AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn track and field looks to continue its strong start to the indoor season in Clemson, South Carolina at the Orange & Purple Invitational Friday this weekend, January 24-25. The two-day meet will be held at the Clemson University Indoor Track with the women’s pole vault starting Friday at 11 a.m. CT.
It is going to be a weekend full of stiff competition as the Tigers battle against Alabama, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Tennessee, UCF and host Clemson.
“We should see some really good performances in the sprints and throws,” Auburn track & field head coach Leroy Burrell said. “Those results could be off the charts. It has been like that all season, to be honest with you.”
Last week at the Samford Invitational, the throwers highlighted an impressive indoor-opening meet where the Tigers tallied four event wins and six collegiate personal bests.
On the women’s side, seniors Maura Huwalt and Adrienne Adams finished first and second in weight throw. Huwalt’s mark of 20.16m places her fourth in the SEC. Adams is ranked seventh in the conference (19.39m).
Huwalt also competed in shot put where she finished fourth overall (16.17m). She was joined by sophomore Marley Raikiwasa and junior Megan Hague with the former placing second (16.48m) and the latter coming in third (16.48m)
For the men, junior Matthew Rueff won men’s shot put, claiming eighth on Auburn’s Indoor Top Performers list (18.21m).
In men’s weight throw, Auburn had four finish in the top ten. Senior Kyle Brown finished third with a toss of 21.26m. Junior John Leonard placed fourth with a PR of 21.03m, senior Kyle Moison in fifth (19.32) and junior Seth Allen finished eighth (17.53m).
Other notable performances came from junior Rhiannon Held who cleared 4.07m in women’s pole vault to claim gold, junior Lebron Bessick who finished first with a collegiate-best time of 47.61 in the men’s 400m dash and sophomore Audrey Dunn who picked up a PR in the women’s 3000m, finishing second overall (9:40.68).
“We’ve got a few things we need to get done,” Burrell said. “We need our men’s sprint group to continue to improve, perform and dominate well. We have a few jumpers we need to get moving. The headline for us will be Ja’Kobe Tharp. He is going to open in the 60 hurdles.”
Last season, sophomore Ja’Kobe Tharp dominated the hurdles. He won an SEC outdoor championship and finished national runner-up in the 110m hurdles. He enters his second season for the Tigers on the Bowerman Preseason Watch List.
“We should line up pretty nicely,” Burrell said. “It is going to be a challenge obviously, but I think we will be able to do some pretty nice things there.”
Live results can be found at flashresults.com and live streamed on the ACCNX on Friday and Saturday.
Up Next
The Tigers will travel back to Clemson, South Carolina to compete at the Bob Pollock Invitational, Jan. 31 – Feb. 1 on the Clemson University Indoor Track.