Track & Field | 2/3/2024 11:53:00 PM
LEXINGTON, Va. – North Carolina A&T concluded the 2024 VMI Relays with authority. The Aggies men's and women's indoor track and field teams combined to win five times while having several events where multiple Aggies finished in the top 10 at the VMI Corps Physical Training Facility on Saturday.
The Aggies had four ladies finish in the top five of the women's 800 meters, three ladies finish in the top three of the women's shot put, four gentlemen finish in the top 10 of the men's 800m and two gentlemen finish in the top five of the men's high jump.
In addition, the Aggies captured first-place finishes in the women's shot put, the women's 800m, the men's triple jump, the men's high jump and the men's 200m. Freshman Robert Scott III won the men's 200 with a personal best of 22.16. It marked his third 200m race of the season after running a 22.35 at the 2024 Gamecock Opener on Jan. 13 and a 22.38 at the Hokie Invitational on Jan. 20.
A&T's second win on the track came from freshman Serenity Brazell in the women's 800. Brazell ran a 2:15.60 to earn her third first-place finish of the season. She won the women's 800 at the Clemson Opener in December after being a part of the Aggies 4x400-meter relay win at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick-off on Dec. 2 at the JDL Fast Track.
Brazell led a group of Aggies on Saturday. Senior teammate Camille Herring finished second in 2:17.59. It marked an indoor best for Herring, who finished ahead of senior Jayla Jones. Jones placed fourth in 2:19.20, and senior Ania Campbell finished fifth in 2:20.58.
The remaining A&T victories came from field events. Junior Kendrell Goodes won the men's high jump by tying a personal best with a leap of 6 feet, 9 inches. In his first-ever collegiate event, he jumped 6 feet, 9 inches on Dec. 5, 2021, at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C. Freshman teammate Yule Pieters placed fifth by jumping 6 feet, 1 ¼ inches.
After finishing fifth in the men's long jump on Friday, freshman Xavier Partee won the men's triple jump with his best leap measured at 46 feet, 10 ¼ inches. It marked his first collegiate win of his short career. In the women's shot put, senior Julieth Nwosu led a group of A&T ladies in the shot put. Nwosu won the event with a toss of 45 feet, 1 ½ inches.
Nwosu earned her sixth career win in the shot put and her eighth overall. It was her third career indoor shot put win. Sophomore Taylor Reagor finished second in the women's shot put with a personal best of 43 feet, 8 inches. Junior Sage Sumpter placed third with her best throw landing at 43 feet, 1-inch.
A&T also had four second-place finishes, including Herring's second-place outcome in the women's 800. Junior Jaeden Gumbs ran a 6.90 in the 60m a day after running a personal-best 6.80 in the 60m preliminary. Senior Tashianna Gray placed second in the women's 400m with a time of 58.21. It marked an indoor best for Gray. Senior Shadajah Ballard's second-place finish came in the women's 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.59.
In addition, Chloe Jones had a third-place finish in the women's triple jump after finishing fifth in the long jump on Friday. Jones's jump went for a personal-best 36 feet, 5 ¾ inches. Freshman Kymara Brodie placed fourth in the women's 200 with a time of 25.29.
The Aggies will participate in the prestigious Tiger Paw Invitational at Clemson University, Feb. 9-10, before competing in the CAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, Feb. 22-23 in New York at the Nike Track & Field Center at The Armory.
