MEN’S GOLF
AU remains in 2nd at NCAAs
Behind Blayne Barber’s 5-under 67, the 11th-ranked Auburn men’s golf team shot a 1-under 287 for a 9-under 567 total Friday to remain in second place after the second round of the NCAA Colorado Regional at the 7753-yard Colorado National Golf Club.

Five teams are within six shots of each other after enduring a 90-minute weather delay on the back nine.

No. 1 Oklahoma State extended its lead with a 13-under 275 for a 25-under 551. Auburn is in second, three shots ahead of No. 12 Georgia (276-570) and No. 25 Clemson (281-570). TCU is right on the cutline in fifth at 282-571, one shot ahead of No. 24 Arizona State (290-572) and Colorado State (289-572).

The top five teams after Saturday’s final round advance to the NCAA Championship at Karsten Creek in Stillwater, Okla., the first week of June.

Barber, whose 67 was his 13th round in the 60s this season tying the Auburn school record set by Patton Kizzire in 2006-07, is tied for sixth overall at 5-under 139. He is one shot behind Tiger freshman Niclas Carlsson, who followed his first round 67 with a 1-under 71 for a 6-under 138 and is tied for fourth.

Michael Hebert had a 74-145 and is tied for 32nd while Kyle Kopsick is tied for 39th at 76-146 and Dominic Bozzelli is tied for 56th at 75-149.

Carlsson is one shot behind a trio tied for the individual lead at 7-under including Oklahoma State’s Sean Einhaus (71-137) and Kevin Tway (65-137) and Georgia’s T.J. Mitchell (68-137).

Auburn is paired with Oklahoma State and Georgia in Saturday’s final round which tees off at 9:45 a.m.

TRACK AND FIELD
19 qualify for NCAA preliminaries
Nineteen members of the Auburn men’s and women’s track and field team have been accepted into the field for the Preliminary Round of the NCAA Championships. Nine women and eight men will compete in the East Regional Preliminary Round, which begins May 26 in Bloomington, Ind.

The top 48 declared athletes in each of two regions were accepted into the field to compete in the Preliminary Rounds. The top 12 finishers in each event at each of the two regional sites will qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships June 8-11 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Members of the men’s team that will make the trip to Indiana, with their events and their rankings in the East Region field, include: Keenan Brock (100m – T12; 4x100-meter relay - 21), Clay Porter (200m – 68; 4x100-meter relay - 21), Niklas Buhner (1500m – 66), Ben Cheruiyot (5000m – 2), DJ Smith (high jump – 8), Stephen Saenz (shot put – 1; discus - 10). Marcus Popenfoose (shot put – 22; discus – 16) and Tyler Kennedy (javelin – 50).

In addition, Stephen Fly and Harry Adams will travel as part of Auburn’s No. 21-ranked 4x100-meter relay team.

For the No. 12-ranked Auburn women’s team, the following athletes will compete in Bloomington: Sheniqua Ferguson (100m – 6; 200m – 4; 4x100-meter relay - 5), Nivea Smith (200m – 3; 4x100-meter relay - 5), Kai Selvon (200m – 15; 4x100-meter relay - 5; 4x400-meter relay - 2), Joanna Atkins (400m – 1; 4x100-meter relay – 5; 4x400-meter relay - 2), CeCe Williams (400m – 9; 4x400-meter relay - 2), Cache Armbrister (400m – 24; 4x400-meter relay - 2), Stephanie Barnes (3000m Steeplechase – 51), Holly Knight (10,000m – 15) and Maya Pressley (high jump – 1).