WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The North Carolina A&T men's and women's indoor track and field teams displayed their tremendous depth on Friday during the first day of the Camel City Invitational at the JDL Fast Track.
Names such as Randolph Ross Jr. and Paula Salmon did not compete on Friday, but there was tremendous success as usual.
The A&T men's indoor team, the top-ranked team in the nation according to the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) and Track World News, had three first-place finishes and broke a meet record. A&T's ladies had three-first place finishes, including one first-place finish in a field event.
The top-ranked men's team earned wins in the 200 meters, the 4x400-meter relay and the 60-meter hurdles. The women's indoor team was victorious in the high jump, 60m and 400m.
Sophomore Brandon Nya ran a personal indoor best 21.76 in the 200m to finish ahead of freshman teammate Shemar Chambers, who finished second in 22.10. Nya ran the fastest 200m ever at the Camel City Invitational, surpassing the old record of 21.77.
A&T's 4x400 B team of freshman Reheem Hayles, Nya, Chambers and senior Malcolm Croom-McFadden ran a 3:18.08 to outlast High Point University, who finished second in 3:18.18. The A team is ranked second in the nation with a time of 3:03.39.
Senior Cory Poole made his season debut with a bang. After running the second-fastest qualifying time of 7.94 in the 60mh preliminary, Poole ran a 7.87 to win the final. After running the fastest 60mh qualifying time of 7.87, senior Cedric McGriff ran a 7.98 in the final to finish second.
The Aggies already have three hurdlers ranked in the top-25 nationally, including McGriff. Poole, who qualified for the 2021 NCAA outdoor championships, could also find himself in the mix.
The A&T women are showing off some impressive depth in the high jump. Junior Kenady Wilson won the high jump on Friday. Officials marked her best jump at 5-feet, 8 ¾-inches. Wilson's graduate teammate Nazah Reddick finished with a leap of 5-feet, 7-inches.
Wilson, Reddick and Salmon have all had top-five finishes this season, with Wilson winning on Friday and Reddick winning at JDL on Jan. 23.
Freshman Ja'era Griffin took the top spot in the women's 60m as she finished in 7.61. Griffin ran her second-fastest time this season after a 7.60 at Clemson on Jan. 14. Sophomore teammate Shaliciah Jones placed fifth in 7.73.
Sophomore Nia Frederick won the women's 400m by running a personal-best 56.29. Her previous personal best happened earlier this season when she ran a 57.62 at Clemson.
The Aggie women also had solid showings in the 200, 60mh and weight throw. Senior Nilaja Florence finished second in the 200 (25.16). Freshman Amanda Kinloch ran her fastest 60mh this season and finished third with a time of 8.550. Senior Jasmine Jenkins placed fifth in the weight throw with a toss of 52-feet, 11 ½-inches. Jenkins' throw marked a new personal best.
Other Aggies, who are no longer on the men's team, also displayed Aggie dominance. Former Aggies sprinter and All-American Jaylan Mitchell broke the 60m facility record by finishing first in 6.61. Another former Aggie sprinter and All-American Chris Belcher finished behind Mitchell in second (6.68).
