GREENSBORO, N.C., — As dominant a Saturday as possible propelled North Carolina A&T State to the 2019 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) women’s outdoor track & field championship at the Irwin Belk Track.
The Aggies won their second outdoor title in three years and their third overall.
Florida A&M came into the day with a sizeable lead – 120.5 to 75, and the Aggies were in third – but North Carolina A&T State racked up seven gold medals on Saturday, and swept the podium in two events, to close the gap and hold a 198.5-189.5 advantage after taking gold in the 4×400-meter relay (3:35.59).
Bethune-Cookman was third with 116 points, while Howard (67) and Norfolk State (65) rounded out the top five in the team standings.
Florida A&M’s Taylor Gorum earned Outstanding Field Performer honors, and Duane Ross of North Carolina A&T State was named Outstanding Coach.
Kayla White, the meet’s Outstanding Runner, turned in a pair of performances for the ages, winning gold in both the 100 and 200 meters for the second straight year. She did so in historic fashion; the 10.96 she ran in the 100 was not only a MEAC record and NCAA best this season, but according to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), it is the fifth-best collegiate time ever.
She also ran an NCAA-best 22.52 in winning the 200 meters, a race in which the Aggies claimed the top three spots. Cambrea Sturgis came in second with a 22.62, and Kamaya Debose-Epps ran a 23.14 to come in third.
Tori Ray of North Carolina A&T State redeemed herself in the 400 meters, running a 52.73 to take gold.
The Aggies ran 43.45 in the 4×100-meter relay to take the first running event of the day, winning by nearly two seconds over Bethune-Cookman. Madeleine Akobundu then won the 100-meter hurdles in 12.81 as the Aggies swept the podium; TeJyrica Robinson (12.98) was second, and Paula Salmon (13.35) came in third.
Jayne Roberts gave the Aggies the first gold medal of the day, winning the women’s pole vault after clearing the bar at 3.59 meters (11 feet, 9.25 inches).
Howard’s Lauryn Galloway won the women’s javelin throw with a mark of 41.83 meters (137 feet, three inches). Oluchi Ike of Howard also won the 400-meter hurdles in 58.28.
Norfolk State’s Martha Bissah dominated the women’s 1,500 meters, clocking a 4:28.62 in taking the gold medal by five and a half seconds over Maryland Eastern Shore’s Neus Quinonero. She also won the 800 meters in 2:03.13.
Bhrandi Crenshaw gave North Carolina Central a gold medal in the triple jump, leaping 12.51 meters (41 feet, 0.5 inches).
Florida A&M’s Emmax Kiplagat won the 5,000 meters with a 17:47.75.
The top three finishers in each event earned All-MEAC honors.
Outstanding Coach: Duane Ross, North Carolina A&T State
Outstanding Field Performer: Taylor Gorum, Florida A&M
Outstanding Runner: Kayla White, North Carolina A&T State
FIRST TEAM
Kayla White, NCAT (100m, 200m), Tori Ray, NCAT (400m, 4×400), Madeleine Akobundu, NCAT (100h, LJ), Oluchi Ike, HOW (400h), Martha Bissah, NSU (800, 1,500), Cambrea Sturgis, NCAT (4×100), Taliyah Townsend, NCAT (4×100), Kamaya Debose-Epps, NCAT (4×100), TeJyrica Robinson, NCAT (4×100), Kristoni Barnes, NCAT (4×400), Nilaja Florence, NCAT (4×400), Paula Salmon, NCAT (4×400), G’Jasmyne Butler, NCAT (3,000SC), Emmax Kiplagat, FAMU (5,000), Shalet Mitei, FAMU (10,000m), Quamecha Morrison, B-CU (HJ, Hept), Jayne Roberts, NCAT (PV), Taylor Gorum, FAMU (Shot, Discus), Alelee Figueroa, FAMU (Hammer), Lauryn Galloway, HOW (Javelin)
SECOND TEAM
Kiara Grant, NSU (100m), Cambrea Sturgis, NCAT (200m), Annastacia Barham, MSU (400m), TeJyrica Robinson, NCAT (100h), Paula Salmon, NCAT (400h, HJ), Kristoni Barnes, NCAT (800), Neus Quinonero, MDES (1,500), Quamecha Morrison, B-CU (4×100), Monae Nichols, B-CU (4×100), Sade McCreath-Tardiel, B-CU (4×100), Najah Whitfield, B-CU (4×100), Ozioma Scott, HOW (4×400), Oluchi Ike, HOW (4×400), Sydney Benson, HOW (4×400), Jessika Gbai, HOW (4×400), Nancy Murgor, FAMU (3,000SC), Deja Davis, B-CU (5,000), Emmax Kiplagat, FAMU (10,000m), DiCaria Alvarez, FAMU (PV), Gabrielle Collins, B-CU (LJ), Loren James, NCAT (Shot), Daiysa Burrell, NSU (Discus), Onnika Scott, FAMU (Hammer), Catherine Bryant, FAMU (Javelin), Ed’Quisha Alvin, FAMU (Hept)
THIRD TEAM
Cambrea Sturgis, NCAT (100m), Kamaya Debose-Epps, NCAT (200m), Sun-Sara Williams, NCAT (400m), Valencia McDowell, MSU (800, 4×400), Paula Salmon, NCAT (100h), Nilaja Florence, NCAT (400h), Tatiana Ogundeko, CSU (1,500), Tyresha Alexander, NCCU (4×100), Bethany White, NCCU (4×100), Erin Johnson, NCCU (4×100), Olivia Andrews (4×100), Dinedye Denis, MSU (4×400), Infianntie Rowe, MSU (4×400), Annastsacia Barham, MSU (4×400), Sharon Kibiwott, FAMU (3,000 SC), Shalet Mitei, FAMU (5,000), Nancy Murgor, FAMU (10,000m), Nazah Reddick, NCAT (HJ), Kiara Ivy, FAMU (PV), Monae Nichols, B-CU (LJ), Markeisha Lewis, Letrice Hall, B-CU (Shot), FAMU (Discus), Taylor Gorum, FAMU (Hammer), Kanani Lodge, SSU (Javelin), Precious Igwebuike, DSU (Hept)
Courtesy: MEAC
