Maura Huwalt wins Auburn’s fourth SEC individual title
OXFORD, Miss.—Auburn women have won their most individual titles at a Southeastern Conference championship in more than a decade, claiming four, including junior gold Maura Huwalt in the discus throw on the third and final day of competition on Saturday.
Huwalt joined other pitchers Madi Malone (hammer throw) and Ashley Carter (Javelin Throw) to win an SEC crown, the first for everyone. It’s the first time in conference history, male or female, that a school has swept the long throw events in a conference meet. In the same way Joyce Kimeli Friday night’s steeplechase title was the most for Tiger women in 12 years.
On his second attempt at the discus throw, Huwalt took an early lead with a personal best 54.35m / 178-3 and held that lead until the penultimate throw of the competition when Tedreauna Britt d ‘Ole Miss stepped into the ring. . Britt’s sixth and final mark passed Huwalt by a mere centimeter (54.36m/178-4), momentarily giving him the lead.
Undaunted, a focused Huwalt unleashed the best throw in Auburn history, throwing 56.21m/184-5, nearly two yards further than Britt, to claim his first SEC championship. Huwalt’s game-winning shot broke Olympian Rachel Dincoff’s school record of 183-1 set in 2015.
For the men, the third day was highlighted by a pair of silver medals. high jumper Dontavious Hill finished second in the men’s high jump, clearing 2.21m/7-3. It was the Mobile, Alabama native’s third SEC runner-up while finishing second in indoor competition in 2021 and 2022. The senior performance marked the first time in eight years that a high jumper Auburn won silver in the conference outdoor meet.
Senior James Courson won silver in the men’s pole vault after posting a personal best 5.45m/17-10.5. The second-place finish tied the best finish ever by an Auburn man in the event’s conference meet, tying Clark Humphreys’ second-place finish in 2000. A 2021 SEC indoor finalist, Courson cleared 5.45 m on his second attempt after successfully clearing his three bar on the first try.
Senior Presley Weems broke his own school record in the 800 m clocking a time of 2:03.50 to finish sixth. Weems, who ran in 2:05.28 in the preliminaries, now holds seven of the 10 fastest half-mile times ever at Auburn.
Less than 24 hours after winning an SEC title in the 3000m steeplechase, Joyce Kimeli turned around and clocked the fifth fastest time in UA history in the 5k, crossing in 15:59.19 to claim sixth place. Participating in his first SEC meeting, Asia Jinks took eighth place in the 400m hurdles in 58.25.
The female quartet of Tylar Colbert, Aalliyah Francois, Zatoria Thompson and Niya Benton Andrews finished seventh in the 4x100m relay in 45.58. Colbert and Francis teamed up with Jink and John Dietrich in the 4x400m relay, taking eighth place in 3:37.11.
Second year ryan kinnane ran the fifth fastest 1,500 m time in school history, clocking 3:42.14 to finish sixth. His time was the fastest ever run by an Auburn distance runner in the 1,500 m in the SEC.
Native of Jackson, Mississippi, senior Dante Brown finished sixth in the men’s 100m with a time of 10.20.
The women finished the competition seventh with 58 points, while the men were 10th with 33 points. The combined 91 points was Auburn’s most since 2012. Florida won the women’s tag team title, while Arkansas took the women’s victory.
DRY OUTDOOR ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS
OLE MISS TRACK & FIELD COMPLEX
OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI
Saturday, May 14—Day 3
female discus
1. Maura Huwalt 56.21m/184-5 (SR, PR)
8. Joceyln Budwig 51.29m/168-3 (RP)
Men’s Pole Vault
2. James Courson 5.45m/17-10.5
T-11. Matthew Asplund 4.85m/15-11
women’s triple jump
14. Gasoline Thomas 12.23m/40-1.5
Men’s discus throw
18. Ethan Richter 47.08m/154-5
20. Alex Spyridonidis 45.24m/148-5
Quinten Wynn MISTAKE
High jump men
2.Dontavious Hill 2.21m/7-3
13. TJ Funches 2.02m/6-7.5
T-14. david edmondson 2.02m/6-7.5
Women’s 4x100m relay
7. Auburn 45.58
Tylar Colbert, Aalliyah Francois, Zatoria Thompson, Niya Benton Andrews
Women’s Pole Vault
12. Lexie Leinnewweber 3.90m/12-9.5
Rhiannon outfit NH
1500m men
6. ryan kinnane 3:42.14
100m men
6. Dante Brown 10:20 a.m.
800m women
6. Presley Weems 2:03.50 (SR, PR)
400m hurdles women
8. Asia Jinks 58.25
5000m women
6. Joyce Kimeli 15:59.19
25. Sara Pacer 17:45.87
27. Hallie Porterfield 18:28.88
5000m men
12. Tommy McDonough 14:14.98 (PR)
18. Cooper Atkins 14:35.99 (PR)
19. Carson Bedics 14:36.88
ryan kinnane DNF
Women’s 4x400m relay
8.Auburn 3:37.11
Asia Jinks, Tylar Colbert, John Dietrich, Aalliyah Francois