BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Auburn track and field team opened the 2025 indoor season with a strong showing in Birmingham, Alabama Friday at the Samford Invitational competing at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
The Tigers took home four event wins and six collegiate personal bests, but it was the throws squad that highlighted the team's outing.
On the men’s side, junior Matthew Rueff won the men's shot put with a strong mark of 18.21m, placing him eighth on Auburn’s Indoor Top Performers list.
Four Auburn men finished within the top ten of weight throw. Senior Kyle Brown led the charge, coming in third (21.26m). On his first attempt at the event, junior John Leonard delivered a PR-worthy toss of 21.03 and finished fourth. He now holds the sixth furthest throw on Auburn’s Indoor Top Performers List. Senior Kyle Moison claimed fifth (19.32m) and junior transfer from Purdue, Seth Allen, also had a collegiate-best throw of 17.53m.
For the women, seniors Maura Huwalt and Adrienne Adams claimed gold and silver in weight throw with the former tossing 20.16m and the latter having a mark of 19.39m. In shot put, the trio of sophomore Marley Raikiwasa, junior Megan Hague and Huwalt went second (16.82m), third (16.48m) and fourth (16.17m), respectively.
Junior Rhiannon Held joined Huwalt on the winner’s podium. The Bogart, Georgia native cleared 4.07m in pole vault to claim gold. Fellow pole vaulter Brooke Walden placed seventh with a mark of 3.82m. Competing for the first time in orange and blue, freshman Ansley Murphy placed 15th overall (3.52m).
Making his indoor season debut, sophomore Jay Avery leaped out 6.99m for a sixth-place finish in men’s long jump.
The sprinting group for the men delivered a solid outing. In the preliminary round of the 60m, sophomore Kayinsola Ajayi finished first (6.67), junior Azeem Fahmi and freshman Israel Okon tied for third (6.69), junior Ian Myers in sixth (6.77), senior Dario Matau placed ninth (6.84) and Maka Charamba in 12th (6.80). All six sprinters qualified for the semifinal round of the event.
In the semifinal round, Okon crossed the line in 6.64, finishing the round first overall. Ajayi finished third with a time of 6.72 and Fahmi crossed fourth (6.69).
The Auburn men took gold and bronze in the 400m dash. Making his third indoor season appearance, junior LeBron Bessick finished first with a collegiate-best time of 47.61. Coming in third was senior Luke Roberts (48.65). Junior Matthew Rainer also delivered a personal record, crossing the line in 49.55 to finish eleventh overall.
On the women’s side for sprints, senior Chante Clinkscale had the fastest time of the day in the 60m preliminary and semifinal rounds. Racing in heat two of the preliminary round, she finished in 7.34 and automatically qualified for the semifinal round where she ran 7.39.
Auburn women’s distance had a solid day as sophomore Audrey Dunn picked up a new PR in the 3000m at 9:40.68. Racing their first indoor season for the Tigers, freshman Alexandra Walsh (10:05.16) and junior Hailey Howard (10:14.52) finished sixth and ninth, respectively. Sophomore Olivia Comini also had her indoor debut, racing in the 3000m and crossing the line in 11:56.95.
Competing in her first collegiate meet, freshman Luci Williams crossed the line in 5:27.16.
On the men’s side, junior Joseph Perry competed in the 3000m, finishing in 8:36.93. Perry was closely followed by senior Benson Atkins (8:39.12), who finished tenth and senior Fuji Anday (8:39.27), who finished eleventh.
Samford Invitational
Birmingham CrossPlex; Birmingham, Alabama
Friday, January 17th
Men’s Results
60m – Prelims
- Kanyinaola Ajayi, 6.67
3. Azeem Fahmi, 6.69
3. Israel Okon, 6.69
6. Ian Myers, 6.77
9. Dario Matau, 6.84
12. Maka Charamba, 6.80
60m – Semis
1. Israel Okon, 6.64
- Kanyinsola Ajayi, 6.72
- Azeem Fahmi, 6.69
6. Maka Charamba, 6.74
11. Ian Myers, 6.77
13. Dario Matau, 6.82
60m Hurdles – Prelims
- John Murray, 8.55
400m
1. LeBron Bessick, 47.61
- Luke Roberts, 48.65
- Matthew Rainer, 49.55
3000m
- Joseph Perry, 8:36.93
- Benson Atkins, 8:39.12
- Fuji Anday, 8:39.27
High Jump
- Kayden Slay, 2.02m
Long Jump
- Jay Avery, 6.99m
14. John Murray, 6.63
Shot Put
1.Matthew Rueff, 18.21m
- John Murray, 14.98m
Weight Throw
- Kyle Brown, 21.26m
- John Leonard, 21.03m
- Kyle Moison, 19.32m
8. Seth Allen, 17.53m
Women’s Results
60m – Prelims
1.Chante Clinkscale, 7.34
60m – Semis
1.Chante Clinkscale, 7.39
800m
- Saniya Mathew, 2:20.59
DNF. Presley Miles
Mile
- Hailey Marston, 5:13.28
26. Mary Malone, 5:25.86
28. Luci Williams, 5:27.16
3000m
- Audrey Dunn, 9:40.68
6. Alexandra Walsh, 10:05.16
9. Hailey Howard, 10:14.52
10. Hannah Thuss, 10:16.71
20. Ava McIntosh, 10:41.04
31. Olivia Comini, 11:56.95
Pole Vault
1. Rhiannon Held, 4.07m
- Brooke Walden, 3.82m
15. Ansley Murphy, 3.52m
Shot Put
- Marley Raikiwasa, 16.82m
- Megan Hague, 16.48m
- Maura Huwalt, 16.17m
Weight Throw
1. Maura Huwalt, 10.16m
2. Adrienne Adams, 19.39m
4x400m Relay
1. Auburn, 3:39.22