Ladd, Durkin Score First At AAC Championships Friday

Friday, May 12

Houston, Texas

University of Memphis

American Athletic Conference Championships

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Ladd, Durkin Score First At AAC Championships Friday

May 12, 2017 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

AAC Outdoor Championships/Men's Results AAC Outdoor Championships/Women's Results

Tandem nets points in women's, men's 10,000 meters.

HOUSTON, Texas – University of Memphis' Chelsea Ladd scored the Tigers' first points of the 2017 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships in first-day action at the league's annual meet Friday. Ladd placed fifth in the women's 10,000 meters to score four points for Memphis.

Ladd was fifth in a time of 35:56.10. Earlier this season, Ladd set the school record in the event with a time of 35:31.73 at the N.C. State Raleigh Relays.

Freshman Cera Chavez and sophomore Davon DeMoss led a group of five Tigers that advanced to Sunday's finals in their respective events. Chavez moved on to the women's 200 meters final with a time of 23.62 in Friday's preliminaries. Her 23.62 was the second-best time in the preliminaries. Two weeks ago at the Memphis Invitational, Chavez set the school record in the 200 meters with a time of 23.32.

DeMoss advanced in the 200 meters on the men's side (20.85). His time was third-best in the preliminaries.

Jason Kimmet and Michael Carey both advanced to Sunday's final in the men's 400-meter hurdles, and Naaman Norment moved on to the men's final in the 800 meters.

Second-day action at the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships continues Saturday, beginning at 12:30 p.m. (CT) with the heptathlon and decathlon. Field events start at 3 p.m. (CT), with the running events at 5:30 p.m. (CT).

American Athletic Conference Championships/Day One Highlights

Junior James Durkin was the first to score on the men's side with a sixth-place finish in the 10,000 meters. Durkin placed sixth in a personal-best time of 31:47.56, which cut over a minute off his previous-best (32:54.15). Durkin's previous-best was set earlier in the 2017 season at the Rhodes Invitational.
Junior Michael Carey ran a personal-best 53.37 in the men's 400-meter hurdles preliminaries Friday. His previous-best was 53.74 at the Ole Miss Joe Walker Invitational earlier in the 2017 season.
Sophomore Mary Minkler ran a personal-best (39:21.05) in the women's 10,000 meters. She bettered her previous time by over 25 seconds (39:46.06), which she set at the Rhodes Invitational earlier this season.
Jasmine Taylor (1:02.38) and Hailey Williams (1:02.70) both set personal-bests in the women's 400-meter hurdles preliminaries Friday.
Freshman Lennard Biere is in third after five events in the men's decathlon (3871 points). If he maintains scoring at this pace, Biere would set the school record in the event.
Juniors Megan Briley and Lauren Wheeler both ran in their first collegiate 10,000 meters Friday. Briley placed 11^th, and Wheeler 22^nd.

2017 American Athletic Conference Championships
Memphis Men's Results
200m (P) – 3. Davon DeMoss, 20.85 (advances to final); 10. Kolbeinn Gunnarsson, 21.31
800m (P) – 7. Naaman Norment, 1:52.23 (advances to final); 16. Alex Klatt, 2:03.02
10,000m (F) – 6. James Durkin, 31:47.56
400m hurdles (P) – 2. Jason Kimmet, 52.54 (advances to final); 7. Michael Carey, 53.37 (advances to final); 9. Aaron Persinger, 53.99
Hammer – 12. Adam Neelly, 152-2 (46.38m)
Decathlon (through 5 events) – 3. Lennard Biere, 3871 points

Memphis Women's Results
200m (P) – 2. Cera Chavez, 23.62 (advances to final)
800m (P) – 13. Celine Rone, 2:14.77
10,000m (F) – 5. Chelsea Ladd, 35:56.10; 9. Arnica Zitting, 36:42.07; 11. Megan Briley, 37:11.76; 19. Mary Minkler, 39:21.05; 20. Bailey Kennemer, 39:22.82; 22. Lauren Wheeler, 40:53.03; 23. Gabrielle Byndas, 40:55.05
400m hurdles (P) – 10. Jasmine Taylor, 1:02.38; 12. Melinda Murdock, 1:02.57; 14. Hailey Williams, 1:02.70
Hammer – 14. DeeNia McMiller, 162-1 (49.40m)