Track & Field | 2/14/2023 11:29:00 AM
EAST GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T men's indoor track and field team has competed four times this season. In three of those four performances, junior Reheem Hayles has come away with Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) male athlete of the week honors the following Tuesday. 
It happened again as Hayles joined freshman teammate Qualiar Newton in winning a weekly conference honor on Tuesday. In addition, Newton earned his first career weekly honor by being named CAA male field athlete of the week.
As the CAA Indoor Track and Field Championships approach Feb. 22-23, and later the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships (March 10-11), Hayles continues to lower his times. He went under 46 seconds in the 400 meters for the first time in his indoor career when he competed in the 400m final on Friday at the prestigious Tiger Paw Invitational at Clemson University.
He ran a 45.95 in a talent-rich 400m final to finish fifth. Hayles finished fifth behind four of the top-5 400m runners in the nation. He leads the CAA and ranks ninth nationally in the event. In addition, Hayles teamed with junior Shemar Chambers and Brandon Nya and graduate Ryan Saint-Germain to clock a CAA-leading 3:06.46 to take 11th in another loaded field at Tiger Paw. The Aggies 4x400 team ranks No. 1 in the CAA by more than seven seconds. They're ranked 33rd nationally.
"We are seeing the results of Reheem's hard work from September thru December," said A&T director of track and field Allen Johnson.
Newton has stepped up recently to add more depth to the Aggies throwing group. Newton recorded a personal-best 57-feet, 3-inches in the men's weight throw at Tiger Paw to place 14th. Newton moved into third place in the conference rankings after competing against a talent-rich field on Friday.
"Qualiar is coming into his own," said Johnson. "Every week, he is getting better and beating his personal record. We are excited to see how far he goes this season because he had a lot more in the tank."
The Tiger Paw marked the Aggies final meet before the CAA indoor championships at Virginia Beach Sports Center in Virginia Beach, Va. In leading up to the championships, the Aggies banked many weekly awards from the CAA. In addition to Hayles' three, sophomore Brayden Hodgest claimed two CAA male field athlete of the week honors, and graduate Paula Salmon earned two CAA female athlete of the week.
Aggies who have also earned weekly honors this season include Jada Griffin (female athlete of the week, 1/24), Aeneas Reed, Jr. (male field athlete of the week, 1/24), and Julieth Nwosu (female field athlete of the week, 2/7).
