IRVING, Texas – Following a one-year hiatus, the American Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships return to the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama. The 2022 American championships are scheduled for Feb. 25-26 on ESPN+, with Lincoln Rose and Kit McConnico on the call during both days of the meet.
AMERICAN INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS RETURN TO THE BIRMINGHAM CROSSPLEX
The American Indoor Track & Field Championships are back this season after being cancelled in 2021 due to COVID-19. Despite the conference championship meet not being held last year, American athletes did qualify for the 2021 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships. NCAA competitors expected in the 2022 American championship field are Houston’s Shaun Maswanganyi (11th in the 60-meter dash at 2021 NCAAs, 6.67), Wichita State’s Joseph Holthusen (15th in 60-meter hurdles at 2021 NCAAs, 8.31), Cincinnati’s Ellie Leather (12th in the mile at 2021 NCAAs, 4:41.83) and Taylor Beard (13th in the high jump at 2021 NCAAs, 1.76m) and Memphis’ DeeNia McMiller (DNS in the weight throw at 2021 NCAAs).
HOUSTON MEN IN SEARCH OF SEVENTH STRAIGHT TITLE, COUGAR WOMEN CHASING THIRD CHAMPIONSHIP
The longtime men’s standard bearer at the American Indoor Track & Field Championships, Houston travels to Birmingham in search of its seventh consecutive conference first-place trophy. The Cougars have won every men’s title at the meet dating back to 2015, tallying a meet record 179 points on the way to victory at the 2020 edition of the American championships at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Houston established a meet record time of 3:09.11 during the 4x400-meter relay in its last conference championship start.
In the women’s competition, Houston has claimed the past two league titles and is in search of the three-peat in 2022. The Cougars won by the smallest scoring margin in American Indoor Track & Field Championships history in 2020, finishing with 84 points to outpace runner-up Cincinnati by just a half point (83.5). Naomi Taylor is the two-time defending American champion in the women’s 60-meter hurdles (2019-20), setting a meet record in the event with a finals time of 8.03 in 2020.
UCF’S JONES HUNTING AMERICAN CONFERENCE RECORD IN THE WOMEN’S 60-METER HURDLES
One of the top challengers to Houston’s Naomi Taylor in the women’s 60-meter hurdles at the 2022 American Indoor Track & Field Championships figures to be UCF sophomore Rayniah Jones. Jones equaled the conference all-time indoor record in the 60-meter hurdles by clocking an 8.01 at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invite on Feb. 11. Jones will attempt to post the first sub eight-second 60-meter hurdles competition time in The American during the championship meet in Birmingham.
AMERICAN ATHLETES IN THE NCAA DIVISION I RANKINGS
The latest NCAA DI indoor performance list featured many American athletes included among the nation’s best entering this week’s indoor track & field conference championships. Houston’s Shaun Maswanganyi checked in ranked 25th in the men’s 60-meter dash, posting a 6.64 at the Howie Ryan Invitational on Feb. 11. Teammate Jordan Booker was slotted 22nd overall in the 200-meter dash with a time of 20.87 at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational on Feb. 11. Tyrell Valentine sat in 35th in the men’s 400-dash for Houston with a 46.78 showing at the Tiger Paw Invitational. Tulsa’s Scott Beattie turned in the number 31 NCAA time in the men’s 3,000-meter run (7:49.33) at the Badgers Windy City Invite on Feb. 11 and ranked 36th in the men’s 5,000-meter run (13:40.42) during the Wooo Pig Classic on Dec. 3. Houston’s DJ Akindele notched a time of 7.84 to slot 34th nationally at the Tiger Paw Invite. Romaine Beckford from South Florida cleared 2.16m (7-1.0) to rank 23rd in the high jump at the Commodore Indoor on Jan. 14. Four American athletes were featured in the top 50 of the national pole vault standings, led by Houston’s Christyan Sampy (10th, 5.47m/17-11.25), Memphis’ Cole Riddle (20th, 5.36m/17-7.0), Cincinnati’s Austin Goolsby (31st, 5.26m/17-3.0) and South Florida’s Stone Baker (45th, 5.20m/17-0.75). Jadon Brome from Houston checked in 28th in the triple jump with an effort of 15.88m (52-1.25) at the Houston G5 & Super 22 Invitational on Jan. 28. Memphis’ Iason Machairas posted the 39th ranked throw in the shot put with a top mark of 18.62m (61-1.25) at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational on Jan. 29. Wichita State’s Michael Bryan (21.22m/69-7.5, 29th) and Memphis’ Robert Watson (21.21m/69-7.0, 30th) both ranked in the top 30 of the national weight throw list after strong performances on Feb. 18.
UCF’s Rayniah Jones shared 10th place in the NCAA in the 60-meter dash with a 7.23 showing at the Charlie Thomas Invitational on Feb. 4., while Houston’s Camille Rutherford was 24th with a time of 7.29 at the Houston G5 & Super 22 Invitational and UCF’s Ciara Holback was 50th following a 7.37 performance at the Virginia Tech Hokie Invitational on Jan. 21. Wichita State’s Paula Garcia logged the 48th-best time nationally in the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.61 at the Ichabod Mid-Week Challenge. Latasha Smith was solo 23rd in the 400-meter dash representing UCF after turning in a 52.88 at the Tiger Paw Invitational. Cincinnati’s Ellie Leather registered the number 32 time in the 800-meter run with a 2:05.32 performance at the Music City Challenge on Feb. 11. Leather also checked in ranked 14th nationally in the mile (4:34.89) at the Music City Challenge. UCF’s Jones ranked eighth in the 60-meter hurdles by equaling the American’s conference record of 8.01 during the Tiger Paw Invite, and South Florida’s Shaneylix Davila (21st, 8.19), UCF’s Kaylor Harris (21st, 8.19), South Florida’s Hannah Connell (24th, 8.20) and Houston’s Naomi Taylor (33rd, 8.24) also among the NCAA top 50. Wichita State’s Destiny Masters logged the 17th-best clearance in the high jump with a mark of 1.82m (5-11.5) cleared at the Wichita State Shocker Multi on Dec. 1, and Annika Kinley was 35th representing Cincinnati after clearing 1.78m (5-10.0) at the Music City Challenge. East Carolina’s Sommer Knight led The American and ranked 42nd nationally in the pole vault (4.16m/13-7.75) at the JDL DMR Invitational on Feb. 18. South Florida’s Shaniya Benjamin recorded a 6.18m (20-3.5) effort for 38th in the NCAA in the long jump at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational, and UCF’s Jasmine Scott-Kilgo was 48th with a 6.12m (20-1.0) attempt at the Clemson Invitational on Jan. 14. Five different American athletes were included in the triple jump top-50 of the NCAA performance list, including UCF’s Asherah Collins (28th, 12.97m/42-6.75), Cincinnati’s Kennedy Marable (30th, 12.96m/42-6.25), Temple’s Tannekee Strachan (12.93m/42-5.25), UCF’s Scott-Kilgo (42nd, 12.80m/42-0) and East Carolina’s Brooke Stith (42nd, 12.80m/42-0). Houston’s Nu'uausala Tuilefano shared 14th on the national performance list in the shot put with a top throw of 17.10m (56-1.25) at the Houston G5 & Super 22 Invitational. Houston’s Priscilla Adejokun paced The American rated fifth in the nation in the weight throw with a 22.77m (74-8.5) attempt at the Howie Ryan Invitational, and Memphis’ DeeNia McMiller was eighth following a 22.42m (73-6.75) throw at the Music City Challenge.
2022 American Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships
CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE
Friday, February 25 (ESPN+)
Women's Pentathlon
9:00 a.m. W-Pentathlon 60m Hurdles
9:45 a.m. W-Pentathlon High Jump (2 pits)
11:30 a.m. W-Pentathlon Shot Put
12:45 p.m. W-Pentathlon Long Jump (pit A)
2:00 p.m. W-Pentathlon 800m Run
Men's Heptathlon
11:00 a.m. M-Heptathlon 60m Dash
11:45 a.m. M-Heptathlon Long Jump (pit B)
1:00 p.m. M-Heptathlon Shot Put
3:20 p.m. M-Heptathlon High Jump
Field Events
12:00 p.m. Pole Vault - Men's Trials & FINAL
2:00 p.m. Long Jump - Women's Trials & FINAL
2:15 p.m. 35 lb. Weight Throw - Men's Trials & FINAL
3:30 p.m. Pole Vault - Women's Trials & FINAL
4:00 p.m. Long Jump - Men's Trials & FINAL
4:15 p.m. 20 lb. Weight Throw - Women's Trials & FINAL
Track Events
12:25 p.m. Mile Run - Women's Trials
12:40 p.m. Mile Run - Men's Trials
12:55 p.m. 400m Dash - Women's Trials
1:10 p.m. 400m Dash - Men's Trials
1:35 p.m. 60m Hurdles - Women's Trials
1:45 p.m. 60m Hurdles - Men's Trials
1:55 p.m. 60m Dash - Women's Trials
2:05 p.m. 60m Dash - Men's Trials
2:30 p.m. 800m Dash - Women's Trials
2:45 p.m. 800m Dash - Men's Trials
3:00 p.m. 200m Dash - Women's Trials
3:15 p.m. 200m Dash - Men's Trials
3:30 p.m. 5000m Run Unseeded - Women's
3:55 p.m. 5000m Run Unseeded - Men's
4:15 p.m. 5000m Run Seeded - Women's
4:40 p.m. 5000m Run Seeded - Men's
5:00 p.m. Distance Medley Relay - Women's
5:20 p.m. Distance Medley Relay - Men's
Saturday, February 26 (ESPN+)
Men's Heptathlon
9:00 a.m. M-Heptathlon 60m Hurdles
10:00 a.m. M-Heptathlon Pole Vault
3:05 p.m. M-Heptathlon 1000m Run
Field Events
9:45 a.m. High Jump - Men's Trials & FINAL
9:45 a.m. High Jump - Women's Trials & FINAL
10:00 a.m. Shot Put - Men's Trials & FINAL
11:00 a.m. Triple Jump - Women's Trials & FINAL (pit A)
12:30 p.m. Shot Put - Women's Trials & FINAL
1:00 p.m. Triple Jump - Men's Trials & FINAL (pit B)
Track Events
11;20 a.m, Mile Run - Women's FINAL
11:30 a.m. Mile Run - Men's FINAL
11:40 a.m. 400m Dash - Women's 2-section FINAL
11:50 a.m. 400m Dash - Men's 2-section FINAL
12:10 p.m. 60m Hurdles - Women's FINAL
12:20 p.m. 60m Hurdles - Men's FINAL
12:30 p.m. 60m Dash - Women's FINAL
12:40 p.m. 60m Dash - Men's FINAL
1:00 p.m. 800m Run - Women's FINAL
1:10 p.m. 800m Run - Men's FINAL
1:20 p.m. 200m Dash - Women's 2-section FINAL
1:30 p.m. 200m Dash - Men's 2-section FINAL
1:40 p.m. 3000m Run Unseeded - Women's
1:55 p.m. 3000m Run Unseeded - Men's
2:10 p.m. 3000m Run Seeded - Women's
2:25 p.m. 3000m Run Seeded - Men's
2:40 p.m. 4x400m Relay - Women's
2:50 p.m. 4x400m Relay - Men's
3:20 p.m.
Awards Ceremony