GREENSBORO, N.C., May 4, 2019–A dominant Saturday lifted North Carolina A&T State to the 2019 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) men’s outdoor track & field championship at the Irwin Belk Track.
The Aggies won their third straight outdoor title and sixth overall.
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Duane Ross was named the meet’s Outstanding Coach. Bethune-Cookman’s Jeremiah Peters earned Outstanding Field Performer honors, while Wildcat Carlin Berryhill and Norfolk State’s Evans Cheruiyot were named Co-Outstanding Runners.
North Carolina A&T State also swept the season — winning the MEAC titles in men’s cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field. They are the first MEAC program to accomplish that feat since the Hampton women did it in 2011-12.
The Aggies had 211 points to Bethune-Cookman’s 178. Norfolk State (135.5), Coppin State (58) and Morgan State (45.5) rounded out the top five in the team standings.
Trevor Stewart ran an NCAA-best 44.38 in winning gold in the 400 meters, which was the story of the day for the Aggies — who between field and running events took eight gold medals on Saturday alone. Rodney Rowe also shined, running a 20.12 — the second-fastest time in the NCAA — to take the 200 meters.
Rowe also won the 100 meters in 10.05, storming past Coppin State’s Joseph Amoah at the line and posting the NCAA’s fourth-fastest time.
The Aggies also took gold in the 4×400-meter relay, ending the day on a high note after running a 3:09.51. For North Carolina A&T State, which came into Saturday trailing Bethune-Cookman in the team standings, it was the punctuation of an impressive team-wide effort.
The first running gold medal of the day also went to North Carolina A&T State, which won the 4×100-meter relay in 39.14 — besting second-place Coppin State by .27 seconds. Regan Kimtai then won the men’s 1,500 meters in 3:55.00.
Lasheon Strozier of North Carolina A&T State won the triple jump with a distance of 15.36 meters (50 feet, 4.75 inches).
Dominic Harper of Bethune-Cookman successfully defended his MEAC title in the pole vault, clearing 4.47 meters (14 feet, eight inches) to take the gold medal.
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Jaylen Banks of Norfolk State ran a 50.43 to win the 400-meter hurdles, while Cheruiyot added a gold medal in the 5,000 meters to his collection after running a 15:00.80.
Howard’s Mekhi Abbott won the javelin throw with a mark of 56.70 meters (186 feet).
Savannah State’s Abbas Abbkar ran a 1:51.26 to win the 800 meters.
The top three finishers in each event earned All-MEAC honors.
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Outstanding Coach: Duane Ross, North Carolina A&T State
Outstanding Field Performer: Jeremiah Peters, Bethune-Cookman
Co-Outstanding Runners: Carlin Berryhill, Bethune-Cookman / Evans Cheruiyot, Norfolk State