SMU Sets Sights on Top-5 Finish at AAC Indoor Championships

Seventeen Mustangs will compete this weekend at the American Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships in Birmingham. SMU has entries in every event except the pole vault and the weight throw and believes they are capable of surpassing last year's fifth place finish.

"We are capable of having podium finishes and putting up points across all events," Head Coach A'Havahla Haynes said. "We are well-rounded as a team heading in Friday and Saturday. If we compete for points well on Day 1, we are in contention for a top-5 finish with the capacity to surpass our 2022 fifth place finish."

Senior Maddie Hulcy, who is ranked second in the 5,000 and ninth in the 3,000 headed into the weekend, said she is excited to go for it this weekend.

"I think the distance group has raised the bar at every meet so far this season," Hulcy said. "We've been working really hard in practice and everyone is ready to bring their best for the team and compete."

Funminiyi Olajide is currently sitting in third in the conference for the long jump with her best jump of the season being 6.19 meters at the last regular season indoor meet. Raelyn Roberson sits in 12th and Hedda Kvalvag is tied for 14th heading into the championships.

"I'm happy with my training so far," Olajide said. "Now, I just need to show what I've been working on."

Whitney Williams has the fastest 400 time for the Mustangs with a time of 56.08 and is feeling confident about this week's competition.

"I know what I am capable of – it is just a matter of me executing my race properly," Williams said. "As for the team, I feel like we are all prepared and are ready to score some major points this weekend!"

The action starts on Friday morning at 9 a.m. with the women's pentathlon and the meet will be streamed on ESPN+.

"The team knows they trained hard early and through some of our initial high-level competitions in preparation for this weekend," Haynes said. "These women are going into the weekend with a sense of pride and determination, and most are doing multiple events at or around their primary specialty for team success."

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Maddie Hulcy

Funminiyi Olajide

Raelyn Roberson

Whitney Williams

Footer