EUGENE, Ore.—Auburn junior Madi Malone finished eighth in the women's hammer throw and senior Joyce Kimeli advanced to Saturday's finals of the 3000m Steeplechase to highlight the Tigers' performances during day two of the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field Thursday.
Making her third outdoor national's appearance, Malone's eighth place finish was the best ever by an Auburn woman in the event at nationals. It was her second first-team All-America honors after finishing eighth at the 2019 indoor championships her freshman year.
The SEC Outdoor Champion's first throw was her best, traveling 69.22m/227-1, the third best mark in program history. Two of Malone's six marks were among the top eight best all-time at Auburn. Olympic fifth-place finisher Camryn Rogers of Cal won the event with a collegiate record of 77.67m in a field that had eight athletes with throws of 69 meters or better compared to just three a year ago.
Kimeli advanced to the finals of the steeplechase after running a 9:42.27 to finish third in her heat and gain an automatic berth. Kimeli led from the start and maintained the lead until the bell lap when she was passed by Oregon State's Kaylee Mitchell and Colorado's Madison Boreman who both finished under seven tenths of a second ahead of Kimeli.
Last year's NCAA Outdoor runner up, Kimeli ran a smooth race running a 78 second 400 pace the entire race before a closing final lap of 72 seconds. Kimeli will run in Saturday's championship race at 2:54 p.m. local time.
Senior Presley Weems earned honorable mention All-America honors after taking 17th in the 800m semifinals. The school record holder in the event, Weems' time and place were the best-ever in the event by a Tiger at nationals.
Competing in her second championship, senior Ashley Carter finished 12th in the javelin with a mark of 53.26m/174-9 on her second attempt. The Auburn, Alabama, product earned second-team All-America honors in back-to-back years after a 14th place in 2021.
Sophomore Shaniya Holley, also an Auburn native, posted her second-best performance in the javelin throw with a mark of 28.26m/158-4 for a 23rd while appearing in her first championships.
Senior transfer Asia Jinks ran a 57.52 in the 400m hurdles to finish 13th overall to earn second-team All-America honors. Jinks finished third in her heat and just 17 hundredths of a second shy of an automatic qualifier spot in Saturday's finals. It was the Uniondale, New York native's first NCAA Championships and first All-America honors.
Auburn's lone competitor on Friday will be NCAA Indoor bronze medalist Dontavious Hill, competing in his first high jump at outdoor nationals, starting 5:30 p.m. PT.
Live results from the 2022 outdoor championships can be found at www.flashresults.com. ESPN is televising the championships online on ESPN3 and Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
NCAA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
THURSDAY, June 9
Women's Javelin Throw
8. Madi Malone 69.22m/227--1
Women's 3000m Steeplechase Semifinals
7. Joyce Kimeli 9:42.27 (Q)
Women's Javelin Throw
12. Ashley Carter 53.26m/174-9
23. Shaniya Holley 48.26m/158-4
Women's 800m Semifinals
17. Presley Weems 2:04.65
Women's 400m Hurdles Semifinals
13. Asia Jinks 57.52