Auburn University’s track and field teams are preparing to compete at the 2026 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Indoor Track and Field Championships, which will be held from February 26 to 28 at the R.A. “Murray” Fasken ’38 Indoor Track & Field Facility in Bryan-College Station. The event begins Thursday evening with the men’s long jump and 200-meter preliminaries.
Under the guidance of head coach Leroy Burrell, now in his fourth year, Auburn faces strong competition. The men’s team is ranked 20th nationally, while the women’s team holds the 32nd spot in the latest USTFCCCA poll. The men will compete against 11 SEC programs that are nationally ranked, including six in the top ten. The women will face nine teams ranked within the top 25.
“We’re really looking at this weekend as another date on the calendar and an opportunity to qualify facing really high-quality competition, as usual,” Burrell said. “At the same time, getting through this and setting our sights on nationals.”
This year, Auburn is sending a group of 20 men and 18 women to compete, with several athletes having prior experience at this level. Seven men and six women have previously scored points at SEC indoor meets. Among them is Ja’Kobe Tharp, who is defending his title in the men’s 60-meter hurdles.
At last year’s championships, Auburn achieved seven podium finishes and won two gold medals—one by Tharp in hurdles and another by Makanakaishe Charamba in the men’s 200 meters. Four school records were broken during that meet.
Burrell highlighted the importance of sprint events for Auburn this season: “The 60 meters is going to be outstanding,” he said. “On the men’s side in particular, there are several athletes that are top ten in the world, including a couple of our own who will be competing.”
Senior Kayinsola Ajayi has recorded one of the fastest times nationally in the men’s 60 meters this season (6.54 seconds) and previously won gold at last year’s SEC Championships. Sophomore Israel Okon ranks tenth nationally in the same event (6.58 seconds) and twelfth in the 200 meters (20.63 seconds).
“I’m really looking forward to the 60m hurdles,” Burrell said. “We’ll have a battle between Ja’Kobe and the hurdlers from Arkansas, Texas, and Florida as well. It’s going to be an interesting matchup. Ja’Kobe always rises to the occasion, and we’re going to see some sparks and fireworks there.”
Tharp currently holds nine of Auburn’s top ten performances all-time in his event and leads NCAA rankings with a time of 7.46 seconds.
For Auburn’s women’s team, senior Danae Nembhard ranks second all-time at Auburn for her performance in the 60-meter hurdles (8.06 seconds) and stands tenth nationally this season. Senior Reese Webster has reached three podiums out of her first four competitions for Auburn.
In field events, senior Megan Hague recently set back-to-back school records in shot put with a mark of 18.42 meters—currently leading all SEC competitors and ranking fourth nationwide.
Senior Alyssa Quinones-Mixon competes in pole vaulting with one of nation’s best marks this season; she also holds five out of six top performances ever recorded by an Auburn athlete.
Auburn athletes have broken four school records during this season: Nickson Chebbi set a new men’s record for 5000 meters (13:35.20), Hague broke her own shot-put record (18.42m), Camila Gomes set a new women’s mile record (3:36.34), while Ibukunolwa Daramola established a freshman record for men’s long jump (7.82m).
At last year’s conference meet, Auburn’s men finished sixth overall with 47 points; their women placed eighth with just over forty points scored collectively.
Texas A&M enters as defending champions on men’s side; Arkansas has claimed thirteen consecutive titles among women’s teams.
Live results for this week’s championship can be accessed online; ESPN+ will provide live streaming coverage throughout competition days.
