Tigers Sweep Shot Put Titles, Break Two School Records at AAC Championships

Wednesday, May 8

San Antonio, Texas

TBA

University of Memphis

AAC Outdoor Championships

Gizel Clayton, 100-meter hurdle final at AAC Championships, May 12, 2024

Photo by: American Athletic Conference

Tigers Sweep Shot Put Titles, Break Two School Records at AAC Championships

May 12, 2024 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of Memphis track and field team swept the shot-put titles as both Sascha Salesius Schmidt and Poorna Raorane were crowned American Athletic Conference Champions at the 2024 AAC Outdoor Championships in San Antonio, Texas, at Park West Athletic Complex, hosted by UTSA over the weekend.

"I was very happy to see Sascha and Poorna come out with victories," head coach Kevin Robinson said. "I know first-hand how much work, dedication and discipline that they exude. It was very gratifying to see that get rewarded with victory."

In addition to the shot-put sweep, Iason Machairas threw a big season-best throw to finish third and make it a pair of Tiger men on the shot-put podium. Memphis also placed a pair of women on the podium in the 100-meter hurdles Sunday afternoon as Gizel Clayton finished runner up in school-record time (13.19) while teammate Madison Fleming took the bronze in 13.31.

A second school record was broken when the 4x100-meter quartet of Simone Harper, Jadaja Baxter, Clayton and Kyndia Matlock clocked 44.42 to finish third and earn all-conference status.

"I thought the women's sprint and hurdle groups led the way," Robinson added. "Lots of PRs and clutch performances. It was great to see how they stepped up and competed. On the men's side, the throws led the way. We left some points on the field that we should have accrued, but they did a very solid job."

All in all, 11 Tigers earned all-conference honors (top-three finishes) as the men finished sixth overall with 52 team points while the women finished seventh out of 14 teams with 66 points.

NOTABLES

CHAMPIONS:
• Raorane became an AAC Champion after she threw a lifetime-best 16.10 meters (52'10") to take the conference crown in the women's shot put. It marked the second-career All-AAC honor for Raorane and the first of her outdoor career after finishing third at the 2023 AAC Indoor Championships. Her mark now ranks 27^th in the NCAA East Region and 60^th nationally.
• Salesuis Schmidt took home the gold and became an AAC champion after he threw 19.26 meters (63'2.25") in the men's shot put. It was the first AAC title for the sophomore and his fifth-overall All-AAC honor in his young career.

ALL-CONFERENCE PERFORMERS:
• On Friday night, Julia Konigshofer became the first Tiger of the Championships to secure All-AAC honors with a third-place finish. She improved to No. 31 in the country after a personal-best throw of 46.64 meters in the women's javelin.
• The third-place podium spot went to freshman Arina Razina in women's pole vault after she cleared 3.98 meters (13'0.75") to earn the first All-AAC honor of her career.
• The three-time AAC shot put champion Machairas earned all-conference status for the sixth time in his career after throwing a season-best 18.01 meters (59'1.25) to take bronze.
• Clayton finished as AAC runner up in school-record time (13.19) for her second-career All-AAC finish.
• Fleming secured her third-career All-AAC nod in the women's 100-meter hurdles. She took home a bronze medal after running a wind-legal personal-best time of 13.31.
• A bronze medal left with Will Dibo as he finished third in the men's discus after he threw 55.40 meters (181'9") to earn his fifth-career All-AAC honor.
• Matlock took bronze in the women's 200-meter final with a time of 23.56 to earn her second medal of the championships.
• The women's 4x100-meter relay squad of Harper, Baxter, Clayton and Matlock ran a school-record time of 44.42 to earn bronze medals and All-AAC status.

POINT SCORERS:
• Riley Simmons earned sixth place in the women's hammer throw with a personal-record throw of 54.59 meters (179'1").
• Seventh place in the men's hammer throw went to Oliver Tomann after he threw 54.53 meters (178'11").
• Men's shot-put thrower Dibo took fifth place and put down a new personal record of 17.88 meters (58'8").
• Issac Sawyer jumped a personal-record 7.21 meters (23'8") to take sixth place in men's long jump.
• Lewis LaGrant finished fifth at 2.07 meters (6'9.5") in the men's high jump with Dajuan Montague close behind in seventh at the height 2.03 meters (6'8").
• Fourth place in the women's 400-meter dash went to Gabrielle Cross after running a personal best of 53.96 and dipping under 54 seconds for the first time in her career.
• The women's 100 meters had a pair of Tiger women in the final. Matlock finished fourth running 11.41 and Baxter took eighth in 11.65.
• Finishing behind teammate Dibo in the men's discus, Salesuis Schmidt placed fourth and achieved a new season-best throw of 54.19 meters (177'9"). Mans Roos also threw a season-best mark of 49.34 meters (161'10") to take seventh.
• Women's 100-meter hurdler Harper ran a personal-best 13.65 and took home sixth place to make it three Tigers in the top six.
• The women's 4x400-meter relay of Matlock, Baxter, Fleming and Cross ran a season-best time of 3:45.83 and placed eighth while the men's quartet of Anthony Romens, Adam Yakobi, Tyler Bickerman and Chase Pitre finished eighth in 3:18.95.

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.