Track & Field | 12/6/2025 11:32:00 PM

WINSTON-SALEM, NC – The North Carolina A&T men's indoor track and field team, the defending Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) champions, opened the 2025-26 season at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick-off at the JDL Fast Track on Saturday. They compiled four first-place wins and 15 top-5 finishes.

The A&T women's indoor track and field team joined the men's team in their debut and also enjoyed a lot of success. The ladies compiled another four first-place finishes and 13 top-5 finishes.  

Junior Isaiah Taylor, a breakout star during the 2025 outdoor season for A&T as an NCAA nationals qualifier, started the new indoor season with two wins on Saturday. Isaiah won the men's 60-meter hurdles in 7.91 seconds, only a few steps ahead of senior teammate Thomas Smith IV, who crossed in 7.98 seconds. Taylor also joined senior Dyimond Walker, senior Ha'Mir Hampton, and freshman Taysaun Williams to run a 3:12.29 to win the 4x400-meter relay. The A&T foursome of sophomore Elijah Thomas, junior Xzaviah Taylor, junior Jordan Ware, and senior Dawson Grogan finished second in the 4x400, running a 3:13.88.

In addition to helping A&T win the 4x400, Walker also led a strong contingent of Aggies in the men's 800 meters. Walker won the race in 1:52.68, becoming one of five Aggies to finish in the top 10. Wilson placed second in his collegiate debut, finishing in 1:53.05, followed closely in third place by Grogan's 1:54.25. Thomas (1:55.69) and junior Kaleb Conway (1:59.15) finished fifth and ninth, respectively.

Meanwhile, junior Nakhi Benjamin had a strong showing in the seeded men's 200m. Benjamin won the 200 with a time of 21.05, his best indoor 200m time since running a 20.88 at the Tiger Paw Invitational on February 15, 2025. Senior Jalen Booth-Mitchell placed third in 21.26. A&T also had a win in the women's seeded 200m.

Junior Hayleigh Bryant took first place with a time of 24.03, marking an indoor personal record for the Winston-Salem State transfer. Junior Makenna Urbaneck also posted an indoor personal record, finishing in 24.29. In the women's 200m, sophomore Meara Rasul set an indoor personal record by running 24.21. Like their male counterparts, the women also won the 4x400-meter relay. Urbaneck also had a good showing in the women's 60m, finishing with a personal record 7.542. Senior Aaliyah Harris finished right behind her in fourth place with a time of 7.544.

Junior Kymara Brodie joined Bryant, freshman Richari Wildgoose, and junior Serenity Brazell to win in 3:45.85. The Aggies were also dominant in the 60H on the men's and women's sides. Freshman Jayda Lewis claimed the 60H title for the ladies in 8.51. Senior teammate Zamia Stelly placed fourth in 8.77. A&T captured one first-place victory in the field events.

Freshman Xayden Hunt had a fantastic collegiate debut by winning the men's long jump with a measurement of 23 feet, 5 ¼ inches. Sophomore Ty'Heak Buie finished sixth with a leap of 22 feet, 5 ¼ inches. A&T had a few strong second-place finishes as well. Xzaviah Talor placed second in the seeded men's 400m in 47.99, followed by junior Caleb Gurnell, who finished third in 48.10. In addition, Brazell placed second in the women's 800m, posting a time of 2:16.05. Junior Yule Pieters jumped 6 feet, 6 ¼ inches to place second in the men's high jump.

The Aggies also had top 3 finishes in the women's triple jump and the men's shot put. Junior Olivia Dowd jumped 39 feet, 1 ¾ inches to place third in the women's triple jump, and sophomore Alex Henry threw the shot put 55 feet, 7 ¾ inches to finish third. The Aggies will return to the JDL Fast Track on January 17 for the Mondo College Invitational.