FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas-Auburn track and field had a day to remember at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, with juniors Ja’Kobe Tharp and Kayinsola Ajayi capturing individual national titles in spectacular style. Their performances propelled the Tigers to a tie for fourth in the men’s team standings.
Tharp blazed through the men’s 60m hurdles in 7.32 seconds, shattering the previous collegiate, meet, and facility records set by Grant Holloway. This time ranks as the third fastest ever globally and the second fastest by an American hurdler.
Tharp's victory marks his second consecutive indoor national title and his third overall, adding to his outdoor 110m hurdles championship from last spring. He's now tied with James Walker and just one title short of Harvey Glance’s school record of four.
Tharp, hailing from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, joins Willie Smith as the only Auburn men to win back-to-back indoor titles. Smith achieved this feat in the 440y in 1977 and 1978.
Meanwhile, Ajayi sprinted to victory in the men’s 60m dash with a time of 6.45, matching the collegiate record he equaled two weeks prior at the SEC Championships. The Nigerian native is Auburn’s first sprinter to clinch a national title since Bryan Howard’s 55m win in 1997. Sophomore Israel Okon contributed significantly to the team’s score with a fifth-place finish in the 60m, clocking in at 6.57.
On the women’s side, Auburn finished tied for 22nd, led by junior Ana-Liese Torian’s third-place finish in the 60m hurdles and senior Megan Hague’s fourth place in the shot put. This marks the women’s best indoor team finish since 2021.
Torian, who improved from a 13th-place finish last year, powered through the final hurdles to secure a bronze medal. Her performance is the best by an Auburn woman in the event since Vonette Dixon’s gold in 2000.
Niceville, Florida’s own Megan Hague launched her best throw on her first attempt, reaching 17.88m/58-8. Hague, the SEC indoor champion, broke the school record five times this season and now holds nine of the top 10 marks in Auburn history for the shot put. Sophomore Camryn Massey, making her NCAA debut, finished 15th with a throw of 15.48m/50-9.5, earning second-team All-America honors.
With the indoor season wrapped up, Auburn is gearing up for the outdoor season, starting next weekend at the Yellow Jacket Invitational on Georgia Tech’s campus in Atlanta.
Key Performances at the Randal Tyson Center
Men’s 60m Hurdles Final
- 1st: Ja’Kobe Tharp - 7.32 (CR, MR, FR, PR, SR)
Men’s 60m Final
- 1st: Kayinsola Ajayi - 6.45 (=CR, =MR, =SR)
- 5th: Israel Okon - 6.57
Women’s Shot Put
- 4th: Megan Hague - 17.88m/58-8
- 15th: Camryn Massey - 15.48m/50-9.5
Women’s 60m Hurdles Final
- 3rd: Ana-Liese Torian - 7.93
Key
- CR: Collegiate Record
- MR: Meet Record
- FR: Facility Record
- SR: School Record
- PR: Personal Record