Track & Field | 4/20/2024 10:49:00 PM
GREENSBORO – A potential preview of the men's and women's Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Outdoor Track and Field Championship men's and women's 4x100-meter relay finals took place on Saturday during the final day of the Aggie Classic hosted by North Carolina A&T at Marcus T. Johnson Track.
In addition, the Aggie men and women won a combined eight events on Saturday. Coupled with the three events the Aggies won on Saturday, the A&T track and field programs claimed 11 first-place finishes from the weekend.
Before the weekend, the Campbell and A&T men's 4x100 teams were ranked No. 1 and 2 in the conference, respectively. They faced each other on Saturday and put on a spectacular showing. The Campbell foursome outlasted the A&T team of graduate Aveon Reid, redshirt freshman Jason Holmes, junior Caleb Jackson and freshman Isaiah Taylor.
The Fighting Camels strengthened their hold on the No. 1 position in the league, running a 39.25. Meanwhile, the Aggies ran a season-best 39.38 to finish second. After the weekend, the Aggies are ranked 17th in the NCAA East Region. On the women's side, Campbell came into the weekend ranked No. 1. The Aggies had the third-fastest time in the CAA.
In another entertaining 4x100, Campbell ran a 44.66 to win over the A&T team of junior Pebbles Scott, junior Lucheyona Weaver, freshman Kymara Brodie and sophomore Makenna Urbanek, who ran 45.54. The rankings will remain the same after the weekend, but A&T got a good look at their competition for the CAA championships, May 10-11.
The Aggies also learned they will be able to compete for a conference championship in other events. Scott had a terrific weekend. In addition to running a personal record in the 200 meters (23.59) on Friday, Scott won the 100m, out-sprinting Campbell's Jaidyn Ramsey with a PR of 11.40. Scott ranks third in the CAA behind Ramsey at No. 1 (11.31) and Towson's Maya Tucker (11.38) at No. 2.
A&T should also rack up some big points in the men's 110-meter hurdles, considering the Aggies have one of the best 110H groups in the nation. They put that on display on Saturday, finishing 1,2 and 3. Holmes led the way, running a 13.62 to finish ahead of sophomore teammate Thomas Smith's 13.71. Reid completed the trio's triumph by running a 13.82. Smith's time was a PR, moving him to No. 6 in the CAA.
Junior Fajr Kelly won the women's 800m for the second straight year at the Aggie Classic. On Saturday, she ran a 2:09.09 to finish ahead of Eastern Michigan's Tabatha Walford. Freshman Serenity Brazell moved into the No. 5 ranking in the conference in the women's 400m by running a 54.99 PR. Brazell was also part of the 4x400 A&T team, which finished third in 3:57.54.
Seniors Jayla Jones, Camille Herring, and Ania Campbell participated in the event. The men's 4x400 team of senior Jalen Chin, freshman Kamren Kennedy, junior Kylan Willis, and sophomore Abdiselam Green finished fourth in 3:20.40.
A&T had an excellent weekend in the field events, with seven of its 11 wins over the weekend coming in field events. After winning the men's discus on Friday, junior Brayden Hodgest followed the win by claiming first place in the shot put with a throw of 56 feet, 6 ¾ inches. He moved into second place in the conference after the weekend, and junior teammate Carlos Alexander moved into the No. 3 ranking by finishing second on Saturday, his best throw measuring 54 feet, 11 ¼ inches.
Junior Joseph Palmer returned to the winner's circle in the men's triple jump by leaping 48 feet, 2 ¾ inches. Freshman teammate Xavier Partee finished second at 48 feet, ½ inch. Palmer and Partee are ranked 2 and 3 in the CAA.
The women had two first-place finishes in field events. Junior Sage Sumpter won the women's shot put with a throw of 45 feet, 11 ¾ inches. She ranks fifth in the conference. Meanwhile, My'Khiyah Williams won the women's high jump at 5 feet, 5 inches.
A&T will take a week off from competition before hosting the May 3-4 Aggie Invitational. The following week, the Aggies will go after the men's and women's CAA titles.
