EUGENE, Ore.—Auburn senior Dontavious Hill had an outstanding performance en route to a third-place finish in the men's high jump at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Friday. He became the first Tiger male since Ryan Fleck in 2009 to earn a medal in the event at outdoor nationals.
The 2022 NCAA Indoor bronze medalist, Hill was the lone competitor of the 24 in action to cleanly clear the first four bars on their first attempt, making it over 2.10m, 2.15m, 2.18m and 2.21m. Hill had three good attempts at 2.24m but was unsuccessful on each attempt.
"I feel really good," Hill said. "I just did what my coaches always tell me to do, stay clean early on and just get the job done."
A Mobile, Alabama, native, Hill established himself as one of the all-time high jumpers in program history. He became the first since Donald Thomas in 2007 to make the medal stand at NCAA Indoors and Outdoors in the same season.
Hill was just the third Auburn athlete ever to earn a top three finish in the high jump at outdoor nationals, joining Fleck who was a runner up 13 years ago and Thomas' third in 2007.
"It's been a team effort between me and my coaches and Auburn as a whole," Hill said. "Just trying to make sure I stay consistent at practice every day and going to each meet and treating it like it's the big show every time"
On Saturday's fourth and final day of competition, Auburn will have two women in action. Junior Maura Huwalt will compete in the discus throw at 2:05 p.m. PT, while senior Joyce Kimeli will run in the 3000m Steeplechase finals at 2:54 p.m.
Live results from the 2022 outdoor championships can be found at www.flashresults.com. ESPN is televising the championships online on ESPN3 and Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
NCAA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
FRIDAY, June 10
3. Dontavious Hill 2.21m/7-3