TicketsTAMPA, Fla.— The University of Cincinnati men's and women's track and field teams each placed third overall on Sunday at the 2023 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the USF Track Complex on Sunday.
The Bearcats claimed nine individual conference titles and had 15 student-athletes collect all-conference accolades during the three-day event – the track and field program's final championship in The American before moving to the Big 12.
"We are really proud that we finished third on the men's and the women's side," head coach Susan Seaton said. "Of course, we wanted more, but I am really proud of my team for battling through it all the way up until the last Bearcat crossed the finish line."
The UC men battled hard and were only down five points with two events left in the meet but fell short, scoring 140 points. The men won six individual events and had 10 podium finishes over the weekend. Wichita State won the men's title scoring 154 points and Houston placed second with 152.
The Bearcat women had three individual champions and scored 93 points, earning third overall. UCF won the team championships with 163 points, while Houston finished second with 105 points.
Senior Tyler Wirth led the charge for the men's team on day three as he won the men's 1500m by breaking his own Cincinnati record with a time of 3:41.42 to capture the first AAC outdoor title of his career
Less than an hour later, the Hawley, Penn. native also just missed the podium in the men's 800m as he finished fourth overall with a time of 1:50.91.
Sophomore Abby Knouff claimed her first conference title in the women's pole vault after clearing a bar height of 4.17m (13'8.25"). Knouff's mark is a new outdoor personal best and is the fifth-best mark in UC history. The Tallmadge, Ohio native's mark is tied for 17th in the NCAA East Region.
Bearcat women claimed the top two spots in the women's high jump. Senior Taylor Beard won her second career AAC outdoor women's high jump title. She cleared a bar height of 1.82m (5'11.5") to accomplish the feat. Sophomore Annika Kinley finished second overall with a personal best leap of 1.79m (5'10.5").
Senior Carlos Kouassi earned his first individual outdoor conference title after winning the men's triple jump. He leaped a season-best 15.37m (50'5.25") to earn the gold medal. Kouassi is the first Bearcat to win the AAC outdoor triple jump since UC joined The American.
Sophomore Korbin Spencer won the men's discus title with a personal best heave of 55.12m (180'10'). His winning throw is the third-best mark in UC history and he joins former Bearcat Macklin Tudor as the only Bearcats to win the AAC discus championship.
In total, the Bearcats had 15 athletes earn All-AAC honors throughout the meet that included eight on day three.Among those was graduate student Nyile Facey who placed second overall in the women's 100m hurdles with a time of 12.97 (+4.0 wind). She also placed fourth in the women's 400m hurdles with a time of 59.69.
Graduate student Keco Morrison finished second overall in the men's 400m dash after recording a time of 46.51 to earn his first AAC-All Conference honors.
Additionally, sophomore Naquille Harris ran a personal best of 10.18 in the men's 100m dash to finish third overall. His time is the second-fastest 100m dash time in program history.
Senior Austin Goolsby found his way to the podium after finishing third overall in the men's pole vault. Her recorded a personal best vault of 5.26m (17'3"), the fifth best mark in UC history to earn All-AAC honors.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati Track and Field/Cross Country, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. and follow @GoBearcatsTFXC on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Bearcats claimed nine individual conference titles and had 15 student-athletes collect all-conference accolades during the three-day event – the track and field program's final championship in The American before moving to the Big 12.
"We are really proud that we finished third on the men's and the women's side," head coach Susan Seaton said. "Of course, we wanted more, but I am really proud of my team for battling through it all the way up until the last Bearcat crossed the finish line."
The UC men battled hard and were only down five points with two events left in the meet but fell short, scoring 140 points. The men won six individual events and had 10 podium finishes over the weekend. Wichita State won the men's title scoring 154 points and Houston placed second with 152.
The Bearcat women had three individual champions and scored 93 points, earning third overall. UCF won the team championships with 163 points, while Houston finished second with 105 points.
Senior Tyler Wirth led the charge for the men's team on day three as he won the men's 1500m by breaking his own Cincinnati record with a time of 3:41.42 to capture the first AAC outdoor title of his career
Less than an hour later, the Hawley, Penn. native also just missed the podium in the men's 800m as he finished fourth overall with a time of 1:50.91.
Sophomore Abby Knouff claimed her first conference title in the women's pole vault after clearing a bar height of 4.17m (13'8.25"). Knouff's mark is a new outdoor personal best and is the fifth-best mark in UC history. The Tallmadge, Ohio native's mark is tied for 17th in the NCAA East Region.
Bearcat women claimed the top two spots in the women's high jump. Senior Taylor Beard won her second career AAC outdoor women's high jump title. She cleared a bar height of 1.82m (5'11.5") to accomplish the feat. Sophomore Annika Kinley finished second overall with a personal best leap of 1.79m (5'10.5").
Senior Carlos Kouassi earned his first individual outdoor conference title after winning the men's triple jump. He leaped a season-best 15.37m (50'5.25") to earn the gold medal. Kouassi is the first Bearcat to win the AAC outdoor triple jump since UC joined The American.
Sophomore Korbin Spencer won the men's discus title with a personal best heave of 55.12m (180'10'). His winning throw is the third-best mark in UC history and he joins former Bearcat Macklin Tudor as the only Bearcats to win the AAC discus championship.
In total, the Bearcats had 15 athletes earn All-AAC honors throughout the meet that included eight on day three.Among those was graduate student Nyile Facey who placed second overall in the women's 100m hurdles with a time of 12.97 (+4.0 wind). She also placed fourth in the women's 400m hurdles with a time of 59.69.
Graduate student Keco Morrison finished second overall in the men's 400m dash after recording a time of 46.51 to earn his first AAC-All Conference honors.
Additionally, sophomore Naquille Harris ran a personal best of 10.18 in the men's 100m dash to finish third overall. His time is the second-fastest 100m dash time in program history.
Senior Austin Goolsby found his way to the podium after finishing third overall in the men's pole vault. Her recorded a personal best vault of 5.26m (17'3"), the fifth best mark in UC history to earn All-AAC honors.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati Track and Field/Cross Country, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. and follow @GoBearcatsTFXC on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.