BIRMINGHAM, Alabama—The Auburn track and field opened the 2024 indoor season with a hard-fought loss to Alabama, 144-122, in the inaugural Harvey Glance Tide versus Tigers Dual Meet Thursday at the Birmingham SportsPlex. The scored meet was created to honor the legacy of former Auburn Olympian and Auburn and Alabama head coach, who passed away last summer.
"Harvey was a great friend," Auburn second-year head coach Leroy Burrell said. "It means a lot to do something like this in his honor. I think it's a fitting tribute to the legacy he has in track and field in the state of Alabama."
Auburn collected 10 events wins, including All-American Favour Ashe in the men's 60m dash and a sweep of the men's and women's 60m hurdles and 300m dash. The Tigers combined to equal or set 34 new personal and collegiate bests.
Ashe led wire-to-wire in a strong time of 6.53, just two hundredths off his personal best and three hundredths from the Auburn school mark. He turned around later in the meet to take third in the 300m dash with a PR time of 33.82.
Freshman Ja'Kobe Tharpe won the men's 60m hurdles in 7.85, making him the fifth fastest Tiger in school history in the event, while posting fastest time in the event in eight years by an AU sprinter. Junior college transfer Denae Nembhard joined Tharpe on the winner's stand in the event, with a time of 8.37 seconds. The AU women swept the 60m hurdles as Ashanti Harvey and Elise Heddens were second and third, respectively.
San Diego State transfer Simone Johnson began her Auburn career in fine fashion with a personal-best 5.99m/19-8 to win the women's long jump ahead of teammates Amy Warren and Heddens.
"We had a lot of kids that did really well for us, we just fell short in a few areas that we thought we would get," Auburn second-year head coach Leroy Burrell said. "We're developing this program and we're not quite a finished product yet, let's not forget that. Alabama was a top 10 team last year and their women have been outstanding historically. We've got some work to do, but we are will to do the work."
Sophomore Abasiono Akpan won the women's 500m in 1:13.71, while newcomer Vimbayi Maisvorewa claimed the 300m dash in 37.75. Fellow newcomer Makanakaishe Charamba helped Auburn sweep the 300m as he claimed the men's race in a PR time of 33.52.
In the field events, sophomore Matthew Rueff won the men's shot put with a new best mark of 17.70m/58-1.
Auburn won two relay events with the men's quartet of Ryan Kinnane, Matthew Rainer, Davis Plowden and Louis O'Loughlin won the distance medley relay (9:53.62). The women won the 4x400m relay in 3:43.53 behind the efforts of Maisvorewa, Lallah Hasbrouck, Akpan, and Ashantae Harvey.
Auburn returns to action January 19-20 at the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville.
Harvey Glance Tide vs. Tigers Dual Meet
Birmingham SportsPlex, Birmingham, AL
January 11, 2024
Women's Weight Throw
3. Megan Hague 17.16m/56-3.75 PR
4. Mackenzie Patten 16.26m/53-4.25
Women's Pole Vault
2. Lexie Leinneweber 3.87m/12-8.25
3. Rhiannon Held 3.72m/12-2.5
T4. Brook Walden 3.57m/11-8.5 PR
Men's Weight Throw
2. Kyle Moison 20.60m/67-7
3. John Leonard 18.14m/59-6.25
4. Matthew Rueff 17.03m/55-10.5 PR
5. Grant Griffin 16.09m/52-9.5 PR
Women's Long Jump
1. Simone Johnson 5.99m/19-8 PR
2. Amy Warren 5.65m/18-6.5
3. Elise Heddens 5.30m/17-4.75
Women's 60m Hurdles
1. Denae Nembhard 8.37
2. Ashanti Harvey 8.69 PR
3. Elise Heddens 8.98
Men's 60m Hurdles
1. Ja'Kobe Tharpe 7.85 PR
2. Michael May 9.13
Women's 60m
2. Chante Clinkscale 7.35
Men's 60m
1. Favor Ashe 6.53
3. Makanakaishe Charamba 6.72 =PR
4. Azeem Fahmi 6.76
11. Charlie Sexton 7.01
Men's Pole Vault
3. Michael May 4.56m/14-11.5
Women's 3000m
4. Audrey Dunn 10:06.44 PR
5. Shelby Balding 10:06.66 PR
6. Hannah Thuss 10:06.94 PR
Men's 3000m
2. Max Hardin 8:14.56 PR
6. Carson Bedics 8:20.84
7. Hayden Judge 8:21.27 PR
8. Evan Hill 8:24.18 PR
13. Ethan Snyder 8:38.80 PR
14. Fuji Anday 8:40.95
17. Joseph Perry 8:58.35
Women's Shot Put
3. Megan Hague 14.97m/49-1.5 PR
Women's 500m
1. Abasiono Akpan 1:13.71 PR
3. Lalah Hasbrouck 1:17.23 PR
Women's High Jump
2. Sanaa Barnes 1.84m/6-0.5 PR
Men's High Jump
2. Kayden Slay 2.06m/6-9 PR
3. Matthew Cless 2.06m/6-9 =PR
Men's 500m
3. Luke Roberts 1:03.87 PR
4. Matthew Rainer 1:07.77 PR
Women's 300m
1. Vimbayi Maisvorewa 37.75 PR
4. Ariel Sharpe 41.50
Men's Long Jump
2. Aaron Davis II 7.31m/23-11.75 PR
Men's 300m
1. Makanakaishe Charamba 33.52 PR
3. Favor Ashe 33.82 PR
6. LeBron Bessick 34.30
8. Dario Matau 34.80 PR
10. Ja'Kobe Tharpe 35.63 PR
11. Charle Sexton 36.21 PR
Men's Shot Put
1. Matthew Rueff 17.70m/58-1 PR
3. Grant Griffin 16.64m/54-7.25
6. Michael May 12.54m/41-4.75 PR
Women's 1000m
6. Presley Miles 3:16.73 PR
Men's 1000m
2. Cooper Atkins 2:25:84 PR
3. Rex Green 2:26.11
8. Benson Atkins 2:32.20
Women's Distance Medley Relay
2. Auburn 11:30.72
G. Coetzee, Z. Reed, H. Marston, H. Tarwater
Men's Distance Medley Relay
1. Auburn 9:53.62
R. Kinnane, M. Rainer, D. Plowden, L. O'Loughlin
Women's 4x400m Relay
1. Auburn 3:43.53
V. Maisvorewa, L. Hasbrouck, A. Akpan, Ashantae Harvey
Men's 4x400m Relay
2. Auburn 3:31.09
L. Bessick, I. Myers, L. Roberts, D. Matau
