Track & Field | 5/28/2025 8:02:00 PM
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A set of twins, Xzaviah and Isaiah Taylor, represented North Carolina A&T State University very well on Wednesday night into Thursday morning during the first day of the 2025 NCAA East Preliminary Round hosted by the University of North Florida at Hodges Stadium.
The North Carolina A&T outdoor track and field program endured long delays for the second time in two weeks because of lightning. Two weeks ago, during the first day of the 2025 Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by A&T at Marcus T. Johnson Track in Greensboro, lightning delays moved the meet late into the night, concluding close to midnight.
On Wednesday in Jacksonville, it was much of the same. Inclement weather pushed the 110-meter hurdles back to 10 p.m. The men's 10000 meters did not start until 12:55 a.m. on Thursday. Meanwhile, the men's shot put and men's pole vault were postponed until Thursday to intertwine with the ladies' first day of the East Prelims.
But Wednesday was about the men and the twins. Isaiah Taylor led the way, starting with the 110H. Isaiah ran in the fifth heat and finished second with a 13.762 to qualify for Friday's quarterfinals race.
It was the fifth-fastest qualifying time, just ahead of South Florida's Markel Jones. An injury prevented junior Thomas Smith IV from starting the 110H. Isaiah's run through the 110H could serve as a redemption for A&T, the 2025 CAA men's outdoor champions, after they failed to score in one of the program's strongest events, the 110H, at the outdoor conference meet.
The 110H quarterfinals are scheduled for 6:15 p.m. on Friday at Hodges Stadium. Isaiah is also headed to Friday's quarterfinals in the 400H. He will join his brother Xzaviah Taylor. In qualifying for the 400H quarterfinals, Xzaviah recorded a personal-record 50.266. Xzaviah's personal record time allowed him to win the third heat. He had the fifth-fastest qualifying time, finishing fractions of a second behind Pitt's Devin Nugent (50.263).
Isaiah also ran in the third heat, finishing behind his brother in third place at 50.58. It was the 11th fastest time, and the twin brothers will compete in Friday's quarterfinals at 7:25 p.m.
Freshman Elijah Thomas competed in his first East Prelim on Wednesday, failing to qualify for the quarters in the 400m after running a 46.60 in the fifth heat. Sophomore Caleb Gurnell also competed in the 400m, finishing seventh in the second heat at 47.65.
Dyimond Walker, A&T's first men's 800m regional qualifier in four years, did not qualify for the quarterfinals after running a 1:49.61 to finish fourth in the second heat. A&T's other men's competitor on Wednesday, sophomore Nakhi Benjamin, finished the 200m in 21.59 in the fourth heat, failing to qualify for Friday's quarterfinals.
It will be the women's turn on Thursday. However, senior men's shot putter Brayden Hodgest will throw on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. in one of the rescheduled events. Senior Lucheyona Weaver is scheduled to compete in the 100H at 2:30 p.m.
Graduate Julieth Nwosu and junior Taylor Reagor will make history on Thursday when they compete in the women's shot put at 5 p.m. It will mark the first time in women's program history that the Aggies have two competitors in a regional throws event.
