EAST GREENSBORO – Don't use the word goals around the North Carolina A&T men's indoor track and field team. They operate in expectations.
There is a subtle difference between what one wants to happen and what will happen. The 2019-20 indoor season starts Saturday, December 7 at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem for both the men's and women's teams as they will compete in the JDL College Kickoff.
"We like to use the early December meet to give us a mental and physical break from the training we've endured the last three months," said
Duane Ross, the Aggies director of track and field programs. "It also reminds our student-athletes of why we train – competition. I hope to see all of our new student-athletes execute what they've been taught so far this season and our returning athletes show improvement from where they were last season at this meet."
Ross said many of his veteran and standout athletes will not compete on Saturday. The field events start at 9:30 a.m., with the shot put and high jump. The track events start at 10:30 a.m., with the women's 60-meter hurdle preliminaries.
There are good reasons for the Aggies high expectations. The Aggies have a qualified Olympian on the roster and roster full of potential Olympians including senior
Trevor Stewart who came to national prominence after a dominating outdoor season that saw him finish second in the nation in the 400 meters after record the 14th-fastest time ever in the 400m at the time during the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) outdoor championships.
Stewart is a legitimate Olympic hopeful who will come into this indoor season looking to topple the competition in the 400m after finishing second last season at the MEAC indoor championships. Stewart was a part of the 4x400-meter relay team that won at conference indoors last season.
The one qualified Olympian on the roster is
Akeem Sirleaf. Sirleaf will run for the Liberia team during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in August. Sirleaf was an NCAA indoor championship qualifier last season in the 200m. He joined Stewart on the 4x4 team that won at MEAC indoors last season. He won first-team All-American honors in the 4x1 and 4x4 during outdoor last season.
"We expect to win every major championship we compete in – MEAC, NCAA regionals and the NCAA championships," said Ross. "Our team understands that we underperformed at the NCAA Championships last season. They came back this year motivated. When the entire program understands what's expected of them, it makes my job very easy."
The other top seniors include
Kemarni Mighty. Mighty won a MEAC indoor championship in the 4x4 and finished second in the distance medley relay (DMR) in his first season with the Aggies after transferring from junior college. He went on to win first-team All-American honors in the 4x4 during the 2019 outdoor season.
Jaylan Mitchell is expected to return to form this season after sitting out last outdoor season. Mitchell is on his way to becoming one of the most accomplished sprinters in school history. Mitchell qualified for the NCAA indoor championships in 2018.
He is a two-time NCAA regional qualifier and he qualified for the 2017 outdoor championships where he earned first-team All-American honors in the 4x1. Mitchell picked up second-team All-MEAC honors in the 60m last season.
Robert Miller did not compete in the MEAC indoor event last season, but he was a fourth-place finisher in the 60-meter hurdles in 2018. He is a three-time NCAA regional qualifier in the men's 110-meter hurdles.
Mar'Quise McGee, who has received most of his accolades in cross country, has been a solid distance runner for the Aggies as he enters his fourth season.
The junior class is led by two throwers in
Kevin Fofanah and
Aaron Wilkerson. Fofanah finished fourth last season in the weight throw at the MEAC indoor championships, while
Aaron Wilkerson was second in the weight throw and shot put.
Chase Bonham is coming off an NCAA regional appearance in the 400mh and fellow junior
Michael Bell will help the Aggies in the sprinting events.
Ross' freshman class last season was tremendous. It included
Regan Kimtai who already had a tremendous sophomore season during the Aggies cross country season. Kimtai's first season at the MEAC indoor championships was off-the-charts good. Kimtai won indoor titles in the 5000 and 800m and the mile.
Morris Kimble is also a solid distance runner after helping the Aggies finish second in the DMR at conference indoor championships.
"We have had discussions with our throw and distance athletes regarding our expectations of winning a national championship and they have bought in," said Ross. "We have only had success at the NCAA championships in the sprinting events so far. The expectation is that every event area will be represented at these championships. It's going to take a team effort to bring home this NCAA title."
Another sophomore,
Obie Taylor, could help with this endeavor. He finished third at the MEAC indoor championships in the shot put. third in the weight throw.
Brandon Hicklin had a good first season in the jumps. Hicklin won the MEAC indoor championship in the long jump in 2019. During the outdoor season, he also dabbled in the sprints.
Malcolm Croom-McFadden has the potential to be the latest great sprinter at N.C. A&T. He was an NCAA outdoor championship qualifier last season in the 4x100.
Akeem Lindo also stepped out in the spotlight during the outdoor season in 2019. Lindo earned first-team All-American honors in the 4x4 outdoor event.
Cedric McGriff comes back for season 2 looking to make an impact in the hurdles.
"We start every season with the expectation of making "this" year the best year we've ever had," said Ross. "I take a lot of pride in attempting to make the current team better than the one before it. This team and season will be no different."
