Nlemchi Breaks Conference Shot Put Record to Close AAC Outdoor Championships

Sunday, May 13

Cincinnati, OH / Gettler Stadium

All Day

SMU

American Athletic Conference

Results

Nlemchi Breaks Conference Shot Put Record to Close AAC Outdoor Championships

May 13 | Track & Field

Mustangs Earn Fifth at American Conference Championships

CINCINNATI (SMU) – In a continuation of her stellar senior season, thrower Tochi Nlemchi claimed her second career conference shot put title on Sunday as the Mustangs took fifth place at the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Nlemchi's personal best mark of 17.05m pushed her ahead of the competition, but also broke a slew of records including the meet record, Gettler Stadium record and American Athletic Conference record. She moves into third place all-time for shot put in the SMU record books.

The Mustangs claimed six additional All-Conference Honors on the final day of competition as four SMU student athletes found the conference awards podium.

Latessa Johnson dominated the 200-meter dash finals with a time of 22.77 that earned her a silver medal and pushed her past her own SMU record of 22.80.The mark also puts her at No. 13 in the nation in the 200-meter. The bronze medal went to Chelsea Francis as she recorded a time of 23.38 to find the podium.

The SMU sprints duo also took the second and third place spots in the 100-meter dash, with Johnson finding a time of 11.36 for silver and Francis claiming bronze after clocking 11.47. Both sprinters hold qualifying marks for this month's NCAA West Preliminary in the 100- and 200-meter events.

Distance standout Hannah Miller rounded out SMU's running victories with a silver medal finish of 16:55.72 in the evening's 5,000-meters. Two other Mustangs added to SMU's team point total in the event, with Marlene Gomez-Islinger finishing fifth (17:29.44) for four points and Svenja Ojstersek finishing eighth (17:33.84) for one point.

Atipa Mabonga had her best triple jump performance of her college career to take home SMU's final medal. The freshman set a PR of 12.62 in her first jump but went on to surpass it just two jumps later with a final mark of 12.69m, earning her second place and All-Conference in the event.

After being seeded ninth in the 400-meter hurdles, junior Madison Pyle contributed to the team total with a fourth-place finish in the event. After setting a new PR in the preliminary race on Friday, Pyle outdid herself again, running the race in 1:00.05 to set a new school record.

The Mustangs totaled 82 points to finish just five points behind Connecticut (87) in the final team rankings. Houston earned the conference title with 113 points, followed by East Carolina with 91 and Cincinnati with 90.50.

The Mustangs with qualifying marks look ahead to the NCAA West Preliminary in Sacramento, California on May 24-26.

SMU Results – American Athletic Conference Outdoor T&F Championships Day Three
High Jump
5 Cassie Ackemann                         1.73m

Triple Jump
2 Atipa Mabonga                             12.69m (41-7.75) – All-Conference Silver, PR

Shot Put
1 Tochi Nlemchi                               17.05m (55-11.25) – All-Conference Gold, PR, AAC Meet Record, Stadium Record, AAC Record, 3^rd Best at SMU
17 Daniella Murchison    13.19m (43-3.25)

100m Finals
2 Latessa Johnson                            11.36 – All-Conference Silver, PR
3 Chelsea Francis                             11.47 – All-Conference Bronze

400m Hurdles Finals
4 Madison Pyle                                 1:00.05 – PR, SMU Record

200m dash finals
2 Latessa Johnson                            22.77 – All-Conference Silver, PR, SMU Record
3 Chelsea Francis                             23.38 – All-Conference Bronze

5000m
2 Hannah Miller                                16.55.72 – All-Conference Silver
5 Marlene Gomez-Islinger 17:29.44
8 Svenja Ojstersek                           17:33.84
13 Anneke Grogan 18:00.63
18 Charlotte-Tara Murphy 18:10.52
24 Julie Jungblut 18:19.51
30 Alison Esparza 18:35.20
34 Robin Montemayor 18:58.66

SMU All-Conference Finishers
Tochi Nlemchi – Shot Put (Gold)
Latessa Johnson – 100m (Silver), 200m (Silver)
Hannah Miller – 10,000m (Bronze), 5,000m (Silver)
Chelsea Francis – 100m (Bronze), 200m (Bronze)
Atipa Mabonga – Triple Jump (Silver)
Svenja Ojstersek – 10,000m (Silver)