AUBURN, Ala. – The University of South Alabama track team recorded multiple season-best performances – including senior Rafael Scott setting a new men's 100m dash school record for the second time this season – during Auburn University's 2018 Tiger Track Classic at Hutsell-Rosen Track.
 
Emilie Berge earned 5,479 points in the women's heptathlon event to jump to the top of the Sun Belt standings and rank 13th on the NCAA Division I performance list. She earned top-four finishes in six of the seven events, including a win in the 800m.

MEET INFORMATION
Event: Tiger Track Classic
Dates: April 13-14
Host: Auburn University 
Site: Hutsell-Rosen Track
Results

NOTES
-Rafael Scott broke his own school record with a second-place, 10.25-second (3.2) finish in the 100m dash. It is the second-best time in the Sun Belt Conference, tied for 12th in the NCAA Division I East rankings, and tied for 18th on the NCAA Division I performance list. He completed the 200m race in 21.54 seconds (0.6) to land 18th in the conference standings.  
-Elysa Griffin's personal-best time of 24.94 seconds (2.8) in the women's 200m dash is 17th in the conference.
-Keith Davis placed 14th in the men's 200m dash after completing the race in 21.45 seconds (2.6).
-Nicole Van Der Merwe ran the women's 5,000m for the first time in her career and crossed the finish line in 18:32.06. Dylan Pausic ran the men's event in 15:43.06 to place 22nd in the league.
-Hunter Peters ran a personal-best 15.51 (3.2) in the 110m hurdles.
-Olivia Swan picked up a seventh-place finish in the women's 400m hurdles (1:01.86) and tied for fourth in the high jump (1.70m, 05-07.00).
-Larry Lombard is ninth in the Sun Belt standings after a season-best 54.24-second 400m hurdles effort.
-The men's 4 x 400m relay team of Davis, Lombard, Javen Jackson and Jacob Johnson recorded their best time of the season, 3:17.46.
-Taylor Dames won the women's high jump event with a 1.75m (05-08.75) mark.
-Caitlyn Dressler recorded a season-best 3.70m (12-01.50) pole vault mark to earn fourth place in the event. The mark is fifth in the Sun Belt and tied for 82nd in the NCAA Division I East standings.
-Sean Collins ranks in the top 10 in the nation after a 5.50m (18-00.50) pole vault effort. He finished second in the event and tied the top mark in the conference. Chris Taylor recorded a 4.65m (15-03.00) height, while Connor Allred landed at 12th on the conference performance list with a personal-best, 4.50m (14-09.00) effort.
-Kriszti Szabo earned 10th place in the women's triple jump event with a season-best distance of 11.87m (38-11.50) (2.0). She ranks eighth in the Sun Belt. Taylor Young is 11th in the conference after a 11.56m (37-11.25) (1.9) jump.
-Matt Weinhold earned the runner-up spot in the men's discus event with a 50.78m (166-07.00) throw. Jobi Finau finished third with a 48.90m (160-05.00) effort.
-Michaela Preachuk earned yet another top-two hammer throw finish with a 60.27m (197-08.75) mark.
-Andrew Allen won the men's hammer throw event (59.83m, 196-03.50) and Thomas Boyd placed third (56.09m, 184-00.25).
-Jessica Matthews' 43.08m (141-04.00) career-long javelin throw earned her an eighth-place finish in the event and the fifth spot in the conference rankings.
-Autavua Fluker took fifth in the women's shot put event with a 14.17m (46-06.00) throw.
 
UP NEXT
The Jaguars return to Auburn, Ala. April 20-21 for the War Eagle Classic.

QUOTES FROM COACH BRUESKE
On the team's performance at the meet… "We had some elite-level performances this weekend at Auburn. We also have a few athletes that are very close to having breakthroughs. We just need to keep working hard and stay focused."
 
On individual performances which stood out… "It was great to see Sean Collins jump over 18 feet again. He has worked so hard to get back to an elite level. Emilie Berge had a very solid meet in the heptathlon. She is getting closer to Lindsay Schwartz's record, which is quite a feat. Coming off the flu, Rafael Scott had a great race and broke his school record in the 100m. He has been a great team leader."
 
On opportunities for growth and improvement before returning to Auburn next week… "We have some time to keep getting better for the Sun Belt meet. Our goal is to be at our best by that time."
 
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
 
Join the Finish Line Club, the track and field and cross country specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  All donations to the Finish Line Club go directly to support the South Alabama track and field/cross country programs.  For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/finishlineclub
 
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