Track & Field | 6/11/2026 12:40:00 AM
EUGENE, Ore. – The North Carolina A&T State University men's outdoor track and field program is at it again out on the Pacific West Coast.
The Aggies are still staking their claim as one of, if not the best, HBCU men's track and field programs of all time. The gentlemen who traveled from the Eastside of Greensboro, NC, to Oregon looked strong on Wednesday during the first day of the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon.
In its own way, Wednesday's showcase adds to a long list of historic performances by A&T men's outdoor teams at NCAA nationals. Wednesday included senior
Jason Holmes reclaiming his school record in the 110-meter hurdles, both relay teams qualifying for their respective national finals, and the Taylor Twins (Xzaviah and Isaiah) continuing to perform well.
Now everyone involved has a chance to win event national championships and leave Eugene with first-team All-American honors from the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Before Holmes recaptured his crown as the fastest Aggie in 110H history, he teamed with junior
Lassale Hewlett, senior
Jalen Booth-Mitchell, and junior
Nakhi Benjamin in the 4x100-meter relay. The foursome competed in the second of three heats, finishing third in their heat and sixth overall with a time of 38.53.
It marked A&T's fastest 4x100 time of the season and the second-fastest time in school history, finishing behind the 2017 4x100 team that recorded 38.48 at NCAA nationals. Wednesday's time did break the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) 4x100 record.
The Aggies will try to win their first-ever national championship in the 4x100 when they compete on Friday at 8:02 p.m. EST. Holmes's record-shattering continued into the short hurdles.
Before the 2026 CAA Outdoor Championships, Holmes owned the top three times in 110H history for the Aggies. That is until junior teammate
Isaiah Taylor ran 13.30 to win the CAA title last month. Holmes moved back into the top spot on Wednesday, winning the third heat with a time of 13.17. He finished with the fifth-fastest time, fractions of a second (13.168) behind Ohio State's Braxton Brann (13.161).
Holmes's time also broke the CAA record previously held by
Isaiah Taylor. The three heats in the 110H were remarkably fast, with Auburn's Ja'Kobe Tharp breaking the world record (12.75). The championship final is scheduled for Friday at 8:42 p.m. EST.
The best time in the 400H belonged to Texas A&M's Ja'Qualon Scott (48.59), but the Taylor Twins were not far behind. The brotherly duo both finished second in their respective heats.
Isaiah Taylor competed during the first heat, finishing behind Scott with a time of 49 seconds flat. His brother, Xzaviah, ran in the first heat and crossed the finish line in 49.28 behind TCU's Jayden Douglas (49.22).
The Taylors will compete at 9:27 p.m. EST on Friday in the 400H finals. They will also compete at 10:21 p.m. EST in the 4x400 relay, where Isaiah and Xzaviah will join sophomore
Elijah Thomas and senior
Dyimond Walker after the foursome finished second in the third heat by crossing in 3:02.19. It was the 10th-fastest time on Wednesday, but because they finished in the top two of their heat, they earned the automatic qualifier into the final, eliminating South Florida's 3:02.14.
In addition to Friday's other finals, junior
Xavier Partee will compete for a national title in the men's triple jump at 8:10 p.m. EST.
The Aggies will not compete on Thursday. Two jumpers from the outdoor women's team will compete on Saturday when senior
Spirit Morgan goes for a national title at 7:30 p.m. EST in the high jump and senior
Olivia Dowd jumps for a national title in the women's long jump at 8:10 p.m. EST.
