WICHITA, Kan. – A pair of first-time team winners graced the awards stage on the final night of the 2022 American Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Sunday at Cessna Stadium. Wichita State earned its first American men’s team championship with 185.50 points, ending the run of five-time defending champion Houston. UCF became the fifth different women’s squad to hoist the team hardware by registering a meet record 163 points to defeat defending women’s champion Houston.
The Cougar men finished second in the standings with 179 points and Tulsa was third with 123 points. Houston’s women’s runner-up score was 105.50 points and Cincinnati placed third with 105 points.
Houston’s Shaun Maswanganyi was named the men’s Most Valuable Performer of the meet as the leading individual scorer, while Wichita State’s Adria Navajon took home men’s Freshman of the Year. Memphis’ DeeNia McMiller captured women’s Most Valuable Performer accolades and SMU’s Kaitlyn Gearin was recognized as the conference Freshman of the Year. Steve Rainbolt and the coaching staff from Wichita State were honored as the men’s Coaching Staff of the Year, and UCF’s Dana Boone and her coaching staff completed the double from the indoor season as the women’s outdoor Coaching Staff of the Year.
Reigning conference indoor champion Romaine Beckford earned the first outdoor men’s high jump title in The American for South Florida, clearing 2.18m (7-1.75). Wichita State’s Brady Palen took second with a 2.15m (7-0.5) clearance and defending champion Davis Dubbert from Wichita State placed third over 2.09m (6-10.25).
Jane Sensibaugh from Cincinnati earned her first career women’s discus outdoor conference title, throwing 51.61m (169-4.0) in the fourth round to snag the gold. Memphis’ DeeNia McMiller finished second with a top attempt of 51.33m (168-5.0) and Rebekah Bergquist placed third with a 50.83m (166-9.0) top mark.
Cincinnati’s Kennedy Marable from Cincinnati emerged as the winner in the women’s triple jump by clearing 13.12m (43-0.5) in the fourth round. Houston’s Destiny Lawrence took second with a 13.09m (42-11.5) based on the strength of a second jump, with Tanneke Strachan from Temple the bronze medalist with a matching 13.09m (42-11.5) top jump.
UCF returned to the winner’s circle in the women’s 4X100-meter relay, crossing the finish line with a championship winning time of 44.41. South Florida cruised in as the event runner-up with a time of 44.51, followed by Wichita State at 45.25.
The Cougars swept the 4x100-meter relay with a victorious time of 39.74 to outpoint Cincinnati at the line (39.93). East Carolina crossed the line in third place with a 40.38.
Cole Riddle of Memphis won the first men’s pole vault title for the Tigers outdoors since 2014, clearing 5.33m (17-5.75) to place atop a competitive field. South Florida’s Stone Baker was second with a 5.23m (17-1.75) clearance and Houston’s Christyan Sampy was third with a matching 5.23m (17-1.75) top mark.
Cincinnati’s Ellie Leather defended her women’s 1500-meter run individual title with a final 4:19.67 to dominate the field in the event. Temple’s Laura Nicholson was second with a time of 4:22.97 and UCF’s Charlotte Crook took third place with a time of 4:25.38.
Tulsa’s Michael Power won second straight gold for the Golden Hurricane in the men’s 1500-meter run, crossing in 3:45.30 to secure the conference championship. Teammate Isaac Akers was the runner-up in 3:46.15 and Adam Moore from Wichita State claimed third with a final heat time of 3:48.12.
Rayniah Jones from UCF defended her conference title in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, posting a stadium record time of 12.93 to repeat. Houston’s Destiny Smith was second thanks to a time of 13.07, and 2019 league champion Naomi Taylor of Houston crossed third in 13.27.
Houston’s De’Vion Wilson led three Cougars on the podium in the men’s 100-meter hurdles, clocking a wind-aided time of 13.50 in the race for the gold. DJ Akindele was just behind with a silver medal time of 13.52, followed by Quivell Jordan-Bacot in third with a time of 13.66.
Reigning indoor champion Latasha Smith from UCF added an outdoor women’s 400-meter dash victory to her credit by besting teammate Kiah Williams with 53.05 winning time. Williams was the runner-up in 53.20 and Houston’s Iman Babineaux finished third with a time of 54.23.
Cincinnati’s Stephen McElroy established a meet record in the men’s 400-meter dash with a blazing fast 45.57 to capture the gold. South Florida’s Elijah Wright crossed the line with a time of 45.90 and Trey Johnson from Houston was third in 46.33.
Annia Ashley from South Florida cleared 1.74m (5-8.5) on her initial attempt to claim the women’s high jump championship. Cincinnati’s Alyssa Matheny matched Ashley over 1.74m (5-8.5) for second place, and Kaliah Jones from UCF was third with a top mark of 1.71m (5-7.25).
Matthew Everett brought home the first Wichita State men’s discus title in The American, clearing 56.13m (184-2.0) in the fifth round. Teammate Ridge Estes placed second with a second attempt that covered 53.65m (176-0.0), and South Florida’s Eron Carter threw 53.19m (174-6.0) in the fifth round.
Jaden Brome of Houston defended his crown in the men’s triple jump, jumping 15.66m (51-4.5) in round three to repeat. Yuben Goncalves of Wichita State was second with a 15.64m (51-3.75) top mark and Houston’s Quinton Stringfellow leapt 15.61m (51-2.75) in the final round to snag third place.
Cincinnati’s Caisja Chandler registered the first American win in the women’s 100-meter dash for the Bearcats, throwing down am 11.322 to defeat the hard-charging Melicia Mouzzon of East Carolina at 11.33. UCF’s Jones was third with a time of 11.41.
Houston’s Edward Sumler IV narrowly edged teammate Shaun Maswanganyi in the men’s 100-meter dash, breaking the line in 10.04 to take the win over Maswanganyi’s 10.05. Cincinnati’s Chris Borzor capped the podium of the podium of the fast heat with a 10.15 performance.
Leather of Cincinnati added a title defense in the women’s 800-meter run, coasting to the victory in 2:08.21. Temple’s Laura Nicholson was second with a 2:09.54 time and SMU’s Steffi Jones placed third with a 2:10.46 final.
Houston’s Christian Gilmore improved on a third-place showing from the 2021 championship in the men’s 800-meter run with a first-place run for crucial points, crossing in 1:51.65. Wichita State’s Adam Moore was the event runner-up with a time of 1:52.31 and Cincinnati’s Siro Pina Cardona was third with a time of 1:52.40.
Selena Wright turned in an impressive performance in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, breaking the line in 58.47 for the win. South Florida’s Sanique Walker (58.92) and Shaneylix Davila (59.22) rounded out the podium finishers.
Jordan-Bacot successfully defended his championship in the men’s 400-meter hurdles for Houston, racing against time with a 49.89. Tulsa’s Henry Visser posted the runner-up time in 51.48 and Houston’s Wilson was third in 51.80.
Chandler picked up a second big win on the day, racing to the victory in the women’s 200-meter dash with a 22.88. Houston’s Cecilia Tamayo-Garza was second in 23.05 and UCF’s Smith was third with a time of 23.08.
Maswanganyi repeated as the men’s 200-meter dash champion with a wind-aided 20.29 readout to defend his title for Houston. Sumler IV was the runner-up with a time of 20.40 and East Carolina’s Royal Burris claimed third place in 20.42.
Layla Roebke added another distance gold medal to her haul for Tulsa during the women’s 5000-meter run, crossing the line with a winning time of 16:48.88. Teammates Katharina Pesendorfer (16:55.13) and Chloe Hershenow (17:01.57) joined Roebke on the event podium.
Tulsa’s Scott Beattie was the first of seven Golden Hurricane to score points in the men’s 5000-meter run, taking the top spot in 14:23.07. Isaac Akers was second with a 14:25.90 and Peter Lynch claimed third place with a time of 14:26.00 in the podium sweep by Tulsa.
UCF salted away the team championship with a victory in the women’s 4x400-meter relay, leaning to the line in 3:36.89. Houston finished as the race runner-up with a time of 3:36.46 and South Florida was third with a time of 3:37.74.
South Florida ran a terrific men’s 4x400-meter relay to dethrone Houston in the event for the first time since East Carolina won the closing relay in 2015. The Bulls crossed the finish line in 3:10.46 to outpace the Cougars 3:10.65. Wichita State locked up the men’s team championship with a clean 3:11.59 relay that locked down third place.
Men’s Teams Scores
1. Wichita State – 185.50
2. Houston – 179
3. Tulsa – 123
4. Cincinnati – 116
5. South Florida – 87.50
6. Memphis – 70
7. East Carolina – 51
8. Tulane – 4
Women’s Teams Scores
1. UCF – 163 (meet record score)
2. Houston – 105.50
3. Cincinnati – 105
4. Tulsa – 83
5. East Carolina – 75.50
6. Memphis – 73
7. South Florida – 63
8. SMU – 48
9. Temple – 42
10. Wichita State – 31.50
11. Tulane – 23.50
Most Valuable Performers
Shaun Maswanganyi, So., Houston (Men’s)
DeeNia McMiller, Grad, Memphis (Women’s)
Freshmen of the Year
Adria Navajon, Wichita State (Men’s)
Kaitlyn Gearin, SMU (Women’s)
Coaching Staff of the Year
Steve Rainbolt, Wichita State (Men’s)
Dana Boone, UCF (Women’s)