University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Matthew A. Smith
Salesius Schmidt Shatters Shot Put Record, Tigers Record Multiple PRs at Memphis Invitational
Apr 27, 2024 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis track and field team had a great weekend of competition as they competed at home at the annual Memphis Tiger Invitational in Memphis, Tennessee, on Friday and Saturday.
Sascha Salesius Schmidt put on a show for the home Tiger fans in the men's shot put Saturday morning. After multiple lifetime-best throws, Salesius Schmidt launched his final throw, a program-record 19.39 meters (63'7.5"), to smash his previous best by over half a meter and break the 19-meter barrier for the first time in his career. Not only did he shatter former Tiger All-American Luke Vaughn's school record from 2018 by half a meter, but his throw improved his American Athletic Conference lead and moved him to No. 13 in the NCAA.
"With Sascha, we have been seeing the signs for a few weeks that he was 19-meter ready," head coach Kevin Robinson said. "What he did today was a phenomenal display of competitive maturity and poise. Knowing you are ready for a big break through is tough on a lot of athletes, as they tend to compete differently. Today, we had a specific game plan, he stuck to it, and it really paid off in a huge way. I am very proud not just of his throw, but in his growth as an athlete and person."
Salesius Schmidt wasn't the only stand-out performance as the Tigers racked up the personal bests over the two-day meet. The men's shot put group had an especially strong weekend.
"All men's shot putters today walked away with either a PR or a seasons' best. That doesn't happen very often. We were able to create some big energy and fed off of each other's successes. It was really fun to be a part of it, and to see the hard work starting to pay off. Madison [Fleming] in the hurdles, Jadaja [Baxter] in the long jump… there were strong performances across the board."
NOTABLES
• The entire Tiger men's shot put group had a big weekend. Iason Machairas took third overall with a season-best throw of 17.63 meters (57'10.25"), earning the No. 3 spot in the AAC and No. 53 in the NCAA East Region. Darrell Harden placed fifth with his personal-best throw of 15.92 meters (52'2.75") earning him the No. 8 spot in the AAC. Sixth place went to Zaryn Rumfelt for his personal-best throw of 15.40 meters (50'6.25")
• Jadaja Baxter took gold with a lifetime-best jump of 6.22 meters in the women's long jump. That jump puts her top-50 in the NCAA, 22nd in the NCAA East Region and third in the AAC. Simone Harper followed that up with her own lifetime-best jump of 5.89 meters. That mark moves Harper to No. 13 in the AAC.
• The women's 1500-meter runners all placed in the top eight. Chloe Figgins finished second with a time of 4:43.98, Ashleigh Anderson finished third running 4:45.79 and Jalyssa Smith ran 4:48.81 and placed fifth. Ann Marie Braese finished sixth and achieved a personal record of 4:49.64. Right behind her in seventh place was Ximena Lopez de Escalera who also had a personal-best time of 4:50.52.
• Lewis LaGrant jumped a career-best 2.13 meters (6'11.75) in the men's high jump to finish runner up and move to No. 3 in the AAC, No. 20 in the NCAA East Region and No. 40 in the NCAA. Dajuan Montague was right behind him with his own personal-record clearance of 2.10 meters (6'10.75). That mark moved Montague to No. 4 in the AAC, No. 38 in the NCAA East Region and No. 68 in the NCAA.
• Women's 100-meter hurdler Madison Fleming ran a season-best time of 13.30. That time makes her the 51st-fastest women's hurdler in the NCAA, 29th in the NCAA East Region and third in the AAC. Harper posted a lifetime best and ran 13.79 to move to No. 7 in the AAC.
• Kyndia Matlock ran a huge personal best of 11.35 in the women's 100-meter dash. That time placed her first overall and moved her to No. 5 in the AAC.
• Jhayla Walton had a personal best jump of 1.70 meters in the women's high jump. This mark earned her third place and improved her to No. 8 in the AAC. Ariana Razina jumped into fifth place and achieved a personal record of 1.60 meters.
• Men's discus thrower Will Dibo placed first with a throw of 54.87 meters and Jamal Mitchell threw a personal-best 53.10 meters to finish runner up.
• Mi'Asia Bergmann took third place in the women's 200 meters, running 24.38 for a new personal-best time.
• Caleb Barrett recorded a pair of personal records this weekend. His first came in the 100 meters where he placed fourth with a time of 10.81 and the second when he placed seventh with a time of 21.81 in the 200 meters.
• The women's 4x400-meter relay team of Gabrielle Cross, Matlock, Baxter, and Fleming ran a season-best time of 3:47.47 to take gold.
• Ulysses Holbert showed out with a season-best throw of 51.15 meters to take second place in the men's javelin throw. That throw moved him to No. 11 in the conference.
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.
Sascha Salesius Schmidt put on a show for the home Tiger fans in the men's shot put Saturday morning. After multiple lifetime-best throws, Salesius Schmidt launched his final throw, a program-record 19.39 meters (63'7.5"), to smash his previous best by over half a meter and break the 19-meter barrier for the first time in his career. Not only did he shatter former Tiger All-American Luke Vaughn's school record from 2018 by half a meter, but his throw improved his American Athletic Conference lead and moved him to No. 13 in the NCAA.
"With Sascha, we have been seeing the signs for a few weeks that he was 19-meter ready," head coach Kevin Robinson said. "What he did today was a phenomenal display of competitive maturity and poise. Knowing you are ready for a big break through is tough on a lot of athletes, as they tend to compete differently. Today, we had a specific game plan, he stuck to it, and it really paid off in a huge way. I am very proud not just of his throw, but in his growth as an athlete and person."
Salesius Schmidt wasn't the only stand-out performance as the Tigers racked up the personal bests over the two-day meet. The men's shot put group had an especially strong weekend.
"All men's shot putters today walked away with either a PR or a seasons' best. That doesn't happen very often. We were able to create some big energy and fed off of each other's successes. It was really fun to be a part of it, and to see the hard work starting to pay off. Madison [Fleming] in the hurdles, Jadaja [Baxter] in the long jump… there were strong performances across the board."
NOTABLES
• The entire Tiger men's shot put group had a big weekend. Iason Machairas took third overall with a season-best throw of 17.63 meters (57'10.25"), earning the No. 3 spot in the AAC and No. 53 in the NCAA East Region. Darrell Harden placed fifth with his personal-best throw of 15.92 meters (52'2.75") earning him the No. 8 spot in the AAC. Sixth place went to Zaryn Rumfelt for his personal-best throw of 15.40 meters (50'6.25")
• Jadaja Baxter took gold with a lifetime-best jump of 6.22 meters in the women's long jump. That jump puts her top-50 in the NCAA, 22nd in the NCAA East Region and third in the AAC. Simone Harper followed that up with her own lifetime-best jump of 5.89 meters. That mark moves Harper to No. 13 in the AAC.
• The women's 1500-meter runners all placed in the top eight. Chloe Figgins finished second with a time of 4:43.98, Ashleigh Anderson finished third running 4:45.79 and Jalyssa Smith ran 4:48.81 and placed fifth. Ann Marie Braese finished sixth and achieved a personal record of 4:49.64. Right behind her in seventh place was Ximena Lopez de Escalera who also had a personal-best time of 4:50.52.
• Lewis LaGrant jumped a career-best 2.13 meters (6'11.75) in the men's high jump to finish runner up and move to No. 3 in the AAC, No. 20 in the NCAA East Region and No. 40 in the NCAA. Dajuan Montague was right behind him with his own personal-record clearance of 2.10 meters (6'10.75). That mark moved Montague to No. 4 in the AAC, No. 38 in the NCAA East Region and No. 68 in the NCAA.
• Women's 100-meter hurdler Madison Fleming ran a season-best time of 13.30. That time makes her the 51st-fastest women's hurdler in the NCAA, 29th in the NCAA East Region and third in the AAC. Harper posted a lifetime best and ran 13.79 to move to No. 7 in the AAC.
• Kyndia Matlock ran a huge personal best of 11.35 in the women's 100-meter dash. That time placed her first overall and moved her to No. 5 in the AAC.
• Jhayla Walton had a personal best jump of 1.70 meters in the women's high jump. This mark earned her third place and improved her to No. 8 in the AAC. Ariana Razina jumped into fifth place and achieved a personal record of 1.60 meters.
• Men's discus thrower Will Dibo placed first with a throw of 54.87 meters and Jamal Mitchell threw a personal-best 53.10 meters to finish runner up.
• Mi'Asia Bergmann took third place in the women's 200 meters, running 24.38 for a new personal-best time.
• Caleb Barrett recorded a pair of personal records this weekend. His first came in the 100 meters where he placed fourth with a time of 10.81 and the second when he placed seventh with a time of 21.81 in the 200 meters.
• The women's 4x400-meter relay team of Gabrielle Cross, Matlock, Baxter, and Fleming ran a season-best time of 3:47.47 to take gold.
• Ulysses Holbert showed out with a season-best throw of 51.15 meters to take second place in the men's javelin throw. That throw moved him to No. 11 in the conference.
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.
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