COLUMBIA, SC – The North Carolina A&T track and field indoor program showed off their depth this weekend at the Gamecock Opener hosted by the University of South Carolina at the South Carolina Indoor Track and Field Complex.
 
The Aggies earned victories in the women's pole vault and the women's high jump. Both wins came from newcomers in the program including transfers. Last week, some of the Aggies more popular names posted impressive performances at the University of Kentucky.
 
This week, the Aggies were able to showcase even more talent. N.C. A&T finished 1,2 in the women's high jump as senior Reide Ryans won the event by leaping 5-feet, 7 ¾ inches. Freshman Kenady Wilson finished second with her best jump recorded at 5-feet, 5 ¼-inches.
 
Ryans is a transfer out of the University of South Florida whose best jump there was 5-feet, 4 ½-inches. Wilson made her collegiate debut at the JDL College Kickoff where she jumped 5-feet, 1-inch in the high jump. Wilson also ran the women's 200 in 28.07 at USC.
 
Another Aggie transfer claimed victory. Senior Sandra Brown won the women's pole vault with a mark of 11-feet, 7 ¾-inches. Brown is an Ole Miss transfer who finished ninth last week in the women's pole vault in Lexington, Ky., by clearing 11-feet, 1 ¾-inches.
 
N.C. A&T also had 11 top-5 finishes including a second-place finish in the long jump by sophomore Brandon Hicklin. Hicklin jumped 24-feet, 7 ¾-inches to finish behind N.C. State's Chris Alexander who jumped 25-feet, 2 ½-inches. Hicklin has participated in seven indoor long jump events in his career. He has never finished lower than third including four victories.
 
Junior Loren James finished third in two different events. James finished third in the women's weight throw invite by having her best toss land at 54-feet, 5 ¼-inches. James finished behind S.C. States' Keturah Hunter (61-feet, 4-inches) and South Carolina's Amanda Murphy (58-feet, 11 ½-inches). N.C. A&T sophomore Jasmine Jenkins finished fifth with a throw of 53-feet, 8 ¼-inches.
 
James also competed in the women's shot put invite. She finished third with a throw of 47-feet, 11 ¼-inches behind Campbell's Patience Marshall (51-feet, 8 ½-inches) and South Carolina's Carisma Holland (49-feet, 7 ¼-inches).  
 
Junior Aaron Wilkerson had two fourth-place finishes. In the men's weight throw invite, Wilkerson had a throw of 57-feet, 11-inches. In the men's shot put, Wilkerson had a throw of 52-feet, 2 ½-inches.
 
There were two top-5 finishes in the men's 800 meters. Senior Mar'Quise McGee finished third with a personal-best 1:51.21. Sophomore Regan Kimtai came in fifth at 1:53.89.
 
Johnson C. Smith University transfer Delecia McDuffie finished third in the women's 3000m with a time of 39.45. McDuffie also ran a personal-best 7.69 in the 60m semifinals.
 
N.C. A&T returns to action next weekend at the Hokie Invitational hosted by Virginal Tech, Jan. 24-25.