Auburn Freshman Breaks School Record at SEC Championships
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas—Auburn freshman Brenda Jepchirchir broke her own school and freshman record at 5000m while claiming a silver medal at the first day of the Southeastern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships Thursday at Faskens Indoor Track & Field.
On the men’s side, seniors Makanakaishe Charamba and Dario Matau qualified for the men’s 200m finals after running two of the top five prelim times.
A native of Iten, Kenya, Jepchirchir ran a strong race, cruising to a time of 15:33.37 to finish second overall in the women’s 5k, the best showing by an AU freshman in the even at SEC indoor since Joyce Kimeli was second in 2019 as a rookie.
Jepchirchir and LSU freshman Edna Chepkemoi ran together in the second and third positions early in the race, before Jepchirchir pulled away at 3800m and finished with a six-second cushion over Edna who took the bronze. Jepchirchir’s time also broke the previous school and freshman mark of 15:35.37 that she set in December in her first race wearing an Auburn uniform.
Charamba, who was named SEC Runner of the Week two weeks ago after he broke Auburn’s 25-year-old school record in the event, ran a 20.32, posting the second fastest time in program history and the third fastest in the prelims.
Matau set a new personal best, crossing the tape in 20.60, the fifth fastest among all competitors. The times posted by Charamba and Matau were two of the six fastest 200m ran in AU history.
The duo will race in the finals on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. CT. It is the first time since 2012 that Auburn will have two men represented in the 200m finals.
Sophomore Shonedra Richardson, competing in her first conference indoor meet, was 22nd in the women’s long jump with a mark of 5.77m/18-11.25, her second-best distance of the season.
Day two of the SEC Indoor Championships will resume Friday at 11 a.m. with the men’s weight throw, while action on the track will start at 4 p.m. The Tigers will have 21 athletes in action in 11 events. Friday’s action will air live streaming on SEC Network+.
2025 Southeastern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships
Fasken Indoor Track & Field
Bryan-College Station, Texas
Day 1 Results
Men’s 200m Prelims
3. Makanakaishe Charamba 20.32 Finals Qualifier
5. Dario Matau 20.60 Finals Qualifier
Ian Myers DQ
Women’s 5000m
2. Brenda Jepchirchir 15:33.37 School/Freshman Record
Women’s Long Jump
Shonedra Richardson 5.77m/18-11.25
Men’s 5000m
Nickson Chebii DNF
