attempt, making a 13-foot jump from the mark notched on the throw before.
The Auburn throwers collected two more wins by way of Kyle Brown in the men's hammer and Maura Huwalt in women's discus. Brown slugged a career-high 68.07m/223-04 on his fourth attempt to lock down the top spot. Huwalt posted a season-best 53.41m/175-02 to win her second discus event at home this season.
Erik Ebel and Jocelynn Budwig padded the Auburn point total finishing third behind both Brown and Huwalt. Ebel throw 65.92m/216-03 in hammer and Budwig threw 50.12m/164-05 in discus.
Switching to the distance side, seniors Presley Weems and Joyce Kimeli competed just like they have their entire careers. Weems punched yet another top-10 performance in the Auburn record books with a 2:06.72 in the women's 800m and Kimeli set the nation's leading time with a 9:41.15 in the women's 3000m steeplechase.
For the Tiger jumps squad, it was once again Dontavious Hill and Janaya Jones leading the pack. Hill came just shy of matching his outdoor PR in high jump, clearing 2.21m/7-3 on a clean first attempt, but still managed to clinch a share of the event title with Southern Miss' Corvell Todd. For Jones in long jump, it was a flight that saw the sophomore PR on each of her first three jumps that led to a silver-medal placement with a final mark of 6.13m/20-1.5.
UP NEXT
The Tigers trek to their in-state rival for the Crimson Tide Invitational April 22-23 at Sam Bailey Track & Field Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
WAR EAGLE INVITATIONAL
Hutsell-Rosen Track
Auburn, Ala.
April 15-16, 2022
WOMEN'S 100m
12. Tylar Colbert 11.89*
37. Hope Igbinoghene 12.45
WOMEN'S 100m HURDLES
19. Elise Heddens 14.57*
WOMEN'S 200m
3. Aalliyah Francis 23.50
46. Hope Igbinoghene 26.15
WOMEN'S 400
2. Aalliyah Francis 53.40*
24. Jen Dietrich 57.21
WOMEN'S 400m HURDLES
4. Asia Jinks 1:00.16
23. Morgan Millikan 1:07.62
WOMEN'S 800m
1. Presley Weems 2:06.72
42. Presley Miles 2:27.41*
45. Lindsey Granier 2:43.35
WOMEN'S 3000m STEEPLECHASE
1. Joyce Kimeli 9:41.15
WOMEN'S 5000m
7. Hannah Thuss 17:16.83*
10. Louisa McPherson 17:23.02*
18. GiGi Maddox 17:37.50*
21. Hannah Tarwater 18:06.32
WOMEN'S DISCUS
1. Maura Huwalt 53.41m/175-02
3. Jocelynn Budwig 50.12m/164-05
12. Trinity Love 41.31m/135-06*
WOMEN'S HAMMER
1. Madi Malone 69.12m/226-09* (AR)
6. Dani Gregory 56.85m/186-06*
9. Maura Huwalt 51.82m/170-00*
X. Jocelynn Budwig FOUL
WOMEN'S HIGH JUMP
3. Kamiya Dendy 1.72m/5-7.75
WOMEN'S JAVELIN
1. Ashley Carter 54.03m/17703*
2. Keira McCarrell 53.69m/176-01
5. Shaniya Holley 47.44m/155-07
WOMEN'S LONG JUMP
2. Janaya Jones 6.13m/20-1.5*
19. Imani Jones 5.40m/17-8.75
31. Megan Lonneman 5.00m/16-5
WOMEN'S POLE VAULT
21. Rhiannon Held 3.47m/11-4.5
WOMEN'S SHOT PUT
2. Maura Huwalt 15.84m/51-11.75
21. Trinity Love 11.35m/37-3*
WOMEN'S 4X100m RELAY
5. Jinks, Colbert, Francis, Heddens 3:51.02
MEN'S 100m
4. Christopher Grant 10.37
8. Jason Reese 10.52*
9. Brandon Smiley 10.54
34. Tray Reynolds 11.11*
MEN'S 110m HURDLES
12. Alex Spyridonidis 14.70
15. Tray Reynolds 14.94
19. David Edmondson 15.27
21. John Murray 15.42
MEN'S 200m
5. Brandon Smiley 21.32
13. Jason Reese 21.54
MEN'S 400m HURDLES
14. Luke Roberts 54.39
16. Caden Ciul 55.08
MEN'S 1500m
18. Benson Atkins 3:59.02*
MEN'S 5000
17. Mark Foster 14:52.54*
MEN'S DISCUS
5. Kyle Moison 51.54m/169-01
7. Quinten Wynn 50.02m/164-01*
21. Alex Spyridonidis 41.59m/136-05
25. John Murray 38.81m/127-04
27. David Edmondson 30.68m/100-08
X. Ethan Richter FOUL
MEN'S HAMMER
1. Kyle Brown 68.07m/223-04*
3. Erik Ebel 65.92m/216-03
5. Kyle Moison 63.55m/208-06
17. Quinten Wynn 47.83m/156-11*
MEN'S HIGH JUMP
1. Dontavious Hill 2.21m/7-3
10. Zach Marinko 2.00m/6-6.75*
10. TJ Funches 2.00m/6-6.75
MEN'S JAVELIN
18. David Edmondson 43.72m/143-05
MEN'S POLE VAULT
3. James Courson 5.11m/16-9.25
4. Matthew Asplund 4.96m/16-3.25*
X. John Murray NH
MEN'S SHOT PUT
5. Ethan Richter 17.14m/56-2.75*
8. Quinten Wynn 15.99m/52-5.50
*- Personal Best
AR – Auburn Record