JACKSONVILLE, Fla.— On the fourth and final day of competition at the NCAA East Preliminaries, the Auburn track and field team totals 10 individuals punching their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Of those 10 individuals, Auburn will send three women and seven men to the national meet in two weeks.
Senior transfer Sanaa Barnes qualified for her fourth NCAA Outdoor meet clearing 2.18m/5-11.50 to tie for first place with Georgia's Elena Kulichenko in the high jump. The Northlake, Texas native cleared 1.83m/6-0 to finish fourth in the event a year ago in Eugene, Oregon.
Auburn's 10 athlete contingency headed to nationals includes eight field athletes, two runners, and one decathlete. Joining Huwalt and Malone on the women's team at nationals will be Sanaa Barnes (High Jump).
On the men's side, Erik Ebel (Hammer), Kyle Brown (Hammer), Kyle Moison (Hammer), Dontavious Hill (High Jump), Favour Ashe (100m), and Moitalel Mpoke (400m Hurdles) all punched tickets to NCAA during the preliminary rounds. Junior John Murray will be competing in his first decathlon on the National stage.
The 2023 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held June 7-10 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas on the University of Texas at Austin campus.
NCAA EAST PRELIMINARIES
SATURDAY, MAY 28
Women's Discus
21. Maura Huwalt 50.09m/164-4
Women's High Jump
1. Sanaa Barnes 2.18m/5-11.50
Women's Triple Jump
15. Amy Warren 13.00m/42-8*
Women's 100m Dash
19. Chante Clinkscale 11.39
Women's 400m Hurdles
17. Abasiono Akpan 58.63
Women's 4x400m Relay
15. Abasiono Akpan, Ashantae Harvey, Amirah Sharpe, Arianna Sharpe 3:36.76
*- personal best