West Virginia State University’s Track and Field team had an impressive showing at the prestigious Aggie Invitational hosted by North Carolina A&T. The Yellow Jackets not only set multiple personal records and season bests but also broke school records across several events. This success marks a significant milestone in the team’s outdoor campaign, building momentum ahead of the upcoming Mountain East Conference Outdoor Championships.
Men’s Team Highlights at the Aggie Invitational
High Jump
- Leotis McNeil III tied his season best with a leap of 1.90m (6’2.75”) in just his third appearance in the event.
- Corey Bexley Jr. cleared 1.85m (6’0.75”), marking a personal best and earning an HBCU ranking of 81st for 2025.
- Curtis McCray also matched Bexley’s mark of 1.85m (6’0.75”), securing a season best and a 78th HBCU ranking for 2025.
Long Jump
- Tariq Murray led the way for WVSU with a jump of 6.89m (22’7.25”), earning 5th place.
- Freshman Torrance Anthony impressed with a leap of 6.58m (21’7.25”), placing 16th in a competitive field.
Throws
- Anthony Belcher threw a season best of 14.96m in the shot put, placing 7th.
- Belcher also set a personal best of 44.79m in the hammer throw and 44.45m in the discus, placing 5th in both events.
- Jonathan Berry recorded a personal best of 14.69m in the shot put, alongside throws of 39.43m in hammer and 39.94m in discus.
Distance Events
- Freshman Emmanuel Ojo set two personal bests: 4:19.90 in the 1500m and 1:58.22 in the 800m.
- Skylar Hudnall almost matched his personal best with a time of 1:56.18, finishing 8th in the 800m.
Sprints
- Malik Kelsic, a freshman, posted a new personal best of 21.86 seconds in the 200m.
- The men’s 100m saw multiple sub-eleven second performances, including:
- Caedon Trotter – 10.67 seconds
- Tyrell Brooks – 10.76 (season best)
- Kaname Bryant – 10.89
- Torrance Anthony – 10.93
Women’s Team Highlights at the Aggie Invitational
Throws
- Victoria Sakeia James Colon placed 9th overall with a school-record throw of 44.91m in the hammer throw, a personal best.
- She also finished 13th in the shot put with a throw of 11.18m and recorded a distance of 29.32m in the discus.
4x100m Relay
- The relay team of Candace Morris, Zoe Ledet, Antiya McAlister, and Jaime’Kristen Preston clocked a season-best 46.31 seconds.
- The time ranks 31st nationally in NCAA Division II and 15th among HBCUs.
Middle Distance
- Freshman Trinity Charles set two school records, posting times of 2:22.83 in the 800m (17th overall) and 5:09.83 in the 1500m, both personal bests.
Hurdles
- Zoe McDonald made history, setting a new school record in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:08.17 in her season debut.
400m
- Jaime’Kristen Preston recorded a personal best of 56.96 seconds, narrowly missing the school record.
100m
- Candace Morris sprinted to a school record and personal best of 11.81 seconds, placing 17th overall.
- Zoe Ledet came close to her personal best with a time of 12.11 seconds.
- Antiya McAlister ran a season-best 12.17 seconds.
Looking Ahead: Mountain East Conference Outdoor Championships
The Aggie Invitational served as a great showcase for the Yellow Jackets, as they set multiple records and posted impressive times and marks. With momentum building, WVSU’s track and field team is looking forward to the Mountain East Conference Outdoor Championships next week in Morgantown, West Virginia. The team’s performances at this prestigious event are a clear indication of their potential to succeed at the upcoming competition.
As the season progresses, the Yellow Jackets continue to push the limits, and with every record broken, they aim to set new standards in both individual and team achievements.
