BLACKSBURG, Va. (February 16, 2019) – North Carolina A&T looks ready for its double three-peat attempt it plans to attempt next week at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships next week in Landover, Md.
The final tune-up for the men's and women's indoor track and field teams occurred at the Virginia Tech in the two-day Virginia Tech Challenge at Rector Field House. The 14th-ranked women's indoor track and field team had three first-place finishes over the weekend while the men had four victories.
N.C. A&T's men had their day highlighted by the return of junior Jaylan Mitchell. Mitchell was one of the top sprinters in the nation last season. He qualified for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Nationals last season where he earned first-team All-American honors by finishing eighth in the final. He then ran a 10-flat at the out North Carolina A&T Aggie Invitational during the outdoor season in April before injuries derailed his season even though he did make the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round.
Mitchell made his indoor debut Friday where he ran a 6.81 in the 60-meter preliminary race for the second-fastest qualifying time. Mitchell then won the 60m by running a 6.71 in the final to finish ahead of Virginia Tech's Joseph Tay (6.91).
Men's sprinters Akeem Sirleaf and Rodney Rowe have been spectacular all indoor season. Sirleaf and Rowe finished 1,2 in the men's 200m. Sirleaf finished in 21.05 for his first victory in the 200 this season. Rowe finished behind him in 21.08. Sirleaf and Rowe then teamed together along with sophomore Trevor Stewart and senior Justin Hamilton to win the men's 4x400 meter relay.
The foursome crossed the finish line in 3:07.33. N.C. A&T's men's 4x400 relay team has won the MEAC three straight seasons. They have the fastest time in the MEAC this season at 3:07.22 ran at the Carolina Challenge on Jan. 31.
Freshman Brandon Hicklin led the Aggies in field events. Hicklin earned his second straight long jump victory in as many weeks by leaping 24-feet, 3-inches to win the VT Challenge event. Last week, he jumped 25-feet, 1 ¾-inches to win the Tyson Invitational at the University of Arkansas. It was a personal best for Hicklin. It was Hicklin's third long jump victory of the season. Hicklin is ranked No. 1 in the MEAC heading into the conference indoor championships.
The nationally-ranked women were led by freshmen. Freshman Paula Salmon won the 60-meter hurdles and she had a top-5 finish in the high jump. Salmon ran the second-fastest qualifying time in the 60mh prelims with a time of 8.49. She returned for the final and ran an 8.50 to beat second-place Alexis Postell (8.79) of N.C. State.
Salmon jumped 5-feet, 5-inches to finish fourth in the high jump. Freshman standout Cambrea Sturgis was also excellent over the weekend. Sturgis, who has been a big part of the Aggies being nationally-ranked, won the women's 200m in 23.61.
Sturgis is ranked 16th in the nation in the 200 with the 23.19 she ran at the Carolina Challenge. In the MEAC, she ranked second in the 200m behind teammate and senior Kayla White. She is ranked third heading into the MEAC indoor championships in the 60m thanks to a 7.38 she ran at the Virginia Tech Invitational on Jan. 11.
The MEAC Indoor Track and Field Championships will start Thursday, Feb. 21 at the Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex in Landover, Md. The Aggie men and women will be going for their respective third straight conference championships, Feb. 21-23.
