SMU
AAC Indoor Championships
Mustangs Compete in Birmingham for 2024 AAC Indoor Championships
Feb 22 | Track & Field
American Athletic Conference Indoor ChampionshipsÂ
Birmingham Crossplex – Birmingham, AlabamaÂ
Friday-Saturday, February 23-24, 2024Â
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DALLAS, Texas (SMU) -- SMU will compete in the 2024 American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships this weekend. The team will look to better its fifth-place finish from last year's championship meet – one of the three points of focus listed by Head Coach A'Havahla Haynes.Â
"Our focus is on getting as many individuals as possible through to the finals, placing top 8, and bettering our 2023 team performance," Haynes said.Â
Many SMU athletes are ranked for top finishes headed into the conference championship meet. Funminiyi Olajide is currently second in the long jump in the American with a jump of 6.37 meters, which puts her 20th in the NCAA.Â
"My goal is to be able to showcase what I've been working on in practice, and I feel confident that I can execute that," Olajide said.Â
Hali Murphy is one of three Mustangs ranked in the AAC top 12 for the 400 at sixth with 54.76. She said headed into conference, she believes it's important to not only be focused but thankful for everything leading to this moment.Â
"It is a privilege and a gift to be able to run," Murphy said. "With this in mind, my goal is to have fun and leave it all on the track – trusting the Lord that either through failure or success, He is still good."Â
Macey Hilton is ranked sixth in the 800 with Leoni Mierswa right behind in seventh. Both are also ranked in the top 10 for the mile, and Mierswa leads the conference in the 3,000. Hilton said this week headed into conference is exciting.Â
"I hope to have a successful day on Day 1 of races to carry the good momentum into Day 2," Hilton said. "The team has all been working really hard for this weekend, so I can't wait to see what everyone can achieve."Â
Kaitlyn Gearin currently leads the conference in the 5,000 with a time of 16:31.70. She said she is really excited for this meet.Â
"I think as a team we are in a really good place, so it will be fun to compete with the entire team again and see what we can accomplish," Gearin said. "Conference meets always bring a high level of energy and competition, and I'm looking forward to racing in that atmosphere this weekend and putting my best foot forward for the team.Â
The meet will begin at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning with the Women's Heptathlon. Â
