EUGENE, Ore. – North Carolina A&T women's outdoor track and field freshman Grace Nwokocha (Port Harcourt, Nigeria) arrived at North Carolina A&T in January.
In that short time, she collected a few items. She won the 100 meters at the prestigious Drake Relays in April. Then, she won the 100 and 200m at the Big South Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May, leading to her winning the conference's women's outstanding performer and freshman of the year awards.
Then, on Saturday, during the final day of the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field, she made school history and added a few more accolades during her brief stint as an A&T Aggie.
Nwokocha finished sixth nationally in the 100 (11.21) and 200m (22.52) on Saturday to become the first A&T freshman to earn first-team All-American honors in the 100. She also became the first Aggie freshman to secure first-team accolades in the 100 and 200.
Graduate teammate Paula Salmon also had a productive NCAA outdoor championships. She finished fourth nationally in the women's 100-meter hurdles, crossing the finish line in 12.85.
Nwokocha and Salmon had fascinating journeys to their All-American triumphs.
Nwokocha's started taking steps toward collegiate success in November when Duane Ross, A&T's director of track and field programs, received a call about Nwokocha. During the call, Ross discovered Nwokocha wanted to attend A&T. Ross recalled Nwokocha from the Tokoyo Summer Olympics when she ran for Nigeria.
"I was all in," said Ross about his decision to sign Nwokocha. "Her countrymen told me that (Nwokocha) felt she could win an Olympic medal at the next Olympics if she trains."
Ross told the gentlemen they were correct and decided to make her an Aggie. And considering what Nwokocha has accomplished in five months, there is no telling what she can achieve over the next three seasons.
Meanwhile, Salmon is on the opposite in of her career. A season that has included the passing of her mother, Marcia, and an unfortunate fall in her 60H at the NCAA, indoor championship final, culminated with Salmon earning her first-ever outdoor All-America recognition.
"I believe the passing of her mother this year affected her more than she realized," said Ross. "But she took the time to reset and refocus, and when she returned to the track, she was more relaxed and extremely locked in."
The end of the A&T outdoor season means the end of the Ross era at A&T as he transitions to become the track and field director at the University of Tennessee. After the 2022 outdoor NCAA championships, A&T now has nine event national championships in track and field, all under Ross. The Aggies also tallied 31 different first-team All-Americans under Ross.
He not only turned A&T into perhaps the greatest HBCU track and field program in history, thanks in part to a national runner-up finish during the 2022 indoor season, but Ross also turned A&T track and field into one of the most elite programs in the nation.
It has been quite a journey for everyone.
