Five Tigers advance to finals of NCAA Championships

Virginia Beach, VA. – Auburn track & field will have five Tigers compete in Saturday’s finals of the 2025 NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach, Virgina at the Virginia Beach Sports Center, including sophomore Kayinsola Ajayi and senior Vimbayi Maisvorewa who broke school records in the 60m and 400m, respectively.  

A native of Lagos Ikorodu, Nigeria, Ajayi ran a strong race, finishing the 60m dash in third overall in prelims. His time of 6.48 broke the school record of 6.50 previously held by Olympian Coby Miller. He is tied for the fourth fastest time in the world this year.  

Racing in the first heat of the 60m, freshman Israel Okon also advanced to Saturday’s final after winning his heat (6.54). Ajayi and Okon will race in Saturday’s finals at 5:10 p.m. CT.  Auburn will have two men compete in the 60m finals for the first time since 2013.  

Senior Vimbayi Maisvorewa once again delivered a record-breaking performance for the Tigers. She had the fastest time of the day in the 400m preliminary round, breaking her own school record and the facility record in the process (51.51). Maisvorewa is the first Auburn woman to make it to finals at NCAAs in the 400m since Joanna Atkins in 2010. She will race in Saturday’s final at 2:20 p.m. CT.  

No stranger to NCAA championships, senior Makanakaishe Charamba ran the second fastest time of the day in the 200m (20.21). Charamba ran the third fastest time in Auburn history, owning the top two times. He is the first finalist in the 200m since Marcus Rowland in 2010. The 200m finals will take place at 5:50 p.m. CT.  

Competing in his first NCAA Indoor Championships, sophomore Ja’Kobe Tharp finished prelims in fourth place with the third fastest time in Auburn history (7.55). Tharp has run seven of the eight fastest times in program history, and he will be Auburn’s first finalist in the event at nationals since Shamar Sands in 2007. 

SEC bronze medalist in the 60m, Azeem Fahmi, finished 13th overall (6.61) to claim second team All-America accolades.  

Making his NCAA Indoor debut, senior Dario Matau also earned second team All-America honors after posting a time of 20.81 in the 200m prelims and placing 12th overall.  

Sophomore Ana-Liese Torian, competing in her first NCAAs meet, was 13th in the women’s 60m hurdles, crossing the line in 8.38. Torian was the Tiger’s first qualifier in the 60m hurdles since Samantha Scarlett in 2016. She also earned All-America honors. 

Competing at her first NCAA Indoor Championships, senior Maura Huwalt finished 14th in the women’s weight throw. The South Park, Pennsylvania native earned second team All-America honors with her mark of 21.12m. She was the Tiger’s first qualifier in the event since Madi Malone in 2023.