Track and Field looks to defend American Indoor Championship Titles

Friday, February 25

Birmingham, AL

University of Houston

The American Indoor Championships

Track and Field looks to defend American Indoor Championship Titles

2/24/2022 12:30:00 PM | Track and Field

The Cougars head to Birmingham for American Conference Indoor Championships

HOUSTON – The Houston track and field team heads to Birmingham, Alabama to defend its American Conference Championship titles on Friday and Saturday.

INDOOR AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS - Friday
Friday, February 11
Meet Start: Pole Vault - 12 p.m. CT/ Mile (Trials) - 12:40 p.m. CT
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham Crossplex
Streaming: ESPN+

INDOOR AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS - Saturday
Saturday, February 12
Meet Start: Shot Put - 10 p.m. CT/ Mile (Finals) - 11:30 p.m. CT
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham Crossplex
Streaming: ESPN+

CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
Championship Central
Live Results
Men's Heat Sheets
Women's Heat Sheets
Meet Schedule

The Houston track and field teams will look to secure its third-straight double conference championship on Friday and Saturday. The men have won six straight conference titles and the women have won two straight. With no conference championship in 2021, the Cougars look to build upon their continued success in 2020 before the pandemic hit. The Conference Championships was the last meet held during the 2019-20 season. In that meet, the men scored a meet record of 179 points to take the title and the women narrowly captured the title over Cincinnati. Currently, Houston has 11 athletes with top marks in the conference standings with Naomi Taylor (60-meter hurdles) and Christian Gilmore (800-meters) returning to defend their individual championship titles. The Cougars will also send its men's 4x400 relay team to defend its championship title from 2020 where they set a new meet record in the event at 3:09.11.

Athletes To Watch
Shaun Maswanganyi
Indoor Records: 60M – 6.58, 200M – 21.10, LJ – 7.44

The only Houston athlete that qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships last year (placed 11th in the 60 meter in prelims with a 6.67 time)
Competed for South Africa in the 2020 Olympics in Toyoko
Will compete in the long jump for only the second time in his collegiate career
Ranked No. 25 in the nation in the 60 meter (6.64)

Priscilla Adejokun
Indoor Records: WT – 22.77, SP – 15.48

Ranked No. 5 in the nation in the women's weighted throw (22.77)
Set a new field house record at the Howie Ryan Invitational in the Shot Put
Won all four American Women's Field Athlete of the Week awards she was nominated for (one week she did not compete)
Recorded first place finishes in all four weeks she competed in the weighted throw

Naomi Taylor
Indoor Records: 60M – 7.52, 60H – 8.01, 200 – 24.17

Returning to defend her two-time 60 meter hurdle championship title
Set a meet record in the 60 meter hurdles in 2020 (8.03)
Ranked 34th in the nation in the women's 60 meter hurdles

Jordan Booker
Indoor Records: 60M – 6.69, 200M – 20.87

Ranked No. 23 in the nation in the men's 200 (20.87) and No. 17 in the men's 4x400 relay (3:06.28)
Two-time American Track Athlete of the Week

Christyan Sampy
Indoor Records: PV – 5.47

Ranked No. 10 in the nation in the men's pole vault (5.47)
Took first at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invite in the Pole Vault with a personal best
Two-time American Field Athlete of the Week

Nu'uausala Tuilefano
Indoor Records: SP – 15.48, WT – 22.77

Ranked No. 14 in the nation in the women's shot put (17.10
Recorded a 17.10, shattering the 35-year school record in the women's shot at the G5 & Super 22 Invite. Her career-high throw was the No. 1 mark in the American and No. 5 in the nation at the time. The record was previously held by Cheryl Klein when she threw 16.68 in 1987.
Holds both the indoor and outdoor school record in the shot put

TICKETS AND PARKING FOR UH TRACK AND FIELD
Tickets for University of Houston home collegiate track meets can be purchased here. Adult tickets are available for $10 and children tickets for $5. Spectator parking can be found in 16B and 16D for $10. Please follow marked signage to find the pedestrian path around the construction to the front of the Athletics & Alumni Center. A parking map can be found on the Meet Information page. Fans may click here anytime or call 713-GO-COOGS (462-6647) during regular business hours for more information.

FOLLOW THE COUGARS
Fans can follow the #HTownSpeedCity team on all social media channels for in meet and behind the scenes coverage on Instagram and Twitter and "liking" Houston Track and Field on Facebook.

JOIN THE PODIUM CLUB
The Podium Club serves as a unique and effective way to enhance the level of excitement and support for Houston Cougar Track & Field and Cross Country. Gifts to the Podium Club provide financial support directly to the UH Track & Field and Cross Country programs for needs beyond their operating budgets. Donations made to the Podium Club are used at the discretion of the Head Coach. For more information or to sign up, fans should click HERE. To join the Podium Club, fans may call Cougar Pride at 713-743-GoUH (46874).