BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Auburn track & field senior Dontavious Hill capped the Tigers' indoor season with a bronze medal performance in the men's high jump Saturday at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham.
Hill's third place finish is the highest for an Auburn high jumper since Olympian Donald Thomas won gold in 2007. He also raises his second team All-America status from a year ago, to first team All-America this year. Hill, who finished ninth at the championships a year ago, is the first Auburn high jumper in school history to earn multiple All-American honors.
"Becoming a first team All-American is an unreal feeling," Hill said. "After putting in the work, having faith in God and trusting in myself and my coaches, I can finally say I've accomplished one of my major goals in this sport. I want to say thank you to my friends, family, supporters and most importantly, my Auburn family."
The Mobile, Alabama native cleanly cleared his first three bars, including 2.20m/7-2.50 on his first attempt to share the bronze medal with Samford's Justin Stuckey. Hill made two attempts at 2.23m and one at 2.26m but was unsuccessful at each height. Southern Miss' Corvell Todd finished second, clearing 2.29m/7-6, and Oklahoma's Vernon Turner won gold with a jump of 2.32m/7-7.25.
Senior heptathlete Alex Spyridonidis also put on a show to end his indoor slate, finishing sixth overall in the event. The All-American picked up where he left off Friday, racing to a blazing 60m hurdles PR of 8.09 seconds in his opening event of the day. Following hurdles, Spyridonidis vaulted 4.86m/15-11.25 to put himself just under 800 points shy of an overall heptathlon career best heading into the final event.
In the 1000m, Spyridonidis clocked a 2:47.28 to push himself over the edge and earn a career-high 5,881 points, besting his 5,863 from NCAA Indoors last year. Spyridonidis' total ranks as the fourth-best heptathlon score in program history.
The Hanover, Germany native earned first team All-America honors in back-to-back seasons, a feat only accomplished before by school heptathlon record-holder, Maurice Smith, in 2004 and 2005.
The combination of Spyridonidis and Hill earned the men's team 8.5 points, good for a 27th place team finish, Auburn's best since the 2018 season. Texas captured the men's team championship with 47 total points.
Four-time All-American Madi Malone's point from weight throw on Friday led the Auburn women to a 51st place finish, marking the fifth-straight time the women's team has scored at NCAA Indoors. Florida won the women's championship with 68 points.
"I'm really proud of how all three of our athletes competed this week," Auburn head coach Ralph Spry said. "This is a tough, tough meet, but they all showed tremendous focus and dedication, and they came out with some great performances. It was a great ending to our indoor season that will springboard us into another successful outdoor season."
Heart and Soul ❤️#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/krNQNQGciz
— Auburn Track & Field (@AuburnTFXC) March 12, 2022
Auburn returns home to the friendly confines of Hutsell-Rosen Track to kickstart outdoor season with the first of two home meets, The Tiger Track Classic, March 18-19.
NCAA Indoors
Birmingham CrossPlex
Birmingham, Ala.
March 12, 2022
MEN'S HEPTATHLON
6. Alex Spyridonidis 5,881*
60m Hurdles 8.09*
Pole Vault 4.86m/15-11.25
1000m 2:47.28
MEN'S HIGH JUMP
T3. Dontavious Hill 2.20m/7-2.50