Auburn's Ja’Kobe Tharp Makes History with His 3rd National Title

Auburn Track star Ja’Kobe Tharp is no stranger to hardware, and he outdid himself on Saturday at the Indoor Track & Field Championships.

Ja’Kobe Tharp of Auburn makes history with his 3rd national title. | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas—It was a historic day for Auburn track and field as juniors Ja’Kobe Tharp and Kayinsola Ajayi won individual national championships in record-breaking fashion to help the Tigers finish tied for fourth in the men’s team standings at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, Saturday.

Tharp won the men’s 60m hurdles in 7.32, breaking the collegiate, meet and facility record previously held by Grant Holloway. The time was the third fastest ever in the world and the second fastest ever by an American hurdler.   

Ja'Kobe Tharp defends his crown AND breaks the NCAA record 🏆

⏱️ 7.32 60m Hurdles#NCAATF x 🎥 ESPN+ / @AuburnTFXC pic.twitter.com/cuN0CxObJx

— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) March 14, 2026

The national title was Tharp’s second consecutive indoors and third overall, including his outdoor 110m hurdles title last spring. His three individual national titles equaled James Walker’s and are one shy of Harvey Glance’s school record of four. 

The Murfreesboro, Tennessee, native’s back-to-back indoor titles also matched Willie Smith as the only Auburn men to accomplish the feat indoors. Smith won the 440y titles in 1977 and ’78.

Ajayi claimed his first national title, winning the men’s 60m dash in 6.45, equaling the collegiate record he tied two weeks ago while winning the SEC title. The Nigerian native became Auburn’s first sprinter to win a national title since 1997 when Bryan Howard won the 55m title. Sophomore Israel Okon gave the Tigers four points towards the team standings with a fifth place showing in the 60 after finishing in 6.57.

The Auburn women finished tied for 22nd with 11 points behind junior Ana-Liese Torian’s third place finish in the 60m hurdles and senior Megan Hague’s fourth place in the shot put. It was the women’s best team finish indoors since 2021.

Torian, who finished 13th in the 60m hurdles last year, had a strong closing finish over the last three hurdles to earn a bronze medal. It was the best finish by an Auburn woman in the event since Vonette Dixon won gold in 2000. 

A native of Niceville, Florida, Hague’s best throw came on her opening attempt with a toss of 17.88m/58-8. The SEC indoor champion two weeks ago, Hague’s indoor season saw her break the school record on five occasion and ended with nine of the top 10 marks ever at Auburn in the shot put. Making her first NCAA appearance, sophomore Camryn Massey finished 15th with a mark of 15.48m/50-9.5, to earn second team All-America honors.

Auburn will turn the page to the outdoor season that begins next weekend, March 13-14, at the Yellow Jacket Invitational on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta.

 2026 NCAA INDOOR TRACK & FIELD

RANDAL TYSON CENTER
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS
Saturday, March 14

Men’s 60m Hurdles Final
1. Ja’Kobe Tharp 7.32 CR, MR, FR, PR, SR

Men’s 60m Final
1. Kayinsola Ajayi 6.45 =CR, =MR, =SR
5. Israel Okon 6.57

Women’s Shot Put
4. Megan Hague 17.88m/58-8
15. Camryn Massey 15.48m/50-9.5

Women’s 60m Hurdles Final
3. Ana-Liese Torian 7.93