EAST GREENSBORO – This week's inclement weather forced a schedule change for the North Carolina A&T men's and women's indoor track and field teams.
Limited practice time forced the Aggies to cancel their appearance at the University of South Carolina's Carolina Challenge, Jan. 21-22. Instead, the Aggies will compete in Winston-Salem at the JDL Flat Is Fast Invitational, 10 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 23, at the JDL Fast Track.
The Aggies are coming off an excellent 2022 debut last weekend at Clemson University's Clemson Invite. A&T had a number of its performances earn top-10 national rankings. In addition, the Aggies had five athletes earn Big South Conference weekly honors.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist Randolph Ross Jr. earned Big South male athlete of the week honors after running the fastest 400-meter time in the world at 45.37. He has the No. 1 400m time in the NCAA. Senior teammate Daniel Stokes is not too far behind as he ranks third nationally at 46.71.
Paula Salmon earned the conference's female athlete of the week nod after her 60-meter hurdle performance at Clemson, where she ran a 7.91 to earn the nation's No. 2 ranking. Nazah Reddick earned female field athlete of the week after a third-place finish at 5-foot, 9 ¼-inches in the high jump. Reddick ranks 18th in the nation.
Senior Brandon Hicklin and freshman Leonard Mustari rounded out the weekly honors for the Aggies. Hicklin claimed male field athlete of the week, and Mustari earned male freshman of the week. Hicklin finished third in the long jump at 25-feet, 9 ¼-inches. He comes into the weekend ranked third in the nation in the event.
Meanwhile, senior Rasheem Brown and Mustari are ranked second and third in the nation in the 60mh. Brown ran a 7.70 in the preliminary at Clemson to earn his No. 2 ranking, while Mustari ran a 7.71 in his prelim race. Senior Cedric McGriff (7.85) is 14th nationally.
The Aggies have other top-15 rankings. Sophomore Javonte Harding is second in the nation in the men's 200m (20.71) and eighth in the 60 (6.66). Sophomore Jonah Ross ranks third nationally in the women's 200 (23.55), and seniors Symone Darius and Kamaya Debose-Epps are tied for 14th in the same event (23.83). Darius is also ranked 14th in the women's 60 (7.32).
