Champ Central
Final Men's Results
Final Women's Results
Highlights on The American Digital Network
Awards Ceremony
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Houston men's and Cincinnati women's programs won the 2016 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships, held at the UCF Soccer and Track Complex from Thursday May 12, to Sunday, May 15.
The Cougars’ men’s squad totaled 203 points to claim the 2016 championship by 55 points over second-place UConn (148). Memphis finished in third place with 97 points, followed by USF in fourth (92.50), and East Carolina in fifth (91). Tulsa (85), Cincinnati (72) and Tulane (24.50) rounded out the field.
Cincinnati won its first American Athletic Conference women’s championship, with a team score of 111 points, topping runner-up UCF by 13 points (98). UConn trailed UCF by just one point to take third place (97). East Carolina finished in fourth place (93), while Tulane (90) rounded out the top five. SMU’s 89 points were good for sixth place, followed by seventh-place Memphis with 86 points. Houston (66), Temple (37), USF (29) and Tulsa (22) completed the scoring.
Houston senior LeShon Collins earned the Most Outstanding Performer honor for the men’s track events, as he produced three event titles and set two meet records in The American’s 2016 outdoor championships.
Senior Avion Jones of East Carolina was named the Men’s Field Most Outstanding Performer, after winning the high jump with the NCAA’s top mark in 2016, and earning his second all-conference honor with a third-place finish in the triple jump.
Tulane’s Lilla McMillan was named the Women’s Track Most Outstanding Performer for the second time this year, after capturing three event championships and setting two meet records. The senior was awarded the same honor at the 2016 American Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships.
The Most Outstanding Women’s Field Performer was presented to SMU senior Lucija Cvitanovic, The American’s three-time heptathlon champion and 2016 women’s javelin throw runner-up.
The Houston men’s coaching staff, led by LeRoy Burrell, was named the American Athletic Conference Coaching Staff of the Year for the second time in 2016, while Susan Seaton and the Cincinnati coaching staff was honored on the women’s side.
With six Houston participants in both the men’s 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, the Cougars’ sprinters placed in the top-three spots in each event. Senior LeShon Collins led the way in both races, with a stadium-record time of 10.15 in the 100 meter, and a meet and stadium record time of 20.43 in the 200 meter. Freshman Mario Burke took second in the 100 meter (10.27), and third in the 200 meter (20.87). Sophomore Cameron Burrell was third in the 100 meter (10.32) and the runner-up in the 200 meter (20.75).
It was a close race in the women’s 100-meter dash, as UConn’s Taylor Anderson took first (11.47) by just one-hundredth of a second over second-place SheKara Martin of UCF (11.48). SMU’s Craishia Washington finished in third place (11.49). Anderson set a new American Athletic Conference outdoor championships record with her finish.
Tulane’s McMillan ran a meet-record time of 23.00 as she won the women’s 200-meter dash. SMU freshman Latessa Johnson finished second (23.06), while Cincinnati senior Kenya Woodall took third (23.09).
Cincinnati’s Jimmy Brooks (46.033) edged UConn's Chinedu Amonu (46.039) by just six one-thousandths of a second, to claim the men’s 400-meter dash title. USF senior Dwight Davis was third in the event (46.51).
Tulane teammates McMillan and Jasmine Blocker took the top-two spots in the women’s 400-meter dash. McMillan won the event as she finished in 51.38, setting meet and stadium records. Blocker was second (51.66), also running under the previous stadium record of 52.00. Cincinnati’s Kenya Woodall took third place, crossing the finish line in 52.57.
Houston freshman Amere Lattin claimed two event titles, finishing the men’s 110-meter hurdles in 13.59, and the men’s 400-meter hurdles in a meet-record time of 50.71. In the 110-meter hurdles, fellow Cougar Issac Williams finished second (13.66), followed by UConn’s Selwyn Maxwell in third (13.96). USF senior Paul Barrett (50.81) and Memphis’ Aaron Persinger (52.10) took second and third, respectively, in the men’s 400-meter hurdles.
Cincinnati’s Javette Lee set a meet record as she claimed first place in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, with a time of 13.25. Teammate Je’Rica Sanders came in third place (13.58), while East Carolina’s Cheyenne Hutchinson was the runner-up (13.46). Lee earned her second all-conference honor as she came in third in the women’s 400-meter hurdles (59.46). Tulane freshman Jessica Duckett claimed the 400-meter hurdles title (58.20), while East Carolina’s Janieyah Collins was runner-up (59.43).
Houston freshman Brian Bell set The American outdoor championships record as he won the men’s 800-meter run, crossing the finish line in 1:48.32. Memphis’ LaForrest Church took second place as he also ran under the meet record (1:49.77), followed by East Carolina’s Stefano Migliorati in third (1:50.34).
A meet record was also set in the women’s 800 meters, as UCF’s Rosie Chamberlain finished with a time of 2:04.62 to take the event title. UConn’s Alexis Panisse (2:06.60) and Hannah Parker (2:07.52) took second and third, respectively, followed by three more Huskies in fourth through sixth place.
UConn junior Michael O’Donnell claimed his second men’s 1,500 meter title (3:50.09). Houston's Brian Barraza was second (3:50.85), followed by Tulsa’s Ellis Coon in third place (3:51.39).
On the women’s side, Temple's Blanca Fernandez won the 1,500 meter for the second-consecutive year (4:26.60). Holly Archer of SMU took second place, (4.27.00), while UConn’s Laura Williamson finished third (4:27.74).
Tulsa athletes had the top-two and four of the top-five times in the men’s 5,000-meter run, all running under the previous meet-record time of 14:18.75. Junior Marc Scott led the field with a time of 14:07.02, setting both meet and stadium records. Teammate Tim Rackers was second (14:09.33), and Houston’s Brian Barraza took third place (14:11.97).
Temple’s Fernandez claimed her second event title of the day, winning the women's 5,000 meter run with a stadium-record time of 16:14.62. UCF’s Anne-Marie Blaney came in second (16:15.59); followed by UConn’s Emily Durgin in third (16:56.34), as they each earned their second 2016 all-conference honor.
For the third-straight year, Houston placed first in the men's 4x100-meter relay. LeShon Collins, Mario Burke, Jacarias Martin and Cameron Burrell set both meet and stadium records with a time of 38.95. East Carolina’s squad finished second (39.97), followed by UConn in third (40.50).
UCF won the women's 4x100-meter relay, as the quartet of SheKara Martin, Christal Peterson, Briana Vaughn and Alissa Williams set a meet record of 44.14. Seniors Vaughn and Peterson have both been a part of the UCF relay squads that have taken gold in the event the past three years. Houston’s team placed second (44.22) while Cincinnati came in third (44.39). The top-three teams were all under the previous meet record of 44.47, set by UCF in 2015.
In the men’s 4x400-meter relay, the top-three teams finished under the previous meet record time of 3:08.84, set by Houston in 2014. Houston’s 2016 squad of Amere Lattin, Gerald Mills, Brian Bell and Mario Burke – all of which are freshman - set the new meet record of 3:07.47 on the way to winning the event title. Cincinnati was the event runner-up, finishing in 3:08.13, followed closely by UConn in third (3:08.82).
Tulane’s 4x400-meter relay squad, consisting of Jessica Duckett, Jessica Adamson, Jasmine Blocker and Lilla McMillan, took home the gold in the event (3:36.07 ). Houston came in second place (3:37.64), while Cincinnati was third (3:38.56).
Houston sophomore Diayja Sheppard won the women’s high jump at 5-8.0/1.73 meters. Runner-up was Temple freshman Crystal Jones, who also cleared 5-8.0/1.73 meters. Cincinnati teammates Erika Hurd and Loretta Blaut tied for third place with a height of 5-7.0/1.70 meters.
Luke Vaughn of Memphis won the men's shot put with a distance of 60-0.5/18.30 meters. Houston claimed the next two places, as sophomore Felipe Valencia finished in second (59-11/18.26m), and junior Alejandro Garza in third (58-3.75/17.77m).
SMU junior Tochi Nlemchi captured first place in the women's shot put, setting meet and stadium records with a toss of 55-0/16.76 meters. East Carolina’s Galissia Cause took second place (51-9/15.77m), followed by UCF freshman Jhane’ Carter in third (51-7.75/15.74m).
USF senior Matthew O’Neal claimed first place in the men's triple jump with the NCAA’s second-best 2016 mark of 54-11.5/16.75 meters. East Carolina’s Allen Bordley and Avion Jones finished second and third, respectively, with marks of 51-1.5/15.58 meters. Bordley was given the runner-up nod by winning the tiebreaker with his second-best jump of 50-8.25/15.45 meters. O’Neal and Jones each earned two 2016 all-conference honors.
Junior Chardae Greenlee of Memphis captured her second-straight women's triple jump title, with a leap of 42-9.0/13.03 meters. UConn’s Odrine Belot (42-5.5/12.94m) was second, while Tulane’s Tamika Brazzel took third (42-2.25/12.86m).
2016 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
UCF SOCCER AND TRACK COMPLEX – ORLANDO, FLA.
Final Men's Team Standings
1. Houston – 203 points
2. UConn – 148 points
3. Memphis – 97 points
4. USF - 92.50 points
5. East Carolina – 91 points
6. Tulsa – 85 points
7. Cincinnati – 72 points
8. Tulane - 24.50 points
2016 American Athletic Conference Award Winners
Men’s Track Most Outstanding Performer
LeShon Collins, Sr., Houston
Men’s Field Most Outstanding Performer
Avion Jones, Sr., East Carolina
Men’s Coaching Staff of the Year
Houston
Final Women's Team Standings
1. Cincinnati – 111 points
2. UCF – 98 points
3. UConn – 97 points
4. East Carolina – 93 points
5. Tulane – 90 points
6. SMU – 89 points
7. Memphis – 86 points
8. Houston – 66 points
9. Temple – 37 points
10. USF – 29 points
11. Tulsa – 22 points
2016 American Athletic Conference Award Winners
Women’s Track Most Outstanding Performer
Lilla McMillan, Sr., Tulane
Women’s Field Most Outstanding Performer
Lucija Cvitanovic, Sr., SMU
Women’s Coaching Staff of the Year
Cincinnati
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