WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – After breaking nine Big South Conference outdoor championship meet records, eight facility records, and four Big South records last season, the North Carolina A&T outdoor women's track and field team was back at it in another new conference. The Aggie men and women completed their first-ever Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Outdoor Track and Field Championship on Saturday at William & Mary's Zable Stadium.
A&T graduate sprinter Jada Griffin pulled off the double. Three months after earning CAA most outstanding performer at the indoor championships, Griffin collected the CAA's outdoor most outstanding performer award on Saturday by winning the 200 meters, 400m and 4x400. In addition, she broke two CAA meet records and nearly broke another as the Aggie women broke three CAA meet records and three facility records on the day.
The women finished fourth overall with 87 points, and the A&T men finished third with 123 points. On the men's side, Northeastern successfully defended their outdoor championship title with 194 points, while Monmouth earned second with 183 points. William & Mary (90.5) and UNC Wilmington (84.5) finished behind the Aggies in fourth and fifth, respectively.
The women were led by returning champions Elon (185), followed by Hampton (124) and William & Mary (90) for the top three. Finishing fifth, after the Aggie ladies, was Delaware (78.5). The Aggies are now without a men's or women's indoor or outdoor conference title for the first time in seven years.
Griffin, a graduate transfer out of N.C. State won her first-ever outdoor conference title by breaking the CAA meet record in the 400m in 52.26. She earned another conference title in the 200m, in 23.51, missing the meet record by .03 seconds. She joined forces with Pebbles Scott, Fajr Kelly, and MyKayla Perry to establish a new meet record in the 4x400 at 3:35.87.
Paula Salmon set another meet record with her 100-meter hurdle performance. Salmon won the Big South Championships last year in this event and broke the CAA meet record on Friday in the 100H preliminaries at 13.33. She toppled the record again on Saturday, winning the 100H championship in 13.25. Her protégé Lucheyona Weaver also came in under the old CAA and Zable Stadium records, finishing second in 13.34.
The other wins for the ladies came in field events. Julieth Nwosu won another outdoor conference title with a shot put throw of 52-feet, 1 ¼-inches. Last year Nwosu was the Big South title holder for the discus. In addition, Kenady Wilson won in her specialty event, the high jump, with a leap of 5-feet, 8 ¾-inches. Last year Wilson finished second in the Big South Championships, but she earned her first outdoor conference title in 2021 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
Throughout the day, Reheem Hayles, Shemar Chambers, Ryan Saint-Germain, and Thomas Smith were vital players for the Aggie men. The men's team garnered their first win in the 4x100 relay, with Hayles, Chambers, Saint-Germain, and Brandon Nya clocking 40.46.
Hayles and Chambers also won individual titles. In no surprise to anyone, Hayles claimed the conference's 400m title. He ran 45.74 to break the facility record. Chambers also came in under the old facility mark (46.19), running a 45.77 to finish second. Saint-Germain (47.77) took fourth.
Chambers did win his first-ever individual conference title in the 200m, finishing in 20.97. Hayles (21.21) placed second, while Saint Germain (21.41) finished fifth. The trio helped put 55 points on the board for the men.
Thomas Smith took on the hurdles and placed fourth in both events with personal records. Smith finished the 110H with a time of 14.13, and he crossed the line at 53.12 in the 400H. Smith ended the day assisting the 4x400 team with earning a conference title. Smith, Nya, Caleb Jackson and Jayden Crosby concluded the relay – and the last event of the championships – with a run of 3:13.94.
Men's Conference Champions
Shemar Chambers (200m 20.97, 4x100, 40.46); Reheem Hayles (400 45.74^, 4x100), Brandon Nya (4x100, 4x400 3:13.94), Ryan Saint-Germain (4x100), Caleb Jackson (4x400), Jayden Crosby (4x400), Thomas Smith (4x400), Carlos Alexander (discus, 174-6).
2nd Place
Reheem Hayles (200m 21.21); Shemar Chambers (400m, 45.77); Brayden Hodgest (shot put 54-feet, 1 ¼-inches, discus 174-feet, 5-inches).
3rd Place
Aeneas Reed, Jr. (23-feet, 5 ¼-inches); Carlos Alexander (53-feet, 7 ½-inches); Qualiar Newton (hammer throw, 170-feet, 9-inches).
Women's Conference Champions
Jada Griffin (200m 23.51, 400m 52.66#^, 4x400 3:35.87#^); Paula Salmon (100H 13.25#^); Pebbles Scott (4x400); Fajr Kelly (4x400); MyKayla Perry (4x400); Kenady Wilson (high jump 5-feet 8 ¾-inches); Julieth Nwosu (shot put 52-feet 1 ¼-inches).
2nd Place
Lucheyona Weaver (100H, 13.34 4x100 45.12) Pebbles Scott (4x100), MyKayla Perry (4x100); Paula Salmon (4x100).
# -- CAA Record
^ -- Facility Record
