Track & Field | 2/14/2025 10:15:00 PM
CLEMSON, SC – Competition was stiff for the North Carolina A&T men's and women's indoor track and field teams during the first day of Clemson University's Tiger Paw Invitational. In addition to top athletes in the nation, the Aggies faced international and professional competition at the Clemson Indoor Track and Field Complex.
Junior Thomas Smith IV was the only Aggie to go three rounds in the 60-meter hurdles, earning a trip to the final. He progressed through the preliminary round by ranking 14th in 7.91, but he finished the semifinals in sixth with a personal record of 7.74.
Smith IV placed fourth with a time of 7.78. Smith's 7.74 mark moved him to No. 2 in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) rankings between junior teammate Jason Holmes (7.56) and sophomore teammate Isaiah Taylor (7.76).
Holmes and Taylor raced with Smith in the 60H preliminary round, with Holmes qualifying in eighth in 7.84 and Taylor qualifying 13th in 7.90, but neither made it through the semis.
Senior Lucheyona Weaver qualified third in Heat 7 of the women's 6H prelims, where a third of the runners were professionals or international athletes. She clocked 8.34 in the first round but ended her run in the semifinals with a time of 8.21 to finish 17th.
Also qualifying third in Heat 7, senior Caleb Jackson moved through the first round of the men's 60 meters with a sprint of 6.75. Jackson ranked 21st in the 60m semis with a time of 6.77, which was not enough to make the finals.
With nearly 100 athletes signed up for the men's 400m run, meet officials separated the event into two competitions: the "Orange" run and the "Purple" run. Senior Michael Brittingham placed fourth in Heat 1 of the Orange run in a season-best 47.97. The time moved him to No. 5 in the conference, behind sophomores Xzaviah Taylor (47.34) at No. 1 and Caleb Garnell (47.96) at No.4.
Taylor and Gurnell competed in the Purple run, with Taylor finishing 15th in 47.59 and Gurnell placing 27th in 48.28.
In the field events, freshman Alex Henry had a throw of 58 feet, 2 inches, which landed him 16th overall in the men's weight throw, and graduate student Jade King leaped 18 feet, 8 ½ inches for 20th in the women's long jump. Senior Aeneas Reed long jumped 22 feet, 9 inches for 27th on the men's side.
The women will kick off Day 2 of the Tiger Paw Invitational with the shot put event, starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The women's 800m will jumpstart the track events at noon.
