Track & Field | 1/30/2026 10:45:00 PM
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The North Carolina A&T men's and women's indoor track and field teams got ahead of the snowy weather on Friday to compete at Liberty University's Brant Tolsma Invite at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex.
It proved to be a worthwhile trip. Two program records fell, and the Aggies had a dominant showing in the men's long and men's 200 meters. In addition, Outdoor All-American high jumper Spirit Morgan made her 2026 indoor debut and did it with a splash by winning the women's high jump on Friday.
Morgan jumped 5 feet, 10 ¾ inches. It marked her best indoor jump since leaping 5 feet, 11 ½ inches when she was a member of the University of Cincinnati track and field program on February 11, 2023. Morgan's jump also moved her slightly past Nakita Gray for the women's indoor program record, which stood for 12 years. Gray jumped 5 feet, 10 ½ inches at the Penn State Invitational on February 1, 2014. Morgan jumped competitively for the first time since finishing ninth nationally at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in June.
On the men's side, junior Yule Pieters finished third in the high jump with a leap of 6 feet, 9 inches. His jump ties him with three other CAA competitors for the top spot in the conference.
A&T also had an excellent showing in the men's long jump, taking the top three spots at Liberty, led by freshman Brenton Baker. In his collegiate long jump debut, Baker jumped 22 feet, 11 ¼ inches to win the event. Fellow freshman Xayden Hunt placed second with a measurement of 21 feet, 8 inches. Junior Kaleb Lucas placed third at 21 feet, 3 ¼ inches. The Aggies did even better in the men's 200m by taking the top four spots.
Jordan Ware led the way, winning the sprint in 21.15 ahead of the top 200m runner in the Coastal Athletic Association in A&T junior Nakhi Benjamin. Benjamin completed the race in 21.20. He came into the weekend ranked No. 1 in the CAA with a time of 20.80. Senior Jalen Booth-Mitchell placed third in 21.26, followed by junior Isaiah Taylor in fourth place with a time of 21.39.
Booth-Mitchell took first place in the men's 60 meters. After posting the fastest qualifying time of 6.79, he crossed the finish line first in the final with a time of 6.76. His run could place him in the top five in the CAA by the end of the weekend. Isaiah Taylor placed fourth in 6.88, ahead of sophomore Correy McManus, Jr., in fifth place with a time of 6.94.
The other program record that fell came in the women's mile. Redshirt junior Deavion Deleon broke G'Jasmyne Butler's record of 4:59.94 from February 2, 2019, by running a 4:57.17 to finish eighth on Friday at Liberty.
A&T also had a few second-place finishes. The men's 4x400-meter relay team of Elijah Thomas, Isaiah Taylor, Xzaviah Taylor, and Caleb Gurnell ran 3:13.88 to place second. Junior Olivia Dowd is now tied for the top spot in the CAA in the women's triple jump by finishing second on Friday with a measurement of 39 feet, 7 ¼ inches. She is currently tied with Hampton's Danielle James. Freshman Ryan Moore also finished in the top five by placing fourth with a leap of 38 feet, 10 ¼ inches.
In the men's triple jump, sophomore Ty'Heak Buie jumped 49 feet, 1 ½ inches to place second. He should move into second place in the CAA after the weekend. Sophomore Grant Boykin also finished in the top five, posting a 46-foot, 9-inch jump to place fourth.
The Aggies are scheduled to travel to the University of South Carolina to participate in the Carolina Classic, February 6-7, in Columbia, SC.
