Clemson, SC. – On the second and final day of the Tiger Paw Invite and Music City Challenge, the Auburn track and field program had a strong finish, recording 14 personal bests and three school all-time top 10 marks.
The 4x400m relay team of sisters Arianna Sharpe and Amirah Sharpe, along with Ashantae Harvey and Abasiono Akpan registered the fifth-fastest time in school history, crossing in 3:36.05, good for eleventh overall.
Freshmen LeBron Bessick and Charlie Sexton clocked new personal bests of 21.45 and 21.66, respectfully, in the men's 200m dash. Bessick's performance came a day after setting a new season's best in the 400m (46.85) on Friday.
Junior Maura Huwalt secured fourth place overall in the women's shot put, launching her best toss 16.56m/54-4.00. In the men's shot put, freshman Matthew Rueff equaled his personal best mark of 17.19m/56-4.75.
Freshman Chante Clinkscale ran a new personal best time of 23.74 in the women's 200m dash in Clemson.
Another notable performance came from senior Essence Thomas in the women's triple jump as the Dickinson, Texas native leaped out 12.89m/42-3.50 to become the No.9 performer in school history.
In Nashville at the Music City Challenge on the Vanderbilt campus, distance runners Ryan Kinnane, Carson Bedics and Joseph Perry set new personal bests in the men's 3000m. Kinnane bested his pervious time by ten seconds crossing the line in 8:10.65 to become the No.8 performer in program history, while Bedics lowered best time by five seconds, clocking a 8:12.14. In his first 3K of the indoor season, Perry ran 8:27.18.
In the men's 800m sophomore Louis O'Loughlin ran into the AU record books as the Clondalkin, Ireland native clocked 1:50.13, making himself the No. 9 performer in school history. Close behind was teammate Rex Green, who ran 1:51.86 for a new personal best.
Other notable performances came from the quartet of sophomore Luke Roberts (48.61), and freshmen John Stephens (49.79), James Patrick (50.29) and Matthew Rainer (50.91) who each ran a new personal best time in the 400m
Up Next
The Auburn track and field team will take a week off from competition before making the trip to Fayetteville, Arkansas for the 2023 SEC Indoor Championships, February 24-25.
CLEMSON INVITE
Clemson Indoor Track Facility
Clemson, SC
February 11, 2023
MEN'S RESULTS
200m
36. LeBron Bessick 21.45*
44. Charlie Sexton 21.66*
DNF. Ian Myers
Pole Vault
3. James Courson 5.22m/17-1.50
14. Matthew Asplund 4.93m/16-2.00
NH. Alex Apyridonidis
Shot Put
10. Matthew Rueff 17.19m/56-4.75
12. Grant Griffin 16.95m/55-7.50
High Jump
3. Dontavious Hill 2.16m/7-1.00
NH. Matthew Cless
NH. TJ Funches
WOMEN'S RESULTS
200m
27. Chante Clinkscale 23.74*
Shot Put
4. Maura Huwalt 16.56m/54-4.00
24. Megan Hague 13.88m/45-6.50
High Jump
20. Kamiya Dendy 1.64m/5-4.50
Triple Jump
9. Essence Thomas 12.89m/42-3.50
Foul. Amy Warren
Foul. Janaya Jones
4x400m
11. Arianna Sharpe, Amirah Sharpe, Ashantae Harvey, Abasiono Akpan 3:36.05
MUSIC CITY CHALLENGE
Vanderbilt Multipurpose Facility
Nashville Tenn.
February 11, 2023
MEN'S RESULTS
400m Unseeded
4. Luke Roberts 48.61*
19. John Stephens 49.79*
25. James Patrick 50.29*
30 Matthew Rainer 50.91*
800m Unseeded
15. Rex Green 1:51.86*
45. Davis Plowden 1:54.22*
800m
20. Louis O'Loughlin 1:50.13*
3000m Unseeded
2. Carson Bedics 8:12.14*
27. Joseph Perry 8:27.18*
3000m
4. Ryan Kinnane 8:01.65*
4x400m
12. John Stephens, James Patrick, Matthew Rainer, Luke Roberts 3:21.97
WOMEN'S RESULTS
60m Prelim
14. Niya Benton-Andrews 7.67 q
60m Semi
15. Niya Benton-Andrews 7.71
400m
18. Lalah Hasbrouck 57.84*
22. Ariel Sharpe 58.14*
3000m Unseeded
18. Hallie Porterfield 9:36.15
3000m
27. Hannah Tarwater 10:09.04
*- Personal Best