Tigers Open Season with Five Event Wins in Birmingham

Friday, December 1

Birmingham, Ala.

9 A.M.

University of Memphis

BSC Icebreaker

Photo by: Michael Wade

Tigers Open Season with Five Event Wins in Birmingham

Dec 01, 2023 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The University of Memphis track & field team opened its indoor season at the BSC Icebreaker at The CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama, on Friday. The Tigers notched five individual event wins, led by Madison Fleming's gold-medal performances in the 60-meter hurdles and 200 meters.

"All in all, I felt like today was a solid start for our program. We have been able to identify some key components among the groups that can be improved," head coach Kevin Robinson said. "In each group, we had some positives. In each group we had some hiccups. Most importantly, we finally had the chance to compete and now we know more about who we are this year."

NOTABLES
• A pair of Tiger women advanced from the prelims to the final in the 60 meters. Jadaja Baxter ran 7.60 in the prelim to qualify for the final fourth-fastest overall and Kyndia Matlock qualified seventh fastest (7.62). Baxter went on to finish third (7.60) and Matlock improved from her seed to finish sixth place (7.69).
• On the men's side, Joseph Ewan advanced to the 60-meter final sixth-fastest overall (6.92) and went on to finish sixth in the final (6.93).
• School-record holder Madison Fleming breezed into the 60-meter hurdles final after running the fastest preliminary time (8.36). Fleming repeated her time of 8.36 in the final to take gold and win her first of two events on the day.
• In the men's long jump, Myles Gentry (6.91m / 22'8") and Issac Sawyer (6.79m / 22'3.5") finished fourth and seventh, respectively.
• Sascha Salesius Schmidt led a one-two punch in the men's shot put for the Tigers. The sophomore from Borsdorf, Germany, threw the shot 17.11 meters (56'1.75") to win the meet. Mans Roos took silver with a 15.48-meter (50'9.5") throw to secure the top-two spots on the podium for Memphis.
• Gabrielle Cross put down a big personal-best time (55.33) to win the women's 400 meters. She went on to finish ninth in the 200-meter race (25.06).
• In the men's weight throw, Will Dibo took gold for the Tigers with a throw of 19.79 meters (64'11.25") to improve his previous personal-best mark by 1.43 meters. Oliver Tomann took bronze with a 18.50-meter (60'8.5") heave.
• Fleming doubled back to win her second gold of the day in the women's 200 meters with a personal-best time (24.33). Matlock finished fourth in 24.85.
• Freshman Courtland Noble won the men's 200 meters (21.81) in his collegiate debut.
• Freshman Dajuan Montague debuted for Memphis in the high jump, taking third with a 2.00-meter (6'6.75") jump.
• In the final event of the day, Riley Simmons finished third in the women's weight throw (16.29m / 53'5.5").

UP NEXT
• Next up for the Tigers is the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville, Tenn., on Jan. 19-20.

How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tiger Track & Field, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.