SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Rice Owls men and women paced the field after day one of the 2024 American Athletic Conference Track & Field Championships on Friday at UTSA Park West Athletics Complex.
The day started with the 10,000 meter run as Tulsa’s Chloe Hershenow took home the first golf medal of the championship, finishing the race at 37:47.04. Wichita State’s Lucy Ndungu edged out Charlotte’s Lauren Johnston for second place, finishing at 37:53.73, while Johnston finished at 37:53.76.
Charlotte’s Nikolas Scudder took home gold in the men’s 10,000-meter run, setting a facility record at 30:33.64. Tulsa’s Charlie Krasnoff finished with the silver medal at 30:42.38, while Tulane’s Jack Jennings earned the bronze at 30:56.98.
Rice’s Tara Simpson-Sullivan earned the first field medal of the day, winning the women’s hammer throw with a throw of 65.76 meters. North Texas’ Allison Stigarll earned silver with a throw of 58.84 meters, while East Carolina’s Nyah Edwards took home third place with a throw of 56.45 meters.
Cal Abdulky added a second gold medal for the Owls in the hammer throw, taking home first place on the men’s side with a throw of 65.65 meters. Teammate Shaun Kerry placed second with a throw of 64.92 meters and Charlotte’s Lance Penegar finished in third place with a throw of 58.76 meters.
Eliza Kraule ended the first day of the heptathlon in first place with 3,601 points. Wichita State’s Destiny Masters will begin day two in second place with 3,563 points and SMU’s Olivia Dobson will be in third place with 3,344 points. Rice’s Alice Taylor set a new conference high jump record during the heptathlon, clearing 1.91 meters to move into third place in the nation. She passed the previous mark in the heptathlon of 1.80 meters set by Destiny Masters in 2023 and the overall high jump record of 1.88 meters set by Cincinnati’s Loretta Blaut in 2018.
Vincent Arousell will head into the final day of the decathlon with a 115-point lead, ending day one with 3,990 points. Wichita State teammates Adria Navajon (3,875 pts) and Hudson Bailey (3,654 pts) are in second and third following day one.
Rice’s McKyla Van Der Westhuizen earned the third gold medal for the Owls on the day, taking first place in women’s javelin with a mark of 53.40 meters. Charlotte’s Elizabeth Bailey earned second place with a throw of 51.03 meters. Memphis’ Julia Konigshofer set a person best with a throw of 46.64 meters to earn third place.
Rice’s Taigen Hunter-Galvan earned the top qualifying time in the women’s 1,500 meter run with a 4:31.22. Charlotte teammates Nadia Phillips (4:34.07) and Aislynn Reagle (4:31.55) both qualified with top four times, while SMU’s Macey Hilton was the third best time at 4:35.94.
In the men’s 1,500-meter run, Rice’s Ellio Metcalf had the top qualifying time at 3:49.72, while Tulane’s Illia Kunin had the second-best time at 3:50.66. South Florida’s Karim Belmahdi ran a 3:50.38 for the third best time. Charlotte added three athletes in Maddon Muhammad (3:50.89), Alec Esposito (3:50.49) and Bryce Anderson (3:50.55).
Charlotte’s Joyasia Smith ran the 5th best time in the NCAA in the women’s 200-meter dash for the top qualifying time at 22.56. East Carolina’s Melicia Mouzzon had the second-best time at 22.85, while South Florida’s Zahria Allers-Liburd was just behind at 22.87.
South Florida had three of the top four times in the men’s 200-meter dash with Shevioe Reid earning the top time at 20.29, followed by Nathan Metelus at 20.46. Abdul-Rasheed Saminu had the fourth best time at 20.70 seconds and UTSA’s Michael Roth ran 20.52 seconds for the third best time.
South Florida’s Chakiya Plummer ran a personal record at 59.17 for the top qualifying time in the women’s 400-meter hurdles. North Texas’ Chinazaekpere Okoye had the second-best time at 59.59, while SMU’s Kirin Chacchia also had a personal record at 1:00.19 for the third best qualifying time.
The Bulls had the top three qualifying times in the men’s 400-meter hurdles with Markel Jones leading the way at 50.53. Devontie Archer finished at 51.02 for the second-best time and Darian Mills ran a personal record to finish with the third top time at 51.33.
The night ended with the men’s javelin as Rice’s Ty Hampton took home gold with a mark of 75.54 meters and teammate Aryan Padaruth earned silver with a throw of 67.70 meters. North Texas’ Akeel Hanchard was the final podium finisher with a mark of 59.43 for third place.
The 2024 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships will return for day two tomorrow, May 11 at 10:30 a.m. (ET) on ESPN+ with the decathlon 110-meter hurdles.
The latest information on the 2024 American Outdoor Track & Field Championships can be found on the conference’s Championship Central site.
2024 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Men’s Scores (through day one)
1. Rice 37
2. Tulsa 20
3. Wichita State 19
4. Charlotte 18
5. North Texas 11
6. Tulane 6
7. UTSA 3
8. Memphis 2
9. East Carolina 1
Woen’s Scores (through day one)
1. Rice 20
2. Tulsa 15
3. Charlotte 14
4. North Texas 12
5. East Carolina 11
5. Wichita State 11
7. Memphis 9
7. South Florida 9
9. SMU 5
9. Tulane 5
9. UTSA 5
12. UAB 1
CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE (All times are Central)
FRIDAY, MAY 10
Field Events
11:00 a.m. – Women’s Hammer Throw – Tara Simpson-Sullivan, Rice – 65.76m
1:00 p.m. – Men’s Hammer Throw – Cal Abdulky, Rice – 65.65m
3:00 p.m. – Women’s Javelin – McKyla Van Der Westhuizen, Rice – 53.40m
5:00 p.m. – Men’s Javelin – Ty Hampton, Rice – 75.54m
Heptathlon – Eliza Kraule, Rice – 3,601 pts (through day one)
11:00 a.m. – 100m Hurdles – Eliza Kraule, Rice – 13.49
11:40 a.m. – High Jump – Alice Taylor, Rice – 1.91m *meet record*
1:30 p.m. – Shot Put – Olivia Dobson, SMU – 13.50m
2:30 p.m. – 200m Dash – Sadie Millard, Wichita State – 24.15
Decathlon
10:30 a.m. – 100m Dash – Adria Navajon, Wichita State – 10.61
11:10 a.m. – Long Jump – Adria Navajon, Wichita State – 7.50m
12:10 p.m. – Shot Put – Phil Cotton, North Texas – 14.16m
1:15 p.m. – High Jump – Luke Czarnecki, Wichita State – 2.00m
2:30 p.m. – 400m Dash – Vincent Arousell, Rice – 49.53
Track Events
7:30 a.m. – Women’s 10,000m Run (FINAL) – Chloe Hershenow, Tulsa – 37:47.04
8:15 a.m. – Men’s 10,000m Run (FINAL) – Nikolas Scudder, Charlotte – 30:33.64
6:30 p.m. – Women’s 1500m Run (TRIALS) Top Qualifier: Taigen Hunter-Galvin, Rice – 4:31.22
6:45 p.m. – Men’s 1500m Run (TRIALS) Top Qualifier: Elliot Metcalf, Rice – 3:49.72
7:00 p.m. – Women’s 200m Dash (TRIALS) Top Qualifier: Joyasia Smith, Charlotte – 22.56
7:15 p.m. – Men’s 200m Dash (TRIALS) Top Qualifier: Shevioe Reid, South Florida – 20.29
7:30 p.m. – Women’s 400m Hurdles (TRIALS) Top Qualifier: Chakiya Plummer, South Florida – 59.17
7:40 p.m. – Men’s 400m Hurdles (TRIALS) Top Qualifier: Markel Jones, South Florida – 50.53
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)
