Track & Field | 6/21/2021 5:08:00 PM

EUGENE, Ore. – And on the third Monday in June, they rested. North Carolina A&T outdoor track and field has had a storybook journey for two weeks.

When Duane Ross, the Aggies director of track and field programs, sits back and thinks about all his men's and women's teams have accomplished, even he is astonished.

In two weeks, the Aggies went from trying to win a national championship to qualify for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Two Aggies have made the U.S. Olympic team in Randolph Ross Jr. and Trevor Stewart.
Ross will go as a 400-meter and 4x400-meter relay runner, and Stewart qualified as a 4x400 runner. The Aggies could qualify more in the coming week as Christopher Belcher (200m), Rodney Rowe (200m) and Cambrea Sturgis (200m) compete this week.

"People have no idea what these young people just pulled off," said Ross. "Last week, they had to compete at NCAA championships. This week, with very little rest, they had to step in and compete against the best of the best. I mean, these are no slouches they are going against each day. These are world champions. It's incredible what Junior and Trevor accomplished here this week."

The Aggies have competed in so many races in the last few weeks, preparing for the Trials did not come easy. Leading up to the Olympic Trials, the objective became recovery. Ross wanted to get their minds and bodies fit for the challenge of trying to make the Olympics.

They iced down constantly and used massages to recover. Cryotherapy was also used to get ready to compete against the best in the world.

"Now that we got them to this point, we get a break," said Ross. "Can you imagine what a rested Junior and a rested Trevor are going to look like at the Olympic Games?"

In addition to Ross Jr. and Stewart, the Aggies had some close calls this past week at Trials. Former Aggie track superstar Kayla White made the women's 100m finals before falling short of making the Olympic team in that event.

Current Aggie TeJyrica Robinson made it to the 100-meter hurdles final on Sunday. Robinson's journey from the NCAA championships to the Olympic Trials is an inspiring one.

Robinson tripped and fell over the last hurdle of the NCAA 100mh final. That easily could have been the period to the end of her story, but it was not. Robinson got to her feet and finished the race, giving her team the point they needed to finish fourth at the NCAA championships.

That became significant because N.C. A&T was the only school at the NCAA championships to have both their men's and women's teams finish in the top-4.

"When I went over to talk to her, she was crying," said Ross about the incident at the NCAA championships. "I hugged her and told her what a wonderful job she did this year. I told her to put it behind her."

When Ross looked over at Robinson 15 minutes later, she still had tears in her eyes. No amount of cryotherapy could help this situation. Ross knew the remedy for this recovery would be to administer good old fashion tough love.

"Look, you've got another race next week," Ross remembers telling his senior hurdler. "Stick your chest out, handle it, and get ready for the next one. I know where you want to go, so this is not the end. Let's get past this."

Advice taken.

Robinson qualified out of the 100mh first round. On Sunday, she ran a personal-best 12.65 to finish fourth in her heat, earning an automatic qualifier into the 100mh final. She did not qualify for the Olympic team, finishing with a 12.99 in the final. But it's not over.

"TeJyrica has a bright future ahead of her," said Ross. "I'm so happy for her because nobody gave her a chance after NCAAs. I've been on her constantly about the things she needs to do to improve because I believe she can be a professional hurdler who can consistently run 12.5, 12.6. The Olympic Trials was a good experience for her."

It has been quite an experience for everyone.

Even before the last two weeks, what the Aggies were doing on the track should be met with high praise. Both teams dominated at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) outdoor championships, with each team posting a record-breaking total of points.

Skip ahead to the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round, where the Aggies sent a record 27 athletes to the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla.

But the past two weeks is where the Aggies have emerged to become a national showcase. Eighteen Aggies in 15 different events participated in the 2021 NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field, June 9-12.

How did they do? Not too bad.

They came away with two event national championships (4x400, 400 meters) on the men's side. Nine different Aggie men received at least one All-American designation. Six different Aggie men secured at least one first-team All-American honor.

Four different Aggies earned multiple first-team All-American honors led by Randolph Ross Jr., who received three (4x400, 4x100, 400 meters).

The women came away with two event national championships (100m, 200m). Nine different Aggies received at least one All-American honor. Five different ladies received at least one first-team All-American designation.

Sturgis came away with three first-team All-American honors (100m, 200m and 4x10Ross Jr. became the national champion in the 400m and the 4x400. Sturgis became a national champion in the 100m and 200m.

Then they rested.