CLEMSON, S.C. - Auburn’s freshman sensation Brenda Jepchirchir clocked 9:08.37 in the women’s 3000m Saturday, setting a new rookie record for the program and highlighting what was a strong showing at the Orange & Purple Invitational in Clemson, South Carolina.
Jepchirchir’s time of 9:08.37 broke Joyce Kimeli’s 2019 record (9:24.59). She finished second overall and her time places her fourth on Auburn’s Indoor Top Performers list.
Including Jepchirchir’s showing, the team delivered 15 collegiate personal best performances and three event wins over the weekend.
For sprints on the men’s side, first team All-American Makanakaishe Charamba won the 200m, equaling his personal best with the second fastest Auburn indoor time (20.55). Senior Dario Matau finished not far behind, in third place (21.02).
Sophomore Kayinsola Ajayi, freshman Israel Okon and junior Azeem Fahmi competed in the 60m dash. In the preliminary round, Ajayi ran a PR (5.67) with the fastest time of the day. Okon and Fahmi finished second (6.65) and eighth (6.73), respectively. All three advanced to the semifinal round.
In the next round, it was Okon who earned a PR (6.61), finishing the event second overall. Ajayi had the fastest time in this round (6.57), and Fahmi’s time of 6.67 was good enough to secure a spot in finals.
In the final round of the 60m dash, Okon claimed bronze (6.63) and Fahmi’s season’s best time of 6.68 earned fourth place.
Making his indoor season debut, sophomore Ja’Kobe Tharp won the preliminary and semifinal rounds of the 60m hurdles. His time of 7.60 in the prelims placed him second on Auburn’s Indoor Top Performers list. Tharp ran 7.62 in the semis.
On the women’s side of the sprints, senior Chante Clinkscale made it to the 60m dash finals. Clinkscale won her prelims heat (7.38), automatically qualifying for semis where she ran a time of 7.39m. In the final round, she placed fifth, crossing the line in 7.39.
Racing in the 60m hurdles, sophomore Ana-Liese Torian’s time of 8.30 in prelims was good enough to automatically qualify for semis. Torian finished the round seventh overall with a time of 8.27.
Second team All-American Vimbayi Maisvorewa took silver in the 400m (53.15). Sophomore Deborah Oke’s time of 54.44 earned her a PR in the event.
Competing in his first meet for the Tigers, freshman Asande Mthembu claimed bronze in long jump with a mark of 7.49m. Sophomore Jay Avery recorded a personal best in the event and placed sixth overall (7.17m). Senior John Murray delivered a season’s best mark of 7.11m and finished seventh.
Also competing in long jump, sophomore Shonedra Richardson secured silver and delivered a collegiate-best performance (5.99m).
The distance squad delivered a strong showing for the Tigers. The men took gold and silver in the mile. Sophomore Max Hardin won the event and claimed a new collegiate personal best time of 3:59.57. Senior Cooper Atkins also earned a personal best record, crossing the line in 4:03.10. Hardin’s time placed him third on Auburn’s Indoor Top Performers list and Atkins’ time is ninth.
For the women, three Tigers finished within the top 15 of the mile. Sophomore Camila Gomes placed third (4:45.03) and junior Gené Coetzee finished right behind, taking fourth with a time of 4:45.03. Sophomore Cady McPhail’s time of 4:50.98 earned her a new PR in the event, crossing the line 13th.
Coetzee also competed in the 3000m where she earned a PR in the event (9:24.00).
Seniors Kyle Brown and Kyle Moison finished third and fifth, respectively in the men’s weight throw. The former tossed 21.92m and the latter earned a mark of 19.36m.
In shot put, senior John Murry established a lifetime best with a throw of 15.61m and placed 11th overall.
On the women’s side, senior Maura Huwalt took gold in weight throw for the second time in two weeks (21.01m). Also competing in the event for the second time this season was senior Adrienne Adams. The Portmore, Jamaica native finished fourth (19.01m).
In shot put, junior Megan Hague had a career-best mark of 7m and finished second overall. Huwalt finished third (15.87m) and sophomore Marley Raikiwasa took fourth (15.70m).
Other notable performances came from junior Alyssa Quinones-Mixon and senior Rhiannon Held, who finished second (4.17m) and fifth (4.02m), respectively, in the pole vault invitational.
Orange & Purple Invitational
Clemson University Indoor Track; Clemson, South Carolina
January 24-25, 2025
Men’s Results
60m Preliminary
- Kayinsola Ajayi, 6.57
- Israel Okon, 6.65
8. Azeem Fahmi, 6.73
60m Semifinals
1.Kayinsola Ajayi, 6.57
- Israel Okon, 6.61
8. Azeem Fahmi, 6.67
60m Finals
- Israel Okon, 6.63
- Azeem Fahmi, 6.68
60m Hurdles Preliminary
1. Ja’Kobe Tharp, 7.60
60m Hurdles Semifinals
1. Ja’Kobe Tharp, 7.62
Mile
- Max Hardin, 3:59.57
- Cooper Atkins, 4:03.10
400m
DNF. LeBron Bessick
3000m
- Carson Bedics, 8:32.41
200m
1. Maka Charamba, 20.55
- Dario Matau, 21.02
15. Ian Myers, 21.48
Weight Throw
- Kyle Brown, 21.92m
5. Kyle Moison, 19.36m
10. Seth Allen, 17.22m
Long Jump
- Asande Mthembu, 7.49m
6. Jay Avery, 7.17m
7. John Murray, 7.11m
Shot Put
- Matthew Rueff, 17.47m
11. John Murray, 15.61m
4x400m Relay
DNF. Auburn
Women’s Results
Long Jump
- Shonedra Richardson, 5.99m
Weight Throw
- Maura Huwalt, 21.01m
4. Adrienne Adams, 19.01m
Pole Vault Invitational
- Alyssa Quinones-Mixon, 4.17m
- Rhiannon Held, 4.02m
16. Brooke Walden, 3.72m
60m Preliminaries
- Chante Clinkscale, 7.38
60m Semifinals
- Chante Clinkscale, 7.39
60m Finals
- Chante Clinkscale, 7.39
60m Hurdles Preliminaries
- Ana-Liese Torian, 8.30
60m Hurdles Semifinals
- Ana-Liese Torian, 8.27
Mile
- Camila Gomes, 4:45.03
- Gené Coetzee, 4:45.67
13. Cady McPhail, 4:50.98
400m
- Vimbayi Maisvorewa, 53.15
7. Deborah Oke, 54.44
14. Zuriel Reed, 56.35
3000m
- Brenda Jepchirchir, 9:08.37
4. Gené Coetzee, 9:24.00
12. Hallie Porterfield, 9:43.80
Shot Put
- Megan Hague, 16.67m
3. Maura Huwalt, 15.87m
4. Marley Raikiwasa, 15.70m
200m
- Chante Clinkscale, 24.65
800m
- Camila Gomes, 2:09.67
16. Cady McPhail, 2:15.85
4x400m Relay
- Auburn, 3:35.21