Jan. 18-19 Results:
Men’s Results
| Cincinnati |
Vanderbilt Invite/Gladstein Invite |
RECAP |
| UConn |
Sorlien Invite |
RECAP |
| ECU |
Virginia Tech Invite |
RECAP |
| Houston |
Red Raider Invite |
RECAP |
| Memphis |
Vanderbilt Invite |
RECAP |
| USF |
Gamecock Invite |
RECAP |
| Wichita State |
Shocker Prelude/KSU-KU-WSU Triangular |
RECAP |
Women’s Results
| UCF |
Clemson Invite |
RECAP |
| Cincinnati |
Vanderbilt Invite/Gladstein Invite |
RECAP |
| UConn |
Vanderbilt Invite |
RECAP |
| ECU |
Virginia Tech Invite |
RECAP |
| Houston |
Red Raider Invite |
RECAP |
| Memphis |
Vanderbilt Invite |
RECAP |
| USF |
Gamecock Invite |
RECAP |
| SMU |
MLK Jr. Collegiate Invite |
RECAP |
| Temple |
Penn 8-Team Select |
RECAP |
| Tulane |
Samford Invite |
RECAP |
| Wichita State |
Shocker Prelude/KSU-KU-WSU Triangular |
RECAP |
Highlights
- Eleven American Athletic Conference indoor track and field programs were in action over the weekend, as the league combined for 13 top-20 marks in the NCAA this season. Numerous first-place finishes, along with big personal, school and meet records were registered by American teams from Jan. 18-19.
Cincinnati sent athletes to compete in both the Gladstein Invitational in Bloomington, Ind, as well as the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville, Tenn. over the weekend. The Bearcats’ men’s and women’s teams combined to record numerous personal records. Freshman Caisja Chandler won the 200m, running the third-fastest time in The American this season (24.08) in a field that featured 102 athletes in her debut meet at Vanderbilt. Angelica Lightfoot won the 60m hurdles, placing first in the event with a time of 8.68 in the finals. In the field, Irati Mitxelena bounced her way to the win in the triple jump with a best of 12.46m (40-10.50).
The UConn women also competed at the Vanderbilt Invitational, as the Huskies nabbed nine top-10 finishes over the course of the two-day event. Susan Aneno carried her success from the Nittany Lion Challenge last week into the 800m race, finishing second overall with a time of 2:03.94, setting a new school record. Her mark ranks No. 2 in the country this season. Mia Nahom (mile) and Jaclyn Gallery (5,000m) each had third-place finishes.
Two school records fell for Memphis, who joined Cincinnati and UConn at the Vanderbilt Invitational. For the second-straight meet this season, DeeNia McMiller broke her school record in the women's weight throw with her throw of throw of 66-5 (20.24m). Then on Saturday, sprinter Davon DeMoss shattered his previous 60m record of 6.67 with a 6.61 effort to win the event, as his time ranks fifth in the NCAA this season.
The UConn men’s team traveled to Rhode Island on Saturday to compete in the Sorlein Invitational where several Huskies collected wins and personal records. Todd Stueber pushed himself up The American rankings in the shot put by winning the event with a personal-best throw of 16.85 meters (55'3.5"). Senior Ian Bergere picked-up another win in the pole vault, besting the field with a height of 4.90 meters (16'0.75"). Eric Van Der Els (800m) and PJ Garmon (mile) each took home wins after running their respective events for the first time this season. Freshman Wellington Ventura joined them with a first-place finish on the track, grabbing his first collegiate win with a time 1:05.09 in the 500m. Senior Kyle Barber won the 1,000m in 2:26.94—a new personal best by two seconds—while classmate Aidan Fiol moved into the top 10 in The American rankings after winning the 3,000m (8:38.67).
UCF opened its indoor campaign at the Clemson Invitational. Overall, seven Knights made a debut in their event on the first day of indoor competition. The Knights posted two podium finishes, including one event win, and nine personal bests. Gabby Durant finished with the top mark in the weight throw—a personal best of 20.00m/65-7.5ft, just a half meter off from besting the program record.
ECU continued its indoor track and field slate at the Hokie Invitational inside Rector Fieldhouse. The Pirates set 17 personal-best times and marks between the men's and women's sides. Senior Hakeem Horton claimed ECU's lone event title of the weekend, finishing with a mark of 7.51 meters in the long jump. His effort is the third longest in program history and propels him into third on The American’s performance list. Sommer Knight also turned in a school-record performance for the second-straight time, clearing 4.14 meters in the pole vault to lead the conference this year.
Houston won four events and set two program records at the Texas Tech Red Raider Invitational on Friday in Lubbock, Texas. Houston saved perhaps its best show for last, wrapping up the meet with a historic effort in the 4x400-meter relay. The Cougar squad of Obi Igbokwe, Amere Lattin, Jermaine Holt and Kahmari Montgomery ran a school-record 3:03.31 to take home the event. That time for the Cougars places them No. 1 in the NCAA this season in the relay.
Houston’s Taylor Scaife broke her own school record in the weight throw when her third attempt traveled 68-8.0 (20.93m), moving her to No. 10 in the country this season. Mario Burke picked up Houston's first victory on the track after running 6.56 in the finals of the 60m straight-track race. Burke's time converts to 6.58 with the elevation change and moves him into a tie for No. 2 all-time at Houston and also places him second in the NCAA this season. Houston's next win came from Cameron Laverty, who picked up his first victory of the season in the 800-meter run. His time of 1:50.70 moves him to No. 5 in the NCAA this season.
Chelsea Francis and Chika Iwuamadi both set school records, as SMU competed at the MLK Jr. Invitational from the Albuquerque Convention Center. Francis started the two-day event with a third-place finish in the 200m with a time of 23.63 (23.70) to lead The American this year. Francis repeated the feat on Saturday with a time of 7.25 (7.27) in the 60m dash, again recording the fastest time in the conference in 2019 and ninth in the country. Iwuamadi ran a 53.61 in the 400m in just her second meet as a collegiate athlete. Iwuamadi's time ranks No. 1 in The American this year and puts her at 13th in the nation. Nicole Iloanya also jumped to the top of the conference’s performance list, taking first place in the triple jump with her leap of 12.84 meters.
Five top-10 marks in school history, one individual title and one relay victory highlighted competition for USF over the weekend at the Gamecock Inaugural hosted by South Carolina. Senior David Bell won the pole vault with a height of 17-00.75. The relay team of Shenica Bazile, Destiny Fairley, Maya Fabri and Kristin Lubeskie won the 1600-meter relay with a time of 3:53.57.
Tulane picked up two victories and two of the team's most impressive marks at the Birmingham Crossplex on Friday. Tulane had five total wins, 17 top-five finishes and made one adjustment to the school's all-time top-10 list on the day. Rebekah Markel impressed once again in the pole vault, winning the event with ease as she cleared 4.10 meters. Trina Malej leaped 12.44 meters to blow away the old meet record and win the event by more than half a meter. The Green Wave placed first and second in the 60-meter hurdles, with Kyah Loyd taking the crown with a time of 8.59 seconds and Brandi Hughes coming up right behind her with a time of 8.62 seconds. Tulane swept the top-three spots in the 400m with Maya Harewood setting a new meet record with her time of 55.99 seconds. Emma Newton clocked 5:03.47 in the mile to win gold and set a meet record, while the Green Wave’s 4x400 relay squad also set a meet record with a time of 3:48.96 to end the event.
Daysha Bullocks and Kelsey Slawson each set school records as the Shockers fell short in the fifth annual KU-KSU-WSU Triangular Friday night. Bullocks set the Shockers’ school record in the 600yd (1:24.44), while Slawson bettered her shot put record with a mark of (15.61m/51-2.75). Wichita State then won a combined 15 events to sweep the Shocker Prelude Saturday afternoon. Seven men combined to win a total of eight events, including a Cory Martens sweep in the throws. The women's team won seven individual events, including an Alex Adams Shocker all-time top-10 performance in the weight throw.
Temple wrapped up another solid weekend at the Penn 8-Team Select. The meet was highlighted by multiple personal records and season-bests along with many top-10 finishes. Sophomore Aisha Brown upped her high jump season personal record to 1.73, tying her for second place overall. Also earning silver was the 4x400m relay squad that recorded a season-best of 3:50.70. Grace Moore additionally earned a podium finish in the mile, as the junior ran 4:48.90, surpassing her previous PR of 4:51.29 by over two seconds and earning second place overall.