NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Auburn senior Dontavious Hill won the men's high jump equaling an indoor personal best, junior John Murray is first after four events of the men's heptathlon and the Tigers won the men's distance medley relay to lead the AU track and field team after the first day of competition at the Vanderbilt Invite.
The 2022 NCAA Indoor bronze medalist, Hill cleared 2.21m/7-3 on his second attempt at the bar to win his fifth collegiate indoor high jump event. Hill cleared his first three bars at 2.06m, 2.11m, 2.15m before passing at 2.18m. His 2.21m is tied for the second-best Division 1 performance nationally during the young season and was the same height he cleared on February 12, 2022, when he won the Tiger Paw Invite in Clemson, S.C.
Auburn's quartet of Cooper Atkins, John Stephens, Louis O'Loughlin and Ryan Kinnane ran a blazing 9:44.26 in the DMR to post the nation's second-fastest time of the season and the sixth-fastest in school history to win easily by 12 seconds.
Murray established three new indoor personal bests and came in first in all four events of the heptathlon Friday highlighted a leap of 7.33m/24-0.75 in the long jump, surpassing his previous best by nearly two feet. The Madison, Alabama native ran 6.96 in the 60m dash, besting his previous PR of 7.05 ran at last year's SEC Indoors.
Senior Kyle Brown claimed bronze in the weight throw after posting a mark of 21.68m/71-1.50 on his sixth and final attempt.
Day 2 of the Clemson Invite kicks off Saturday at 10:30 a.m. ET with the women's high jump and on the track at 12 p.m. with the women's 300m dash.
VANDERBILT INVITE –Day 1
Vanderbilt Multipurpose Facility
Nashville, TN
January 20, 2023
MEN'S RESULTS
Heptathlon—Day 1
1. John Murray 3366
4. James Patrick 2708
7. Takis Patikas 2569
12. Michael May 2330
Heptathlon, 60m
1. John Murray 6.96*
2. Michael May 7.16*
5. James Patrick 7.33*
8. Takis Patikas 7.36*
Heptathlon, Long Jump
1. John Murray 7.33m/24-0.75*
4. Takis Patikas 6.80m/22-3.75*
5. James Patrick 6.80m/22-3.75*
16. Michael May 4.32m/14-2.25
Heptathlon, Shot Put
1. John Murray 15.16m/49-9*
3. Michael May 12.32m/40-5*
8. Takis Patikas 10.62m/34-10.25*
12. James Patrick 10.28m/33-8.75*
Heptathlon, High Jump
1. John Murray 1.97m/6-5.50
4. James Patrick 1.85m/6-0.75*
9. Michael May 1.79m/5-10.50*
12. Takis Patikas 1.67m/5-5.75 *
Weight Throw
3. Kyle Brown 21.68m/71-1.50
4. Erik Ebel 20.74m/68-0.50
8. John Leonard 18.82m/61-9*
9. Kyle Moison 18.60m/61-0.25
20. Matthew Rueff 16.11m/52-10.25
High Jump
1. Dontavious Hill 2.21m/7-3*
3. Matthew Cless 2.06m/6-9*
6. TJ Funches 2.00m/6-6.75
Pole Vault
6. James Courson 5.07m/16-7.50
7. Matthew Asplund 5.07m/16-7.50
Distance Medley Relay
1. Auburn 9:44.26
Cooper Atkins, John Stephens, Louis O'Loughlin, Ryan Kinnane
1000m
4. Evan Rogers 2:25.93
11. Benson Atkins 2:31.98
WOMEN'S RESULTS
Open High Jump
T5. Allison Tanner 1.62m/5-3.75
High Jump
T4. Kamiya Dendy 1.68m/5-6
Weight Throw
6. Madi Malone 21.28m/69-9.75
8. Maura Huwalt 20.66m/67-9.5
Long Jump
5. Essence Thomas 6.06m/19-10.75
43. Megan Lonneman 5.06m/16-7.25
Weight Throw Open
5. Danielle Gregory 18.78m/67-7.50*
*- Personal Best
