Track & Field Off to the AAC Outdoor Championships This Weekend

Track & Field Off to the AAC Outdoor Championships This Weekend

May 11, 2023 | Track & Field

Live Results for the AAC Championships| Watch AAC Championships (Friday) | Watch AAC Championships (Saturday) | Watch AAC Championships (Sunday)

NEW ORLEANS – The Tulane outdoor track & field program is back in action and on the road this weekend as the program participates in the 2023 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Tampa, Florida at the USF Track & Field Stadium from May 12-14. The action starts on Friday at 9:30 a.m. CDT with 100m dash of the men's Decathlon. Saturday's day begins at 9:30 a.m. CDT with the 110m hurdles of the men's Decathlon. Sunday's action gets started for Tulane at 1:30 p.m. CDT with the women's triple jump finals. All three days will be broadcasted live on ESPN+.

Those that are expected to be in action at the AAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships are Kristen O'Handley (Heptathlon, 400m, 4x400m relay), Janae Dean (800m, 4x400m relay), Victoria Robinson (800m, 4x400m relay), Abigail Heck (800m, 4x400m relay), Mackenzie Callahan (1,500m, 3000m steeplechase), Reese Ragland (1,500m), Margot Temines (Heptathlon), Allison Nelson (5,000m, 3,000m steeplechase), Kristina Leggas (pole vault), Kate Sander (pole vault), Megan Fitzgerald (pole vault), Kara Steele (triple jump), Kaia Todd (triple jump, Heptathlon, 4x100m relay), Maren Butler (shot put, discus), Bella Gonzalez (shot put, discus), Alyssa Dismuke (discus), Kara Schiek (javelin), Patricija Ozolina (javelin, Heptathlon, 4x100m relay), Norah Bice (javelin), Laura Fodor (Heptathlon, 4x400m relay, 4x100m relay), Alexis Esteves (4x100m, 4x400m relay), Francisco Roman III (Decathlon, 4x100m relay), Zander Dunbar (800m, 4x400m relay), Jalen St. Fort (800m, 4x400m relay), Roman Schrader (800m, 4x400m relay), Charlie McLawhorn (5,000m), Aaron Gilliam (1,500m, 5,000m), Bradley Makuvire (10,000m, 5,000m), Jamie Polakoff (1,500m, 4x100m relay), Tucker Poshard (5,000m), Donie Devane (5,000m), Arturs Lapins (3,000m steeplechase) Matthew Remondet (javelin), Jon Lloyd (javelin), Bethwel Tum (800m, 4x400m relay, 4x100m relay), Adam Aldahir (5,000m, 4x100m relay).

The men's team finished eighth last year's AAC Outdoor Championships with four points. The program's highest finish since joining the AAC was 8th place with 38 points in 2017. The finishes over the years are 2022 (8th), 2021 (DNC), 2020 (Canceled), 2019 (8th), 2017 (8th), 2016 (8th) and 2015 (8th). The last time the Tulane men's team won an event came in 2019 when Emmanuel Rotich earned the 3,000m steeplechase title. It was also the last time that the program had an individual that was All-AAC. The men's program has had a total of 17 All-AAC selections (2019 {1}. 2018 {6}, 2017 (6}, 2016 {2}, 2015 {2}) during outdoor season since joining the conference. The 2019 season was also the last time that Tulane's men's program had an NCAA Outdoor Track & Field participant.

The women's team placed 11th last season at the AAC Outdoor Championships with 23.5 points. The program's highest finish since joining the conference was fifth place and 90 points in 2016. The finishes over the years are 2022 (11th), 2021 (11th), 2020 (Canceled), 2019 (9th), 2018 (7th), 2017 (8th), 2016 (5th) and 2015 (8th). The last time the Tulane women won an event at the outdoor championships was in 2018 with Jessica Duckett winning the 100m hurdles. The program had a pair of All-AAC selections last season as Megan Fitzgerald (pole vault) and Margot Temines (Heptathlon) took home the honors. The Tulane women have had 32 All-AAC selections (2022{2}. 2021 {6}, 2019 {4}. 2018 {5}, 2017 (5}, 2016 {6}, 2015 {3}) since joining the league. The last time the program sent someone to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships was Rebekah Markel in the pole vault in 2019.

Last time out, the program participated in two different meets from April 27-29.

At the Drake Relays, Mackenzie Callahan set the school record in the 3,000m steeplechase. Callahan ran a 10:24.50 to break Mckenzie Melius's previous school mark of 10:27.81 that was set in 2019. Callahan finished fifth overall in the event. Her teammate Allison Nelson placed 26th with her 11:10.21. Bradley Makuvire finished 16th overall in the 1500m with a 3:51.63. His time ranks him 10th all-time at Tulane in the event having topped Bill Hammarstrom mark set in 1985. Abigail Heck placed 11th in the women's 800m with her time of 2:13.20. Danna Diaz ran a personal-best 4:30.71 in the women's 1500m to finish 15th. Aaron Gilliam finished sixth in the men's unseeded 1500m with his personal-record of 3:47.49. His time also ranked him fifth all-time at Tulane in the event. Janae Dean finished fifth in the 800m with a 2:10.16. Victoria Robinson ranked seventh with her 2:13.16.

At the East Coast Relays, Maren Butler led the Tulane throwers in the women's discus with her toss of 47.60m/156'02" that ranked her fifth overall in the competition. Her throw also placed her third in the Tulane record book in the event. Bella Gonzalez finished 16th in the event with a personal-best 37.10m/121'08". Alyssa Dismuke took 18th with a 36.77m/120'07". Norah Bice earned 20th with a 35.64m/116'11".

Kara Schiek finished fourth in the women's javelin with her 43.47m/142'07". Her mark ranks her ninth all-time at Tulane and bettered her previous mark of 42.26m set earlier this season. Norah Bice earned 17th in the event with a 34.78m/114'01".

Kristen O'Handley took fifth in the women's high jump with leap of 1.66m/5'05.25". Margot Temines took 11th with her 1.66m/5'05.25".

Kara Steele earned seventh in the women's triple jump with her 12.54m/41'01.75". Kaia Todd took 20th with a 11.66m/38'03.25".

Jon Lloyd finished 10th in the men's javelin (54.22m/177'10"). Matthew Remondet took 11th with his 52.00m/170'00".

The men's 4x400m relay group of Zander Dunbar, Jamie Polakoff, Roman Schrader and Jalen St. Fort finished 10th with a 3:30.44.

Reese Ragland placed 13th in the women's 1500m with a personal-best 4:33.79. Her time was the ninth best in school history. Teammate Macy Turcotte earned 25th with a 4:42.53.

Tucker Poshard placed fifth in the men's 5,000m with his 14:50.12. Donie Devane ran a personal-best 15.12.88 in placing 16th. Adam Aldahir earned 29th with his 15:33.48. Charlie McLawhorn took 31st with his 15:37.54.

Butler placed eighth in the women's shot put with a 13.53m/44'04.75". Gonzalez earned 19th with her toss of 11.33m/37'02.25". Dismuke took home 24th with a 10.68m/35'00.50'.

Devean Deal led Tulane in the men's shot put with a 13.13m/43'01.00" in finishing 19th. Remondet had a personal-best 12.08m/39'07.75". Francisco Roman also had a personal-best 11.04m/36'02.75" in the event.

Harper Shaw took 14th in the women's 5,000m (18:12.89).

Kristina Leggas finished 15th in the women's pole vault with a 3.65m. Kate Sander earned 18th with a 3.50m. Cosette Fleury ranked 24th with a 3.35m.

Patricija Ozolina led the Tulane group of three in the women's long jump with her 5.47m/17'11.50". Kaia Todd had a personal-best 5.30m/17'04.75". Laura Fodor also had a personal-best in the event with her 5.23m/17'02.00".

Alexis Esteves set a personal best in the women's 200m with a 26.25.

Francisco Roman III set a personal best in the men's 200m with a 23.13.

Jamie Polakoff ran a 4:12.37 in the 1,500m.

Tulane currently has 27 athletes that are ranked among the top-10 in the AAC in an event after the first eight weeks of the campaign in Kristen O'Handley – 10th – women's 200m, Roman Schrader – 5th – men's 800m, Janae Dean – 7th – women's 800m, Victoria Robinson – 9th – women's 800m, Aaron Gilliam – 7th – men's 1500m, Mackenzie Callahan – 3rd – women's 1500m, Bradley Makuvire – 5th – men's 5000m, Bradley Makuvire – 4th – 10,000m, Arturs Lapins – 6th – men's 3000m steeplechase, Mackenzie Callahan – 2nd – women's 3000m steeplechase, Allison Nelson – 5th – women's 3000m steeplechase, men's 4x400m relay – 8th, women's 4x400m relay – 10th, Kristen O'Handley – 9th – women's high jump, Kristina Leggas – 7th – women's pole vault, Kate Sander – 10th – women's pole vault, Kara Steele – 5th – women's triple jump, Maren Butler – 5th – women's shot put, Maren Butler – 7th – women's discus, Jon Lloyd – 3rd – men's javelin, Matthew Remondet – 6th – men's javelin, Kara Schiek – 4th – women's javelin, Patricija Ozolina – 8th – women's javelin, Kristen O'Handley – 1st – Heptathlon, Margot Temines – 2nd – Heptathlon, Laura Fodor – 8th - Heptathlon and Patricija Ozolina – 9th – Heptathlon.

The Tulane also has six athletes that are ranked among the top-10 in the South Central Region in, Bradley Makuvire – 6th – men's 5000m, Bradley Makuvire – 5th – men's 10,000m, Arturs Lapins - 6th – men's 3000m steeplechase, Mackenzie Callahan – 6th – women's 3000m steeplechase, Kristen O'Handley – 1st – Heptathlon and Margot Temines – 6th – Heptathlon.

Additionally, the program also has the second ranked Heptathlon event squad in the country.

Next, Tulane will send a qualifying group to the NCAA East Preliminaries from May 24-27 in Jacksonville, Fla. at Hodges Stadium.
 
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