GREENSBORO (February 22, 2017) – Even after securing two historical victories at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championships this past weekend, the North Carolina A&T men's and women's indoor track and field teams have had no time to celebrate.
With tunnel vision on the NCAA Track and Field Indoor Championships, which are two weeks out, the teams are focused on the Boston University Last Chance Meet they will compete on Sunday, February 26. The events will begin with trials for the 60-meter hurdles at 1 p.m.
“We had our celebration as we got our trophy,” said the director of track and field programs Duane Ross. “Then we talked about NCAA, and now we're back on the track practicing.”
Originally the teams were set to travel to Fairfax, Va., on Sunday for the George Mason Last Chance Meet. However, Ross believes the Boston facility will work more in favor of his sprinters—specifically senior Chris Belcher and junior India Brown. “Chris is on the NCAA list pretty high but they're both short in the 200 meters,” said Ross. “The Boston facility has a good bank track, especially for the 200 meters, so we're going to take them up there and see what they can do on it.”
To qualify for the NCAA indoor championships, athletes must garner marks that rank among the top-16 in the nation. Belcher is ranked 10th in the 60m (6.64) but his time of 21.01 in the 200m is positioned 28th. And Brown, who sat at 49th for the past few weeks, was recently bumped off the qualifying list with her time of 23.90 in the 200m.
“We know the type of athlete India is, but she hasn't run the times that she ran last year,” said Ross. “So she needs this meet not just to qualify but to also remind her that she's one of these top-NCAA athletes because it's easy to have a couple of bad races and start doubting yourself.”
Also trying to find their way back on the qualifying list are senior Caleb Gabriel and sophomore Rodney Rowe, both of whom have a PR from this season of 6.76 in the men's 60. Gabriel and Rowe will be joined by junior teammate Joel Thomas in the 60m as he attempts to levitate from 47th in the nation and lower his PR from 6.73.
The last Aggie competing at Boston University this weekend, also the only Aggie field performer with the potential to qualify for NCAA, is sophomore Lasheon Strozier. Strozier gave a triple jump of 52-feet, 3 ¼-inches over a month ago that still sits at No. 12 in the nation.
Top 50 Aggie Men Nationally
60m – T-10. Chris Belcher (6.64, Virginia Tech Invitational); 200m – 28. Chris Belcher (21.01, MEAC Indoor Championships); 400m – 39. Dajuan Harding (47.00, MEAC Indoor Championships); 60mh – 3. Michael Dickson (7.63, Camel City Invitational); Triple Jump – Lasheon Strozier (52-feet, 3 ¼ inches); Heptathlon – 50. Todd Townsend (5,174 points, MEAC Indoor Championships).
Top 50 Aggie Women Nationally
60mh – 32. Kayla White (8.27, UNCG Early Bird); Triple Jump – 33. Anisa Toppin (41-feet, 9 ¼ inches, MEAC Indoor Championships).
