ROCK HILL, S.C. — The Hampton Track and Field programs entered the outdoor seasons with targets on them after both teams won their first Big South titles in February. Those targets may have grown now as both teams took their first outdoor crowns on Friday night at Winthrop University.
The Lady Pirates scored 206.5 points to win the crown over High Point (194) and Campbell (105). They entered the last two races with a commanding 41.5 point lead and cruised to a repeat of its indoor crown.
The men came from 35 points down heading into Friday’s competition to win their first outdoor crown with 188.5 points as Campbell took second (181) and Charleston Southern took third (145). Heading into the last day of the indoor meet, Hampton was 36 points out of first and rallied for that crown.
Head Coach Maurice Pierce won Coach of the Year honors for both the men and women, while Derrick Price took Freshman of the Year honors for the men. Representing Hampton on the All-Academic teams were Trey Clark and Ayana Culhane.
This marks the second time in school history that the track teams pulled the “double sweep” as both teams won the 2003 MEAC Indoor Crowns and the 2004 MEAC Outdoor Crowns.
Friday event highlights
Women’s Hammer
Corneisha Mitchell was fifth in the hammer with a toss of 166-3 and Ayana Culhane was seventh with a throw of 159-1 as Hampton scored a total of five points.
Women’s Triple Jump
Kameryn Trussell scored one point with an eighth place finish with a leap of 37-5.75.
Women’s 4×100 relay
The group of Autumn Smith, Asha Copeland, Isis Brooks, and Mallory Pitchford ran a 44.81 to win the 4×100 relay for 10 team points. The time was .01 off the Big South Conference meet record set last year by Liberty.
Women’s 100-meter hurdles
Hampton started to make up points going 1-3-4-7 in the 100-meter hurdles for 23 points. Autumn Smith won the title with a 13.64 with Mallory Pitchford in third (13.97), Kylie McMillan in fourth (14.06) and Kaitlin Scott in seventh (14.35).
Women’s 400 meters
Another event where Hampton gained points with a 1-3-6 finish for 19 points. Jaelan Leonard won the race in 54.65 with Sashana Hinds in third (55.17) and Smith in sixth (56.31).
Women’s 100 meters
Hampton totaled 17 points in this event with a 2-4-5 finish. Isis Brooks finished second in 11.64, with Mallory Pitchford in fourth (11.78) and Asha Copeland in fifth (11.91).
Women’s 800 meters
DeVonya Brown took seventh in this race in 2:19.83 for two team points.
Women’s 400-meter hurdles
Hampton scored 11 points with Autumn Smith taking the title in 59.53 and Crystal Eley finished eighth in 1:03.88.
Women’s 200 meters
Hampton scored another 17 points with a second 2-4-5 finish. Isis Brooks came in second in 23.93. with Asha Copeland in fourth (24.33) and Jaelan Leonard in fifth (24.70).
Women’s 4×400 relay
The 4×400 relay team finished fifth in 3:54.47 for four points behind Sashana Hinds, Shakeira Johnson, Kylie Mcmilan and Alysha Evans.
Men’s High Jump
Hampton scored 6.5 points as Jerrick Powell was fifth with a leap of 6-2.25, while Jaelen Williams and Jordan Walker were tied for seventh with a leap of 6-0.5
Men’s Hammer
Joshua Hunter took fifth for four points with a toss of 162-7.
Men’s Triple Jump
Jerrick Powell took seventh for two points with a leap of 44-6.25.
Men’s 4×100 relay
Hampton scored six points with a third-place finish in 41.18 behind Brenan Garrett, Coby Price, Douglas Sessoms, and Joshua Hagins.
Men’s 110 hurdles
The Pirates started their comeback with a 1-2-3-7 finish for 26 points. Charles Graham won the race in 14.29, with Jaelen Williams in second (14.30) and Dylan Beard in third (14.53). Isaiah Norris came in seventh in 15.23 to round out Hampton’s contingent.
Men’s 400
Hampton went 1-2-7 for 20 points in this event as Jerrick Powell won in 47.26 and Derrick Price was second in (47.57) while Khalil Gary was seventh in 49.61.
Men’s 100
Douglas Sessoms was sixth for three points in the 100 meters running 10.80
Men’s 800
Hampton went 1-2 for 18 points as Tayvon Burris ran 1:51.25 to win it and Geoffrey McCullough took second in 1:51.71.
Men’s 400 hurdles
After breaking the meet record in the preliminaries, Jaelen Williams broke it again to win the race in 50.80. Khalil Gary was eighth in 57.97 to give Hampton 11 points.
Men’s 200
Pulling their second 1-2-3 finish on Friday, the Pirates scored 24 points in the 200 behind a 21.33 from Derrick Price to win the event. Douglas Sessoms was second (21.56) and Jerrick Powell was third (21.62) as the Pirates gained control of the team standings heading into the final two events.
Men’s 4×400 relay
After not scoring in the 5000 meters, the Pirates locked up the crown winning the 4×400 relay in 3:12.44 behind Jerrick Powell, Coby Price, Tayvon Burris, and Jaelen Williams.
Both teams are now off for two weeks until the NCAA East Regionals in Jacksonville, Florida.
Courtesy: Hampton Athletics
