Results 

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- SMU finished fifth at the American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships after strong performances across all events by the Mustangs in the final day of competition. The team ended with 50 points on the scoreboard.  

"I knew what this group was capable of," Head Coach A'Havahla Haynes said. "This championship was full of victories – some small, some big, some unknown." 

Whitney Williams stood on the podium today after finishing third in the 400 meter race. She ran a time of 54.00 -- improving by over a second from the preliminary rounds for a new personal best and bringing her closer to her goals for the rest of the 2022 season.  

"The whole race I was just thinking 'fight'," Williams said. "I'm so happy I PR'ed and was able to get on the podium. I'm so excited for outdoor." 

Chika Iwuamadi ran a time of 54.46 -- good enough for sixth place. The team gained 9 points from the two performances. 

"Our seniors were leaders this weekend taking on a ton of workload," Haynes said. "Chika Iwuamadi had not raced the open 400 this indoor season until this weekend and scored in the open and in the 4x400. Steffi Jones raced five times in under 48 hours and scored in every race." 

Steffi Jones and Leoni Mierswa both competed in the mile finals. Jones also improved over a second with a time of 4:53.14 and placed seventh in the field. Mierswa followed closely behind in ninth running the race in 4:55.10 -- a new personal best. Jones finished sixth in the 800 finals with a time of 2:12.51. 

The distance athletes also saw success in the 3000 meter race. Kaitlyn Gearin posted a time of 9:45.89, which put her in seventh place among the field. Mierswa followed in 10th place with another personal best. She ran a time of 9:51.45. 

Olivia Dobson competed in high jump after her fourth place finish in yesterday's heptathlon and placed 10th with a jump of 1.61 meters. Dobson also competed in shot put. She placed 11th throwing a distance of 13.73 meters. Freshman Maykayla Jackson competed in triple jump for her first AAC Championships and placed 17th with a jump of 11.60 meters. 

The 4x400 relay made up of K'Nyah Isaac, Iwuamadi, Emily Waller, and Williams placed fourth with a time of 3:43.28. 

"Olivia Dobson, Kaitlyn Gearin, Funminiyi Olajide, Raelyn Roberson and Whitney Williams stepped up and delivered big team points," Haynes said. "Those above were not along in the points effort but truly highlight that doing more, digging deep, and competing for the team drives success." 

The Mustangs picked up 21 points in the final day of competition – missing their goal of claiming a top-three team finish after remaining in the top three for most of the competition, but so many victories were had in these two days in Birmingham. The team will now set their sights on the outdoor season starting in March. 

FULL MUSTANGS DAY TWO RESULTS 

HIGH JUMP 

10 Olivia Dobson 1.61 

TRIPLE JUMP 

17 Maykayla Jackson 11.60 

SHOT PUT 

11 Olivia Dobson 13.73 

MILE 

7 Steffi Jones 4:53.14 

9 Leoni Mierswa 4:55.10 

400 

3 Whitney Williams 54.00 

6 Chika Iwuamadi 54.46 

800 

6 Steffi Jones 2:12.51 

3000 

7 Kaitlyn Gearin 9:45.89 

10 Leoni Mierswa 9:51.45 

17 Kendall Saeger 9:58.68 

24 Mia Olsen 10:03.54 

26 Maddie Hulcy 10:06.51 

32 Lior Kremer 10:08.74 

40 Jessie Crowley 10:25.30 

4x400 

4 K'Nyah Isaac, Chika Iwuamadi, Emily Waller, and Whitney Williams 3:34.28