COLUMBIA, S.C. – Senior thrower Loren James put together a career day for what is turning out to be a career season. The reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) field athlete of the week had a first-place finish and had two personal-best on Saturday at the USC Open hosted by the University of South Carolina at Shelia and Morris Cregger Track.    

The men's and women's track and field outdoor teams had seven top-5 finishes on Saturday, but James had the only win. 

James won the women's shot put with a personal-best throw of 52-feet, 8 ¾-inches. James's throw gives her the top throw in the MEAC this season. James won the MEAC shot put title in 2018 before finishing second in 2019. In the women's hammer throw, James threw a personal-best 173-feet to finish seventh. 

Thus far, it has been an outstanding season for James, who earned her second win of the season in the women's shot put. She also has three second-place finishes and five top-5 finishes. 

On the track, junior Cory Poole stood out for the Aggies by finishing second in the 110-meter hurdles. Poole had the second-fastest qualifying time at 13.91 before running a personal-best 13.59 in the final. Poole's time moves him to No. 1 in the MEAC and No. 9 in the nation. 

Poole also teamed with seniors Abbas Abbkar and Mar'Quise McGee and junior Thomas Mosley in the men's 4x400-meter relay to finish third with a time of 3:14.72. 

Senior Nazah Reddick had a third-place finish in the women's high jump, with her best measurement recorded at 5-feet, 7-inches. 

The Aggies will be in two places next week. They will keep in the Drake Relays and N.C. A&T will host the Aggie Classic at Irwin Belk Track on April 24.