Track and Field is Set for the 2021 AAC Outdoor Championships

CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati track and field team heads to Tampa, Florida this weekend for the 2021 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships, set to take place at the USF Track and Field Stadium from May 14th-16th.
 
The 2020 outdoor and 2021 indoor championships were cancelled due to COVID-19. The last time the Bearcats appeared in an AAC Championship, the women placed second and the men third at the 2019 Outdoors Championships. This mark was the highest the men ever finished in AAC history and it was also the first time both teams finished in the Top 3 in the same meet in the history of the program.

ATHLETES GEARED TO MAKE AN IMPACT

• Aaron Bienenfeld heads into this weekend looking to defend his 10,000m title for the third championship in a row. He ranks #1 amongst all AAC athletes and #7 amongst all NCAA Division I athletes in the 10,000m after his 28:10.95 time at the Sound Running College Invite back on April 2nd, which was also a new UC record. He also ranks #2 in the 5,000m in the AAC and #51 in the NCAA after his performance at the Clark Wood Open, where he ran a UC 2nd best time of 13:45.72. 
• Ellie Leather looks to continue her strong outdoor season in the 1,500m, where she currently ranks #1 amongst all AAC women and #50 out of all NCAA Division I athletes. She set a new school record in the event at the 2021 Kentucky Open with her final time of 4:16.73. She also ranks #3 amongst all AAC women in the 800m after breaking into the top-10 UC all-time with a final time of 2:07.37.
• Caisja Chandler, the 2019 Outdoor Freshman of the Year, currently ranks #1 in the AAC and #10 in the NCAA in the 200m after her new school record time of 22.92 at the War Eagle Invitational back on April 16th. She also is ranked #2 in the AAC and #30 in the NCAA after her 11.33 finish in the 100m S at the 2021 Kentucky Open on April 30th. 
• Chris Borzor holds the #1 spot in the AAC and the #79 spot in the NCAA in the 400m after his time of 46.73 at the War Eagle Invitational. The 200m will be a fun competition to watch as he currently ranks #26 in the NCAA but #3 in the AAC after his time of 20.55 down in Auburn.
• Taylor Beard ranks #1 in the AAC and #25 in the NCAA in the high jump after jumping 1.79m (5' 10.5") at the Clark Wood open. She heads to Tampa hoping to make another NCAA Championships appearance this season after representing the Bearcats in the 2021 Indoor Championships.
• Damien Berthenet looks to get things started for the Bearcats in the Decathlon this weekend, where he ranks #1 in the AAC and #7 in the NCAA. He finished with 7,686 points at the Tennessee Relays on April 8th.
• Toni Banos and Julius Hild are both #2 and #3 respectively in the AAC and also rank #70 and #75 respectively in the 3,000m steeplechase after both having personal best times in this event this season.

ATHLETES TO KEEP AN EYE ON

• Rachel Coghill currently ranks #2 in the AAC and #64 in the NCAA in the pole vault after vaulting 4.07m (13' 4.25") at the War Eagle Invitational.
• Malin Smith ranks #2 in the AAC and #59 in the NCAA in the shot put after a 16.06m (52' 8.25") throw at the War Eagle Invitational. She also ranks #3 in the AAC and #48 in the NCAA in the discuss after a season best 53.66m (176' 0") throw at the War Eagle Invitational. Teammate Jane Sensibaugh isn't far behind Smith in the discus event, ranking #52 in the NCAA after a throw of 53.27m (174' 9") at the Tennessee Relays.
• Bienenfeld's running mate Alec Sandusky currently ranks #3 in the AAC and #21 in the NCAA in the 10,000m after finishing only 30 seconds behind Bienenfeld at the Sound Running College Invite, finishing 28:40.59. This time was also good for the UC 2nd best all-time. The duo is looking to finish with a 1-2 punch in the 10,000m.
• Ranking in the top-10 amongst all AAC women in the 400m, Tiona Lattimore (4th) and Faith Banks (7th) look to make the podium in this event. 
• Katrina Patterson has been pacing all season to finish well in her events. She currently is 5th in the AAC in the 10,000m, 7th in the AAC in the 1,500m and 11tth in the AACin the 5,000m.
• Victoria Abunaw is in the top-10 in the AAC for the women's 100m hurdles while the men have three guys in the top 10 for the 110m hurdles: Arthur Greenlee IV (5th), Isaiah McCall (6th) and Berthenet (8th).
• In the men's high jump, Berthenet (4th in AAC), Jeremy Hatton (7th in AAC) and Albert Kalala (9th in AAC) hope to place on the podium this weekend.
• Austin Edwards looks to jump into a podium finish this weekend in the long jump as he currently sits 4th amongst all AAC men in the event. Teammate Andre Wright currently sits in 5th amongst AAC male long jumpers and 7th in the triple jump. 

EVENTS TO WATCH

• The 1,500m has multiple men currently ranked in the top-10 in the AAC and has the potential to be an exciting finish. Bienenfeld (3rd), Tyler Wirth (6th), Jonathan Harley (7th) and Matt Hoak (8th) hope to represent the Bearcats on the podium in this event.
• The 800m event: The boys' duo of Hoak and Harley currently are in the top-10 amongst AAC athletes but only one second differentiates their top times. For the women, Leather and teammate Carmen Licht look to finish near the top.

  
HOW TO WATCH
The three day track meet will air on ESPN+, a web based streaming provider. You can watch through the ESPN app on Apple and Android devices along with Amazon Fire devices, Roku, Chromecast, Playstation, and any smart TV. To sign up for a package, visit plus.espn.com or click on the ESPN+ logo at the top of the ESPN page.

HISTORICAL AAC TEAM FINISHES - OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

YEAR	WOMEN	MEN
2019	SECOND	THIRD
2018	THIRD	SIXTH
2017	CHAMPIONS	SIXTH
2016	CHAMPIONS	SEVENTH
2015	THIRD	FOURTH
2014	NINTH	SEVENTH

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
FRIDAY, MAY 14
Decathlon
10:30 a.m. 100m Dash
11:10 a.m. (est.) Long Jump
12:10 p.m. (est.) Shot Put
  1:15 p.m. (est.) High Jump
  2:30 p.m. (est.) 400m Dash
 
Heptathlon
11:00 a.m. 100m Hurdles
11:40 a.m. (est.) High Jump
  1:30 p.m. (est.) Shot Put
  2:30 p.m. (est.) 200m Dash
 
Field Events
11:00 a.m. Hammer Throw – Women's Trials & FINAL
  1:00 p.m. Hammer Throw – Men's Trials & FINAL
  3:00 p.m. Javelin –  Women's Trials & FINAL
  5:00 p.m. Javelin – Men's Trials & FINAL
 
Track Events 
6:30 p.m. 1,500m Run – Women's Trials
6:45 p.m. 1,500m Run – Men's Trials
7:00 p.m. 200m Dash – Women's Trials
7:15 p.m. 200m Dash – Men's Trials
7:30 p.m. 400m Hurdles – Women's Trials
7:40 p.m. 400m Hurdles – Mens Trials
7:55 p.m. 10,000m Run – Women's Trials
8:35 p.m. 10,000m Run – Men's Trials
 
SATURDAY, MAY 15
Decathlon
10:30 a.m. 110m Hurdles
11:20 a.m. (est.) Discus Throw
12:30 p.m. (est.) Pole Vault
 3:30 p.m. (est.) Javelin
 5:00 p.m. (est.) 1500m Run
 
Heptathlon
11:00 a.m. Long Jump
  1:00 p.m. (est.) Javelin
  2:30 p.m. (est.) 800m Run
 
Field Events
3:00 p.m. Long Jump – Women's Trials & FINAL
3:30 p.m. Shot Put – Women's Trials & FINAL
4:30 p.m. Pole Vault – Women's Trials & FINAL
5:00 p.m. Long Jump – Men's Trials & FINAL
5:30 p.m. Shot Put – Men's Trials & FINAL
 
Track Events
5:25 p.m. 100m Hurdles – Women's Trials
5:45 p.m. 110m Hurdles – Men's Trials
6:00 p.m. 800m Run – Women's Trials
6:15 p.m. 800m Run – Men's Trials
6:30 p.m. 400m Dash – Women's Trials
6:45 p.m. 400m Dash – Men's Trials
7:00 p.m. 100m Dash – Women's Trials
7:15 p.m. 100m Dash – Men's Trials
7:30 p.m. 3,000m Steeplechase – Women's FINAL
7:45 p.m. 3,000m Steeplechase – Men's FINAL
 
SUNDAY, MAY 16
Field Events
2:30 p.m. High Jump – Men's Trials & FINAL
2:30 p.m. Triple Jump – Women's Trials & FINAL
2:30 p.m. Discus – Women's Trials & FINAL
3:30 p.m. Pole Vault – Men's Trials & FINAL
4:30 p.m. High Jump – Women's Trials & FINAL
4:30 p.m. Triple Jump – Men's Trials & FINAL
4:30 p.m. Discus – Men's Trials & FINAL
 
Track Events
4:30 p.m. 400m Relay – Women's FINAL
4:40 p.m. 400m Relay – Men's FINAL
4:50 p.m. 1,500m Run – Women's FINAL
5:00 p.m. 1,500m Run – Men's FINAL
5:10 p.m. 100m Hurdles – Women's FINAL
5:20 p.m. 110m Hurdles – Men's FINAL
5:30 p.m. 400m Dash – Women's FINAL
5:35 p.m. 400m Dash – Men's FINAL
5:45 p.m. 100m Dash – Women's FINAL
5:50 p.m. 100m Dash – Men's FINAL
6:00 p.m. 800m Run – Women's FINAL
6:05 p.m. 800m Run – Men's FINAL
6:15 p.m. 400m Hurdles – Women's FINAL
6:20 p.m. 400m Hurdles – Men's FINAL
6:30 p.m. 200m Dash – Women's FINAL
6:35 p.m. 200m Dash – Men's FINAL
6:40 p.m. 5,000m Run – Women's Unseeded FINAL
7:05 p.m. 5,000m Run – Women's Seeded FINAL
7:25 p.m. 5,000m Run – Men's FINAL
7:45 p.m. 1,600m Run – Women's FINAL
7:55 p.m. 1,600m Run – Men's FINAL
 
8:15 p.m. AWARDS CEREMONY
 
All times Eastern