AU WINS Penn Relays Men's 4x100 Title

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Track Captures First Penn Relays Men's 4x100 Title

April 28, 2012

PHILADELPHIA - In 39.34 seconds filled with drama, the Auburn men's 4x100 meter relay team won the program's first-ever Penn Relays College Men's 4x100 Championship of America on Saturday afternoon at historic Franklin Field.

"It feels great to finally win at the Penn Relays," Auburn head coach Ralph Spry said. "It feels as good as it did to win at the Texas Relays. "The difference here is the crowd. This crowd understands track and field. It is just a really electric feeling here at Penn. We have said all along that it is our goal to win the big four and now we are half way there. I'm really proud of these guys. Harry [Adams] cramped a little yesterday, so we didn't run him today. I weighed out the risk versus the reward and it just wasn't worth it. We put Jeremy Hardy in. I knew he was ready to step up, and he did a great job."

Auburn made it two wins in two meets with the thrilling win on Saturday afternoon. The collegiate leaders held off UTech-Jamaica (39.46) and LSU (39.49) to collect the first Penn Relays men's 4x100 meter title in Auburn history.

Junior Jeremy Hardy subbed for Harry Adams and ran a strong opening leg before handing off to Marcus Rowland. With Adams missing from his normal second leg, Rowland made the difference. The former SEC champion put Auburn in front with an outstanding run before passing the baton to senior Michael DeHaven.

After a slight misstep, DeHaven recovered and maintained the Tigers' advantage with sophomore Keenan Brock waiting to close out the race. The Birmingham native and owner of the nation's third-fastest 100 meter time in 2012 was able to hold off a late charge from UTech's Andrew Fisher and LSU's Shermund Allsop to secure the victory for Auburn.

"The key is staying healthy," Spry said. Not everyone realized that. It is a tough task to keep one team healthy for the whole season. It normally takes 5-6 guys to get you through the whole year. That's one of the reasons I brought Jeremy in. I knew we would need backup if we were going to make this happen. He has been a great team player. Even though he hasn't been one of the top guys, he was ready to step in and did it today. He kept us in the race. I'm really proud of him."

By virtue of Hardy subbing for Adams, the mark of 39.34 seconds ranks as the fifth-fastest in Auburn history. The time also ranks in the top 10 in the NCAA this season.

The Penn Relays title is the seventh all-time for Auburn. It is the fifth men's title, but first in the 4x100 meters. The title is the first for Auburn since a women's sprint medley championship in 2000. The Auburn men last won in 1991, in the 4x400 meters.

Auburn is the first program other than LSU or Texas A&M to win the 4x100m relay at Penn since TCU was victorious in 2004.

The excitement in the 4x100 wasn't the only action for Auburn on Saturday. The Olympic development women's 4x100m relay also included a trio of current Tigers as well as a pair of alumnae running for their respective nations. Junior Kai Selvon ran the opening leg for fourth-place Trinidad & Tobago (44.07) and squared off with collegiate teammate V'alonee Robinson of the Bahamas in the opening 100 meters.

"Any time you compete against superior competition, it gives you confidence," Spry said. "When you have a chance to run against the top sprinters in the world it gives you a ton of confidence to take back to the college level.

"This was an Olympic qualifying relay for those teams. It was a great opportunity for our girls to get some experience running with their national team teammates and I expect each of them to be in contention for a spot in London this summer."

Senior Bahamian Nivea Smith rounded out the trio and ran the second leg for her home nation as it placed fifth (44.14). Also on the Bahamas team was Auburn alumna and former NCAA champion Sheniqua Ferguson.

Also in the race was former Auburn athlete and Olympic silver medalist Kerron Stewart from Jamaica. Stewart and her teammates finished in second place (43.31) behind overall champion USA Red (42.19).

In the men's 4x100m race, Auburn alumnus Marc Burns ran the second leg for Trinidad and Tobago as it placed fourth.

There was also more collegiate action on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore DJ Smith placed fifth in the collegiate high jump championship. The Atlanta native cleared 7-1 (2.16m), but missed three consecutive tries at 7-2.25 (2.19m).

Running in the Olympic development mile competition, freshman Kane Grimster placed sixth in 4:07.21. The native Australian was the second-ranked collegiate in a race comprised of almost entirely professionals.

After competing earlier in the day in 4x100m relays, Hardy and Robinson came back to run in the collegiate 100 meter dash finals. Hardy placed fifth in 10.67 seconds in the men's competition. Robinson was seventh in the women's race in 11.79 seconds.

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Photos by Marc Hudock