LUBBOCK, Texas/COLUBMIA, S.C. – The North Carolina A&T indoor track and field teams competed in two different locations on Friday. Some members of the men's and women's teams traveled to Texas Tech University to compete in the Texas Tech Invitational at the Sports Performance Center.
 
Others were at the University of South Carolina (USC) to compete in the Carolina Challenge at the South Carolina Indoor Track and Field Complex.
 
Senior sprinter Jaylan Mitchell and freshman sprinter Randolph Ross were the standouts for the Aggies on Friday no matter the location. Mitchell ran the men's 60 meters twice at Texas Tech and toppled his personal record both times. Ross also recorded a new personal record in the men's 400m.
 
Mitchell entered the weekend third in the nation in the 60m with a time of 6.60. Mitchell ran a personal-record 6.58 in the 60m preliminary on Friday for the second-fastest time in the nation. In the 60m final, Mitchell posted another personal-best by winning the event in 6.57. Currently, that time is tied for the fastest time in the nation with Miami's Raheem Chambers.
 
Meanwhile, Ross continued the superb start to his career. Ross came into the weekend ranked No. 1 in the nation in the men's 400m with a time of 45.85. He obliterated that time on Friday by winning the 400m in 45.44. His 45.44 is the fastest time in the world this year. He ran the first 200 meters in 21.63.
 
Senior teammate Trevor Stewart finished fourth in 46.43. Stewart's 46.43 is the fastest 400m indoor time of his career. It is the sixth-fastest time in the nation thus far. Senior Elijah Young finished in 13th in 47.66.   
 
In the women's 60m preliminary at Texas Tech, sophomore Cambrea Sturgis qualified for the finals by running a time of 7.23. Fellow sophomore Kamaya Debose-Epps qualified for the final as well by running a 7.38. The third Aggie to qualify for the final was junior Kayla Foy who ran a qualifying time of 7.38.
 
Sturgis finished third in the final in 7.27. Debose-Epps was seventh in 7.36 and Foy was eighth in 7.39.
 
Two of the best in the women's 60-meter hurdles also competed in Texas. Sophomore Paula Salmon, who came into the weekend ranked fourth in the nation in the 60mh (8.09), qualified for the 60mh final at Texas Tech in 8.11. Senior Madeleine Akobundu came into the weekend ranked third in the 60mh (8.08). She qualified for the 60mh final in 8.16. In the final, Akobundu placed fifth in 8.18 while Salmon was seventh in 8.36.
 
The Aggies had five top-5 finishes at USC led by senior Tori Ray who finished third in the women's 400m at 53.62. Sophomore Nia Lundy finished sixth in the same race with a time of 54.39. Junior Payton Russell was 11th (56.09).
 
Sophomore Regan Kimtai had two fifth-place finishes. Kimtai was fifth in the men's mile by completing the race in 4:09.72. In the men's 3000m, he recorded a time of 8:24.01 to place fifth. On the women's side in distance, senior G'Jasmyne Butler finished sixth in the mile (5:11.86) and eighth in the 3000m (10:24.21). 
 
Four Aggies entered the women's 60m preliminary at USC. Three made the final in senior Taliyah Townsend, sophomore Aisha Southern and junior Delecia McDuffie. Townsend had the fastest qualifying time amongst the Aggies at 7.57 followed by McDuffie (7.59) and Southern (7.61). In the final, Townsend finished fifth in 7.54 followed by Southern in sixth (7.56) and McDuffie in seventh (7.56).
 
Sophomore Obie Taylor was the only Aggie to finish in the top-5 in a field event in Columbia. He placed fifth in the weight throw with a toss of 48-feet, 10 ¼-inches.
 
The Aggies will compete in both places again on Saturday.