WINSTON-SALEM, NC — The Virginia State men’s indoor track and field team are the outright Champions of the CIAA as they dethrone St. Augustine’s, who have won the conference championship every year dating back to the 1997-1998 season. The freshman sensation in, Jalen Brownlee posted three personal best along with three first place finishes while being named the Most Outstanding Player of the Meet on the men’s side.
Emmanuel Oguntoye claimed his first CIAA Indoor Track and Field title in the triple jump after being disqualified in 2020. In Attrell Williams’s first-ever CIAA Indoor Track and Field Championship experience, he placed first in the shot put. Joshua Butler proved to be the most well-rounded athlete at the meet as the freshman was able go home a conference champion in the Heptathlon. Virginia State became just the third team in CIAA history to win the Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championship outright.
Full Results
60 Meters
Jaelan Black got off to a good start after placing ninth in the preliminaries with a 7.12. Christian Randolph finished 16th after posting a 7.25.
200 Meters
After winning his heat, Jaelen Black finished third overall in the preliminaries as he posted a 22.64. Tariq Garrison could not have finished any closer to making it to the finals as he fell short by .1 finishing in 23.00, which was a personal best yet placed him ninth. Christian Randolphfinished 18th with his 23.59.
400 Meters
Joel Bowers won his heat and finished sixth overall after finishing his race in 51.23. Tariq Garrison won his heat as well as he was able to finish right behind his teammate in seventh place in the preliminaries. Dacarai Clark was able to cross the finish line in 51.97, which placed him 12th while Bryce Jordan came in 14th place with his 52.20 finish. In the finals, Joel Bowers placed just short of the podium in fourth place with his 50.62. In seventh place, came Tariq Garrison who finished in 52.71.
800 Meters
Jalen Brownlee posted his first of three first-place finishes of the day as he won his heat and placed second overall in the preliminaries after finishing in 2:02.66. Elijah Johnson was able to qualify for the finals as he finished in 2:06.53, which placed him seventh. Darrell Dyson, II posted a 2:11.19 which placed him 13th. Brownlee went on to set a new personal record and place first in the finals with a 1:57.45. Johnson would go on to earn his first of three personal bests on the day as he finished in 2:06.38, which, placed him seventh in the finals. Brownlee would start his reign of terror against conference foes as his 1:57.45 earned him a new personal best and a first-place finish in the finals.
Mile
Jalen Brownlee posted his second personal best and first-place finish in the mile with a 4:30.94. Elijah Johnson also posted his second personal record of the day finishing in fifth place with a 4:44.68. Owen Mahedo gave the Trojans their third personal record of the event after finishing in 4:47.64, which placed him seventh. Darrell Dyson, II placed 10th with his 5:02.20 finish.
5,000
For the third time of the day, Jalen Brownlee gave the Trojans another first-place finish while giving himself another personal best after ending his race in 16:37.79. In fifth place came Owen Mahedo who finished in 16:56.92. Elijah Johnson was also able to give himself another personal record as he came in seventh place posting a 17.39.56.
60 Hurdles
Vannie Coles posted a 8.35 in the preliminaries, which placed him third overall. Joshua Butler was able to finish in 8.79, which placed him in seventh place. In the finals, Butler kicked up posting a personal best, 8.78 and placed seventh again. Coles finished runner-up posting a personal best 8.33.
4×400
The 4×400 team in Joel Bowers, Bryce Jordan, Jalen Brownlee and Dacarai Clark placed second finishing in 3:31.66.
Distance Medley Relay
The Distance medley team comprised of Joel Bowers, Elijah Johnson, Jalen Brownlee and Owen Mahedo won the race in 10:50.86
High Jump
Shaukeeme Watson tied for second place with his best jump being 1.88 meters. Joseph Briscoe and Emmanuel Oguntoye tied for ninth with a 1.78-meter jump, which was a personal best for Oguntoye.
Pole Vault
Terry Morgan represented VSU well in the Pole Vault placing third after clearing 9’0.25
Long Jump
Emmanuel Oguntoye placed fifth with his best jump covering 6.70 meters. Shaukeeme Watson’s best jump covered 6.61 meters, which placed him seventh and was a new personal best for him. Joshua Butler covered 6.26, which placed him 13th while Dacarai Clark was able to cover 5.72 meters and place him 15th.
Triple Jump
Emmanuel Oguntoye become the CIAA Triple Jump Champion after posting a 14.16 on his first jump before declining the rest of his jumps due to injury.
Shot Put
Attrell Williams became a conference champion for the first time in his career in his first CIAA Indoor Track and Field Championship after his best throw covered 15.32 meters. Isaiah Ramadane’s best throw covered 13.93 meters, which placed him fourth. Christian Boone was able to place eighth as his best throw covered 12.53 meters while Mark Banberger’s best throw went 12.25 meters and placed him ninth.
Heptathlon
Joshua Butler placed first with a total of 3,822 points after placing first in the high jump and 60-meter hurdles while placing second in the long jump and pole vault. Dacarai Clark posted a personal best 3,656 points after placing first in the 1,000, third in the long jump and third in the high jump.