IRVING, Texas – A pair of student-athletes representing the American Athletic Conference advanced to the finals of their respective events and conference competitors earned six combined All-America honors Friday on day one of the 2022 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama.
 
Cincinnati’s Ellie Leather was the first American track athlete to punch her ticket to a final during the championships, winning her women’s mile heat with a time of 4:36.15 to advance with an eighth-place prelim showing. Leather will race for the national championship in the women’s mile on Saturday at 7 p.m. (CT).
 
UCF’s Rayniah Jones clocked a prelim women’s 60-meter hurdles time of 7.96 to secure a place in Saturday’s national final (7:40 p.m. CT). Jones claimed a second-team All-America scroll in the 60-meter dash with a personal best time of 7.21 during prelim heats to finish in 11th place. Teammate Latasha Smith from UCF picked up All-America second-team honors with a 53.92 effort in the women’s 400-meter dash to finish 14th nationally.
 
In the field, conference champion DeeNia McMiller from Memphis secured first-team All-America plaudits with a top attempt of 23.03m (75-6.75) to place fifth in the women’s weight throw. Priscilla Adejokun from Houston was 12th with a throw of 21.65m (71-0.5) to earn All-America second team.
 
On the men’s side, Houston’s Christyan Sampy finished 13th in the country by clearing a top mark of 5.35m (17-6.5) in the pole vault and became a second-team All-American. Wichita State’s Michael Bryan added a second-team performance in 14th place in the weight throw with a top attempt of 20.94m (68-8.5).
 
Joining Leather and Jones in Saturday finals competition at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships will be South Florida’s Romaine Beckford in the men’s high jump (12:30 p.m. CT) and Houston’s Nu'uausala Tuilefano in the women’s shot put (7 p.m. CT).
 
American Athletes At The 2022 NCAA ITF Championships – Friday, March 11-Saturday, March 12
 
UCF
Rayniah Jones, Women’s 60-Meter Dash Prelims (7.21, 11th place, All-America Second Team)/
Women’s 60-Meter Hurdles Prelims (7.96, qualified for Saturday’s final at 7:40 p.m. CT)
Latasha Smith, Women’s 400-Meter Dash Prelims (53.92, 14th place, All-America Second Team)
 
Cincinnati
Ellie Leather, Women’s Mile Run Prelims (4:36.15, qualified for Saturday’s final at 7 p.m. CT)
 
Houston
Priscilla Adejokun, Women’s Weight Throw Final (21.65m/71-0.5, 12th place, All-America Second Team
Christyan Sampy, Men’s Pole Vault Final (5.35m/17-6.5, 13th place, All-America Second Team)
Nu'uausala Tuilefano, Women’s Shot Put Final (Saturday at 7 p.m. CT)
 
Memphis
DeeNia McMiller, Women’s Weight Throw Final (23.03m/75-6.75, fifth place, All-America First Team)
 
South Florida
Romaine Beckford, Men’s High Jump Final (Saturday at 12:30 p.m. CT)
 
Wichita State
Michael Bryan, Men’s Weight Throw Final (20.94m/68-8.5, 14th place, All-America Second Team)