Track And Field Earns Two Medals Friday

Calvin Austin III, 2019-20 Men's Track and Field

Photo by: Michael Wade

Feb 28, 2020 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

The American Championships (Men's Results/Day 1)The American Championships (Women's Results/Day 1)

Gordon, McMiller bring home hardware for the Tigers.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – University of Memphis' DeeNia McMiller and Cyera Gordon each earned all-conference honors to pace the Tigers' track and field team in Friday action at the 2020 American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships. The Birmingham CrossPlex is the site of the two-day meet.

Gordon took home Memphis' first medal of the meet with her third-place finish in the women's long jump. It was the second-straight year she won bronze in the event.
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McMiller did one better on the podium in the women's weight throw, finishing in second place in record-setting fashion. The senior, who won her third-straight silver in the event, shattered her school record with her first attempt of 73-11 (22.53m). Her previous school record was 72-10 (22.19m), which she set at the Birmingham CrossPlex in the 2019-20 season opener on Dec. 6. On her final throw Friday, McMiller broke her school mark again, this time with an effort of 73-11.25 (22.55m).

On the men's side, the Tigers got scoring from their throws group and distance medley relay.

The men's highlights came in the sprints preliminaries, where Calvin Austin III qualified for Saturday's finals in both the 60 and 200 meters. Kolbeinn Gunnarsson and Imri Persiado also qualified for Saturday's 200 meters final.

Others advancing to Saturday finals were: Hunter Miniard in the men's 60-meter hurdles; Paris Perkins in the women's 400 meters; and Zachary Wyatt in the men's mile.

Up Next
Memphis continues action at the 2020 American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships Saturday, Feb. 29 at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Action begins at 9 a.m. (CT).

Tigers Tidbits

In addition to winning bronze, Cyera Gordon improved her personal-best in the women's long jump by 2.5 inches.
Amber Simpson recorded a personal-best by nearly three feet in the women's weight throw Friday. She bested her effort at last year's conference championships by more than three feet.
Although no medals were won, the men's throws group scored eight points while setting two personal-bests and tying another.
Parker Evans shattered his personal-best in the men's weight throw by two feet and also improved on his effort from last year's conference championships by nearly five feet.
It was the fourth-straight meet this season that Parker Evans set a personal-best in the men's weight throw.
Robby Watson improved his personal-best in the men's weight throw by 14 inches. His previous-best also was set at the Birmingham CrossPlex (Jaguar Invitational) earlier this month.
Adar Sheere tied his personal-best in the men's weight throw.
Payton Gleason set a personal-best in the men's 5000 meters and also improved his time in the event by 20 seconds from last year's conference meet.
Other women's personal-bests Friday were: Anastasia Bampali in the long jump; Brooke Calvo in the 5000 meters; Reagan Casey in the 400 meters; Jada Crutchfield in the 60 and 200 meters; and Brooke Mussche in the 800 meters and mile.

Men's Team Scores:1. Houston, 72.5; 2. Tulsa, 25; 3. Cincinnati, 24.5; 4. Connecticut, 21; 5. USF, 14; 5. Wichita State, 14; 5. ECU, 14; 8. Memphis, 10
Women's Team Scores:1. ECU, 29.5; 2. Tulsa, 28; 3. Houston, 25; 4. Memphis, 24; 5. Wichita State, 22; 6. Cincinnati, 21.5; 7. USF, 21; 8. SMU, 20; 9. Temple, 18; 10. Tulane, 12; 11. Connecticut, 10; 12. UCF, 3

Men's Results
60m (P) – 6. Calvin Austin III, 6.83 (advances to Saturday's final); 10. Imri Persiado, 6.90; 11. Kolbeinn Gunnarsson, 6.91
200m (P) – 4. Calvin Austin III, 21.37 (advances to Saturday's final); 5. Kolbeinn Gunnarsson, 21.43 (advances to Saturday's final); 7. Imri Persiado, 21.51 (advances to Saturday's final)
400m (P) – 18. Adam Yakobi, 51.59
Mile (P) – 12. Zachary Wyatt, 4:15.99 (advances to Saturday's final)
5000m (F) – 10. Payton Gleason, 14:45.18
60m Hurdles (P) – 8. Hunter Miniard, 8.42 (advances to Saturday's final)
Distance Medley Relay – 7. Memphis, 10:44.84 (Peter Kostarellis, Adam Yakobi, Emmanuel Cullins, Zachary Wyatt)
Weight Throw – 4. Adar Sheere, 64-2.5 (19.57m); 6. Parker Evans, 63-0.25 (19.21m); 9. Robby Watson, 61-4.75 (18.71m); 10. Oliver Tomann, 59-2.25 (18.04m)

Women's Results
60m (P) – 20. Jamaya Fleming, 7.88; 21. Cyera Gordon, 7.89; 22. Jada Crutchfield, 7.94
200m (P) – 27. Jamaya Fleming, 25.52; 29. Jada Crutchfield, 26.37
400m (P) – 4. Paris Perkins, 55.48 (advances to Saturday's final); 29. Savanna Owens, 58.49; 34. Cori Davis, 1:01.22; 35. Reagan Casey, 1:01.49
800m (P) – 12. Brooke Mussche, 2:16.85
Mile (P) – 14. Brooke Mussche, 5:03.38
5000m (F) – 23. Brooke Calvo, 18:28.21; 26. Gabrielle Byndas, 18:55.44
Long Jump – 3. Cyera Gordon, 19-6.25 (5.95m); 13. Anastasia Bampali, 17-10.75 (5.45m); 16. Christian Hill, 17-7.5 (5.37m)
Weight Throw – 2. DeeNia McMiller, 73-11.75 (22.55m); 4. Amber Simpson, 66-3.75 (20.21m); 5. Samantha Lenton, 65-6 (19.96m); 8. Mona Jaidi, 62-4.5 (19.01m); 11. Vigdis Jonsdottir, 59-7.75 (18.18m); 14. Kate Hise, 55-7 (16.94m)
Pentathlon – 14. Marietta Spannowsky, 3234 points; 15. Lea Diedicke, 3144 points