AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn track and field delivered an impressive weekend showing with multiple record-breaking performances, highlighted by school records from senior Megan Hague, sophomore Max Hardin, and a freshman record tied by Sophia Mazzoni..
Competing at the Wake Forest Invitational in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida, the Tigers also tallied 12 new personal bests, notched six NCAA top-10 marks, and had 16 podium finishes.
Leading the distance group in Winston-Salem, Max Hardin broke the oldest standing Auburn school record in the men’s 1500m with a crossing time of 3:38.28. The Auburn native surpassed the 45-year-old mark previously set by Roger Jones in 1981 and posted the eighth time in the nation this season.
In Gainesville, Hague shattered the Auburn outdoor school record in the women’s shot put with a throw of 18.22m (59-9.5), surpassing Valentina Muzaric’s 2013 mark by 0.33 meters. The All-American now holds the No. 2 mark in the NCAA this season and has broken three school records since the start of the indoor campaign. Hague now owns three of the top-five best marks in Auburn history in the event.
In just her third collegiate competition, Sophia Mazzoni matched her own Auburn freshman record she set a month prior with a throw of 51.18m/167-11 in women’s javelin, finishing fifth in the event.
Junior Ja’Kobe Tharp made an immediate impact in his outdoor debut, posting a time of 13.09 in the men’s 110m hurdles. The mark ranks No. 2 in the NCAA this season and is the second-best in Auburn history, advancing him to the finals that afternoon.
In sprints, junior Kayinsola Ajayi ran a wind-aided 9.90 to win the men’s 100m invite, tied for the third fastest time in the NCAA this season. He was joined on the podium by sophomore Israel Okon, who placed second in 9.95 (wind-aided), the fifth-fastest mark nationally.
Okon would also secure gold in the men’s 200m with a personal best 20.27, the No.1 time in the SEC and second fastest time in the NCAA this season, earning him sixth on the AU performers list in the event.
Seniors Omari Lewis, Austin Kresley, and Tyler Davis swept the podium in the men’s 100m, with Lewis leading the way in 10.27. Kresley crossed in 10.29 to take silver, while Davis rounded out the sweep with a 10.32 finish.
Competing at the Wake Forest Invitational, sophomore Nickson Chebii took silver in the men’s 10,000m with a personal best 28:39.16, making him the No. 3 performer in AU history Thursday night. In the men’s 1500m, sophomore Joshua Kosgei finished fifth in 3:42.05, a new personal best time and worthy of the No. 7 performer in AU history.
On the women’s side, junior Hallie Porterfield finished fourth in the 3000m steeplechase with a personal best 10:20.10, earning her second on the AU performers list in the event. In the women’s 1500m invitational, sophomore Camila Gomes clocked a 4:12.85, the third-fastest time in program history.
In the field events, sophomore Camryn Massey set a new personal best in women’s discus with a toss of 57.19m/187-7, earning silver and making her the No. 3 performer in Auburn history. Junior Marley Raikiwasa followed right behind in third with a mark of 54.58m/179-1.
Freshman Norah Lind earned silver in the women’s hammer throw with a personal best mark of 61.89m/203-0, making her the No. 4 AU performer in the event. On the men’s side, junior John Leonard earned bronze in hammer throw with a mark of 62.84m/206-2.
In men’s long jump, Ibukunolowa Daramola captured gold with a mark of 7.58m/24-10.5, earning him his first collegiate event win, while on the women’s side, junior Nedra Richardson would finish 18th with a leap of 5.70m/18-8.5.
Senior Alyssa Quinones-Mixon would finish eighth in women’s pole vault with a mark of 4.30m/14-1.25, the seventh-best performance in Auburn history.
Next weekend, Auburn Tigers track and field will host the Tiger Track Classic at Hutsell-Rosen Track for an all-day meet on Saturday, April 25, with free admission for all.
WAKE FOREST INVITATIONAL
WINSTON-SALEM, NC – KENTNER STADIUM
Thursday, April 16
Women’s 800m
- Cady McPhail 2:07.67
Men’s 800m
- Rex Green 1:57.24
Women’s 3000m SC
- Hallie Porterfield 10:20.10 PR No. 2 AU performer
Men’s 3000m SC
- Evan Hill 9:03.87
Women’s 5000m
- Olivia Stedl 18:15.60
Men’s 10,000m
- Nickson Chebii 28:39.16 PR No. 3 AU performer
Friday, April 17
Women’s 1,500m Open 2
- Kennedy Hamilton 4:36.38 PR
Women’s 1,500m Open 4
- Ava Fields 4:29.76 PR
Cady McPhail DNF
Women’s 1,500m Invite 1
- Arianna Roy 4:24.83 PR
Women’s 1,500m Invite 2
- Gene Coetzee 4:28.09
Women’s 1,500m Invite 5
- Camila Gomes 4:12.85
Men’s 1,500m Invite 3
- Joshua Kosgei 3:42.05 PR No. 7 AU performer
Men’s 1,500m Invite 5
- Max Hardin 3:38.28 PR SR NCAA No. 8
Women’s 5,000m Invite 1
9. Audrey Dunn 16:45.24
12. Mary Mac Collins 16:49.44
TOM JONES MEMORIAL
GAINESVILLE, FLA – PERCY BEARD TRACK
Friday, April 17
Women’s 200m
- Sophia Efetobore 23.88
Men’s Hammer Throw
- John Leonard 62.84m/206-2
Men’s 200m
9. Tyler Davis 21.12
18. Ian Myers 21.37
Women’s 400m Hurdles
- Shakynah Tresvant 59.37
Brieanna Boyce DNS
Women’s Hammer Throw
- Norah Lind 61.89m/203-0 PR No. 4 AU performer
Women’s 200m Invite
- Reese Webster 23.45
Women’s Long Jump
- Nedra Richardson 5.70m/18-8.5
Women’s Javelin
- Sophia Mazzoni 51.18m./167-11 =PR =FR
Men’s 200m Invite
- Israel Okon 20.27 PR No. 6 AU performer
Mekhi Dupree DNS
Women’s 400m Hurdles Invite
- Zuriel Reed 57.29
Men’s Shot Put Invite
- Matthew Rueff 18.32m/60-1.25
Men’s Long Jump
1. Ibukunoluwa Daramola 7.58m/24-10.5
11. Aaron Davis II 7.17m/23-6.25
Women’s Shot Put Invite
3. Megan Hague 18.22m/59-9.5 PR SR NCAA No. 2
10. Marley Raikiwasa 16.04m/52-7.5
12. Camryn Massey 15.29m/50-2
Saturday, April 18
Women’s Discus Throw
- Camryn Massey 57.19m/187-7 PR No. 3 AU performer
- Marley Raikiwasa 54.58m/179-1
Women’s 100m
6. Nedra Richardson 11.62
26. Sophia Efetobore 11.86
Men’s 100m
- Omari Lewis 10.27
- Austin Kresley 10.29
- Tyler Davis 10.32
Women’s Pole Vault
- Elizabeth Dowdy 3.75m/12-3.5
Men’s 400m
- LeBron Bessick 47.33
Women’s 100m Hurdle Invite Prelims
Danae Nembhard DNS
Men’s 110 Hurdles Invite Prelims
- Ja’Kobe Tharp 13.09 NCAA No. 1 No. 2 AU performance
Men’s 110 Hurdles Invite Final
Ja’Kobe Tharp DNS
Women’s 4x100m Relay
Auburn DNS
Danae Nembhard, Reese Webster, Sophia Efetobore, Nedra Richardson
Men’s Discus Throw Invite
- Seth Allen 51.02m/167-5
Women’s Pole Vault Invite
- Alyssa Quinones-Mixon 4.30m/14-1.25 No. 7 AU performance
Men’s 4x100m Relay
Auburn DNS
Austin Kresley, Omari Lewis, Ian Myers, Tyler Davis
Women’s 400m Invite
- Cassidra Thompson 53.67
Women’s 100m Invite
- Reese Webster 11.48
Men’s 100m Invite
1. Kayinsola Ajayi 9.90w NCAA No. 1
2. Israel Okon 9.95w NCAA No. 5
14. Azeem Fahmi 10.17w
Women’s 4x400m Relay
Auburn DNS
Brieanna Boyce, Zuriel Reed, Shakynah Tresvant, Cassidra Thompson
Men’s 4x400m Relay
- Auburn 3:09.23
LeBron Bessick, Devin Nugent, Njabulo Mbatha, Mekhi Dupree
Key
PR: Personal Record
SR: School Record
FR: Freshman Record