Track & Field | 5/25/2026 2:44:00 PM
GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T men and women head to the 2026 NCAA Division I East Preliminary First Round with four of their event groups ranked nationally by the United States Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
A&T has four event groups ranked in the top 20 by the USTFCCCA, highlighted by the men's 110-meter hurdles. The Aggies lead the nation in the event, propelled by junior
Isaiah Taylor, who broke the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Outdoor Track and Field Championship meet record, the CAA record, and the A&T men's record with a time of 13.30.
Senior teammate
Jason Holmes followed Taylor's strong showing by recording the second-fastest 110H time at both the CAA meet and in CAA and A&T men's history, running 13.37 at the 2026 CAA outdoor meet. Alongside Holmes,
Desmond Smith (13.75) and Brandon Smith (14.00) round out the Aggies' top 110H group. Their combined efforts help A&T lead the 110H list, with an average time of 13.61.
Shifting to the women's team, the 400H group is ranked 14th in the country. While freshman
Rachari Wildgoose did not qualify for the East First Round, there is a good chance she will advance in future seasons after running a 59.97 at Duke University on April 11. Turning back to the men's side, the 200-meter group is also highly ranked at No. 19 nationally.
Senior
Jalen Booth-Mitchell, CAA outdoor 200m champion and NCAA First Round qualifier, ran 20.58 at Elon University to secure the top team spot. Teammates
Jordan Ware,
Nakhi Benjamin, and
Xzaviah Taylor also recorded sub-21-second times this season. Additionally,
Xzaviah Taylor leads the men's 400m.
He ran a personal record 45.61 at the CAA outdoor meet to claim the 400m title. Sophomore
Elijah Thomas, graduate
Michael Brittingham, and junior
Caleb Gurnell. The NCAA East Preliminary First Round is May 27-30 at the University of Kentucky's UK Outdoor Track and Field Facility in Lexington, Ky.
If A&T athletes advance past the East Quarterfinals at UK, they will earn a trip to the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., June 10-13.
Men's 110H
National Ranking: No. 1
Isaiah Taylor (13.30, 10th)
Jason Taylor (13.37, 15th)
Desmond Smith (13.75, 53rd)
Brandon Smith (14.00, 124th)
Avg Time: 13.61
Women's 400H
National Ranking: No. 14
Rachari Wildgoose (59.97, 180th)
Eden Fuller (1:00.06, 189th)
Kindal Smith (1:00.16, 199th)
Danayja Harper (1:00.33, 215th)
Avg. time: 1:00.17
Men's 200m
National Ranking: No. 19
Jalen Booth Mitchell (20.58, 83rd)
Jordan Ware (20.62, 97th)
Nakhi Benjamin (20.69, 123rd)
Xzaviah Taylor (20.91, 217th)
Avg. Time: 20.71
Men's 400m
National Ranking: No. 12
Xzaviah Taylor 45.61 (42nd)
Elijah Thomas 46.12 (89th)
Michael Brittingham 46.73 (193rd)
Caleb Gurnell 47.02 (259th)
Avg. Time: 46.37
