BLOOMINGTON, Ind.—On the fourth and final day of competition at the NCAA East Preliminaries, the Auburn track and field team had four individuals punch their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Auburn will send 11 individuals, seven women and four men to the national meet in two weeks.
Senior transfer Asia Jinks qualified for her first NCAA Outdoors meet with a personal-best time of 56.63 in the women's 400m hurdles to earn an automatic spot after finishing second in her heat. The Uniondale, New York, native closed strong and outleaned Coastal Carolina's Shani'a Bellamy and LSU's Garriel White to gain the NCAA spot and better her previous best time by nearly a half second. The 56.63 made her the No. 4 performer in Auburn history in the event.
Senior Joyce Kimeli qualified for her third national championships in the 3000m Steeplechase as she led wire-to-wire to win her heat and earn the automatic bid. The 2021 NCAA runner-up in the event, Kimeli ran smooth and controlled the pace before breaking away from the lead pack over the last 600 meters to post a time of 9:55.65, the eighth time in her Auburn career she's broke 10 minutes in the event.
Middle distance runner Presley Weems ran a 2:04.41 in a fast second heat of the women's 800m to finish fifth and earn the last non-automatic qualifying spot. Auburn's school record holder in the event, Weems was 10th overall and will be making her second consecutive national's appearance. The Hoover, Alabama, native, who ran last year in the 1500m, is the first Auburn woman to earn a spot at nationals in the event since Kareen Gayle and Sarah Reese in 2004.
SEC discus champion Maura Huwalt qualified for her first NCAA appearance as she snagged the 12th and final spot from the East prelims with a toss of 52.67m/172-9. Huwalt is Auburn's first discus competitor at nationals since United States Olympian Rachel Dincoff advanced in 2015 and 2016.
Auburn's 11 athlete contingency headed to nationals includes three runners, seven field athletes and one decathlete. Joining Jinks, Kimeli, Weems and Huwalt on the women's team at nationals will be Ashley Carter (Javelin), Shaniya Holley (Javelin) and Madi Malone (Hammer).
On the men's side, Kyle Brown (Hammer), James Courson (Pole Vault) and Dontavious Hill (High Jump) all punched tickets to NCAA during the preliminary rounds and will all be making their first outdoor championship appearance. Senior Alex Spyridonidis will be competing in his second decathlon championship after finishing fifth a year ago.
The 2022 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held June 8-11 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon on the University of Oregon campus.
NCAA EAST PRELIMINARIES—AUBURN RESULTS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 RESULTS
Men's Hammer
10. Kyle Brown 68.02m/223-2 (NCAA Q)
13. Erik Ebel 67.43m/221-2
27. Kyle Moison 61.47m/201-8
Men's 1500m First Round
39. Ryan Kinnane 3:50.93
44. Cooper Atkins 3:55.59
Men's Pole Vault
12. James Courson 5.29m/17-4.25 (NCAA Q)
Men's 100m First Round
10. Dante Brown (Q) 10.14 (=PR)
THURSDAY, MAY 26
Women's Hammer
4. Madi Malone 67.48m/221-5 (NCAA Q)
34. Dani Gregory 57.50m/188-8
Women's Javelin
3. Ashley Carter 53.80m/176-6 (NCAA Q)
12. Shaniya Holley 50.12m/164-5 (NCAA Q/PR)
16. Keira McCarrell 49.30m/161-9
Women's Long Jump
31. Essence Thomas 5.81m/19-0.75
32. Janaya Jones 5.80m/19-0.5
Women's Shot Put
38. Maura Huwalt 14.97m/49-1.5
Women's 400m
23. Aalliyah Francis (Q) 53.26
Women's 800m
15. Presley Weems (Q) 2:05.21
Women's 400m Hurdles
8. Asia Jinks (Q) 58.09
34. Tylar Colbert 1:00.21
FRIDAY, MAY 27
Men's High Jump
4. Dontavious Hill 2.18m/7-1.75 (NCAA Q)
Men's 4x100m Relay
15. Auburn 39.75
(Reese, D. Brown, Smiley, Edmondson)
Men's 100m
13. Dante Brown 10.22
SATURDAY, MAY 28
Women's Discus
12. Maura Huwalt 52.67m/172-9 (NCAA Q)
32. Jocelynn Budwig 48.32m/158-6
Women's 3000m Steeplechase
7. Joyce Kimeli 9:55.65 (NCAA Q)
Women's 400m
24. Aalliyah Francis 56.01
Women's 800m
10. Presley Weems 2:04.41 (NCAA Q)
Women's 400m Hurdles
4. Asia Jinks 56.63 (NCAA Q/PR)
Women's 5000m
11. Joyce Kimeli 15:56.28
Women's 4x400m Relay
Auburn DNF
Colbert, Francis, Dietrich, Jinks
Auburn track and field qualify 11 for NCAA Outdoors
