SAN ANTONIO, Texas – For the first time, the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held at the Park West Athletic Complex in San Antonio, Texas. The 2024 American championships are scheduled for May 10-12, with live coverage on ESPN+.
The American Outdoor Track & Field Championships will make its debut at the Park West Athletic Complex. It marks the second time that the championship has been held in the state of Texas, with the last being in 2017 in Houston. It also marks the first time in five years that the championship will be held outside of Tampa, Florida or Wichita, Kansas.
Wichita State will look to win its third consecutive title on the men’s side after beating Houston by two points in Tampa a season ago. South Florida will look to continue its momentum from indoor season where the Bulls won The American Indoor Championship in February in Birmingham, Alabama.
A new champion will be crowned on the women’s side, with only Wichita State (2019) and SMU (2014) having previous won the title. Charlotte took down Rice for the 2024 American Indoor Championship and will look to claim the outdoor championship as well. The Owls enter The American as the 2023 CUSA champions and will have an eye on repeating as conference champions in their new league.
The latest NCAA DI outdoor performance list features many American athletes included among the nation’s top 50 performers entering this week’s outdoor track & field conference championships. The men’s 100-meter dash includes four athletes, including South Florida’s Abdul-Rasheed Saminu who holds the second fastest time in the nation at 9.95. UTSA’s Dennis Phillips (24), South Florida’s Jaleel Croal (33) and East Carolina’s Royal Burris (39) all rank in the top 50, as well.
Saminu is also one of four Bulls that rank in the Top 50 in the 200-meter dash, with Saminu leading the bunch at 11th in the nation at a time of 20.34. Teammate’s Shevioe Reid (20th; 20.41), Jaleel Croal (30th; 20.52) and Nathan Metelus (42nd; 20.59) also rank in the top 50. UTSA teammates Brice Chabot (28th; 20.49) and Dennis Phillips (32nd; 20.54) join the Bulls in the rankings.
In the 400-meter dash, South Florida’s Tre’Sean Bouie is ranked 38th in the nation with a time of 46.07. Charlotte, Tulsa and Tulane represent Top 50 runners in the 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter races. American Cross Country champion Nick Scudder of Charlotte is ranked 19th in the nation in the 5,000 meter run with a time of 13:34.76. Tulane’s Jack Jennings leads American runners in the 10,000 meter run with a time of 28:28.72 to rank 28th in the nation. Three Golden Hurricane teammates round out the Top 50 in Shay McEvoy (20th; 28:36.11), Malte Propp (48th; 28:40.13) and Chris McLeod (49th; 28:40.83).
South Florida features the top three American ranked 400-meter hurdlers in Markel Jones (19th; 50.40); Devontie Archer (33rd; 50.88) and Michael Bourne III (41st; 51.16). In the 3000-meter steeple chase, Tulsa’s Christian Baker and Rice’s Gus Gannon have less than a second that separate them as Baker enters the championships ranked 44th and Gannon ranks 45th.
The Bulls enter the weekend with the top 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams in The American. South Florida ran the 9th best 4×100 time in the nation at the Pepsi Florida Relays with a time of 39.03, while running the 10th best time in the nation at the same meet in the 4×400 at 3:02.16.
In field events, Brady Palen ranks 10th in the nation in high jump with a clearance of 2.20 meters, while Rice’s Ese Amata enters ranked 33rd with a jump of 2.14 meters and Memphis’ Lewis LaGrant is ranked 43rd with a jump of 2.13 meters. In pole vault, South Florida’s Kobe Babin is ranked 19th in the NAA with a mark of 5.40 meters, while Rice’s Matt Kumar is ranked 39th with a mark of 5.30 meters.
A pair of American athletes enter the championships tied at 10th in the nation in long jump at 7.94 meters, with South Florida’s Goodness Iredia and Wichita State’s Josh Parrish both reaching the mark. UTSA teammates Christiaan Le Roux (26th; 7.80m) and Gabriel Binion (36th; 7.76m) are both ranked in the top 50.
The Roadrunners feature three athletes ranked in the top 50 in triple jump – Jemuel Miller (7th; 16.21m), Jacob Jenkins (28th; 15.68m) and Gabriel Binion (43rd; 15.53m). South Florida’s Goodness Iredia is ranked 11th in the event with a mark of 15.93 meters.
In shot put, Memphis’ Sascha Schmidt leads all conference athletes with a mark of 19.39 meters to rank 16th in the nation, while teammate Will Dibo is ranked 48th in the nation in discus with a mark of 56.99 meters. Rice’s Sam Welsh enters in the top 10, ranked 9th in the discus with a throw of 61.58 meters, while South Florida’s Vincent Ugwoke is ranked 11th with a throw of 61.44 meters.
Owl teammates Shaun Kerry and Cal Abdulky both ranked in the top 50 in the hammer throw, with Kerry coming in a 28th (67.59m) and Abdulky ranking 44th (65.72m).
Zion Hill of North Texas leads the league in Javelin, ranking 12th in the nation with a mark of 74.95 meters, while Rice’s Ty Hampton is ranked 20th with a throw of 72.42 mters.
On the women’s side, Charlotte’s Joyasia Smith is ranked in both the 100 meter dash (20th; 11.19) and 200 meter dash (17th; 22.90). Rice’s Kennedy Gamble is ranked 31st in the 100 meter dash with a time of 11.28, while East Carolina’s Melecia Mouzzon is ranked 41st with a time of 11.31. South Florida’s Shaniya Benjamin is ranked 26th in the nation in the 200 meter dash with a time of 22.98.
In the 100 meter hurdles, East Carolina’s Sydni McMillan ran a time of 13.16 at the Aggie Classic to rank 36th in the nation. Charlotte’s Lauren Johnston is ranked 47th in the 3000 meter steeplechase with a time of 10:17.29.
The South Florida 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams are both ranked, with the Bulls ranking 26th in the 4×100 with a time of 43.93 and 17th in the 4×400 with a time of 3:30.77 – setting a new conference record in the event.
Rice teammates Josie Taylor (8th) and Alice Taylor (9th) are closing in on The American high jump record, with the pair jumping 1.86 meters and 1.85 meters respectfully. UTSA’s Edlin Laur is ranked 18th in the even at 1.82 meters, while Wichita State’s Destiny Masters is 21st with a mark of 1.81 meters.
In pole vault, Riley Felts has set the new conference record with a mark of 4.55 meters and now owns both the indoor and outdoor American records. Her mark is the 3rd best in the nation. Teammate Sarah Brown is ranked 8th in the nation in pole vault with a mark of 4.36 meters, while Memphis’ Arina Razina is ranked 38th with a mark of 4.20 meters.
UTSA freshman Ida Breigan is fourth in the nation in long jump with a mark of 6.74 meters, while South Florida’s Shaniya Benjamin is 35th in the NAA with a mark of 6.39 meters. Rice teammates Ginnie Okafor (25th; 13.04m) and Savannah Simms (48th; 12.86m) both rank in the top 50 in triple jump.
In throwing events, Rice’s Tara Simpson-Sullivan ranks 18th in the nation in hammer throw with a mark of 64.69 meters, while teammate McKyla Van Der Westhuizen is ranked 6th in javelin with a mark of 55.98 meters.
Heptathlon sill be competitive with three athletes ranked in the top 50. Wichita State’s Destiny Masters leads the group at 11th in the nation with 5,749 total points, while UTSA’s Edlin Laur is 35th in the nation with 5,288 points and SMU’s Gabriella Ayiteyfio is 42nd in the NCAA with 5,226 points.
2024 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships
CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE (All times are Central)
FRIDAY, MAY 10 – ESPN+
Field Events
11:00 a.m. – Women’s Hammer Throw
1:00 p.m. – Men’s Hammer Throw
3:00 p.m. – Women’s Javelin
5:00 p.m. – Men’s Javelin
Heptathlon
11:00 a.m. – 100m Hurdles
11:40 a.m. – High Jump
1:30 p.m. – Shot Put
2:30 p.m. – 200m Dash
Decathlon
10:30 a.m. – 100m Dash
11:10 a.m. – Long Jump
12:10 p.m. – Shot Put
1:15 p.m. – High Jump
2:30 p.m. – 400m Dash
Track Events
7:30 a.m. – Women’s 10,000m Run (FINAL)
8:15 a.m. – Men’s 10,000m Run (FINAL)
6:30 p.m. – Women’s 1500m Run (TRIALS)
6:45 p.m. – Men’s 1500m Run (TRIALS)
7:00 p.m. – Women’s 200m Dash (TRIALS)
7:15 p.m. – Women’s 200m Dash (TRIALS)
7:30 p.m. – Women’s 400m Hurdles (TRIALS)
7:40 p.m. – Men’s 400m Hurdles (TRIALS)
SATURDAY, MAY 11 | ESPN+
Field Events
3:00 p.m. – Women’s Long Jump
3:30 p.m. – Women’s Shot Put
4:30 p.m. – Women’s Pole Vault
5:00 p.m. – Men’s Long Jump
5:30 p.m. – Men’s Shot Put
Heptathlon
11:00 a.m. – Long Jump
1:00 p.m. – Javelin
2:30 p.m. – 800m Run
Decathlon
10:30 a.m. – 110m Hurdles
11:20 a.m. – Discus
12:30 p.m. – Pole Vault
3:30 p.m. – Javelin
5:00 p.m. – 1500m Run
Track Events
5:25 p.m. – Women’s 100m Hurdles (TRIALS)
5:45 p.m. – Men’s 110m Hurdles (TRIALS)
6:00 p.m. – Women’s 800m Run (TRIALS)
6:15 p.m. – Men’s 800m Run (TRIALS)
6:30 p.m. – Women’s 400m Dash (TRIALS)
6:45 p.m. – Men’s 400m Dash (TRIALS)
7:00 p.m. – Women’s 100m Dash (TRIALS)
7:15 p.m. – Men’s 100m Dash (TRIALS)
7:30 p.m. – Women’s 3000m Steeplechase (FINAL)
7:45 p.m. – Men’s 3000m Steeplechase (FINAL)
SUNDAY, MAY 12 – ESPN+
Field Events
2:30 p.m. – Men’s High Jump
2:30 p.m. – Women’s Triple Jump
2:30 p.m. – Women’s Discus
3:30 p.m. – Men’s Pole Vault
4:30 p.m. – Women’s High Jump
4:30 p.m. – Men’s Triple Jump
4:30 p.m. – Men’s Discus
Track Events
4:30 p.m. – Women’s 400m Relay (FINAL)
4:40 p.m. – Men’s 400m Relay (FINAL)
4:50 p.m. – Women’s 1500m Run (FINAL)
5:00 p.m. – Men’s 1500m Run (FINAL)
5:10 p.m. – Women’s 100m Hurdles (FINAL)
5:20 p.m. – Men’s 110m Hurdles (FINAL)
5:30 p.m. – Women’s 400m Dash (FINAL)
5:35 p.m. – Men’s 400m Dash (FINAL)
5:45 p.m. – Women’s 100m Dash (FINAL)
5:50 p.m. – Men’s 100m Dash (FINAL)
6:00 p.m. – Women’s 800m Run (FINAL)
6:05 p.m. – Men’s 800m Run (FINAL)
6:15 p.m. – Women’s 400m Hurdles (FINAL)
6:20 p.m. – Men’s 400m Hurdles (FINAL)
6:30 p.m. – Women’s 200m Dash (FINAL)
6:35 p.m. – Men’s 200m Dash (FINAL)
6:45 p.m. – Women’s 5000m Run (FINAL)
7:10 p.m. – Men’s 5000m Run (FINAL)
7:35 p.m. – Women’s 1600m Relay (FINAL)
7:45 p.m. – Men’s 1600m Relay (FINAL)
