The Norfolk State women’s track & field team delivered a series of standout performances at the prestigious Penn Relays this past weekend, highlighted by a historic showing for the HBCU squad in the 4×400 meter relay.
Making history in the 4×400 heats, the quartet of Leanna Lewis, Kalyncia Taylor, Kadynce Taylor, and Autumn Burrell shattered a 30-year-old school record. The team crossed the line in 3:40.44, eclipsing the previous mark set in 1994, and secured first place in their heat.
The Spartans maintained their dominance in the 4×400 finals, where Kadynce Taylor, Kalyncia Taylor, Jahmei Wyatt, and Lewis posted a near-identical time of 3:40.64 to claim first place once again.
Norfolk State also excelled in other relay events. In the sprint medley, Asiah Wike, Brandy Hall, Lewis, and Wyatt combined for a strong fourth-place finish with a time of 3:56.22. The 4×200 relay team — Kailie Borque, Wike, Hall, and Burrell — clocked 1:38.42 to finish 10th, while the 4×100 squad featuring Brooklyn Robinson, Burrell, Hall, and Borque placed 12th overall with a time of 45.31 seconds.
Individually, Robinson advanced to the finals of the 100-meter hurdles, ultimately finishing seventh in 13.71 seconds. Daena Dyer competed in the 400-meter hurdles, placing 37th with a time of 1:08.00 in a highly competitive field.
In field events, Aniah Kennerson cleared 5-3 in the high jump, earning a 12th-place finish.
The Spartans will now enjoy a three-week break before turning their attention to HBCU competition and the MEAC Outdoor Championships, set for May 15-17 at William “Dick” Price Stadium in Norfolk.
Last year the Norfolk State women finished second in the MEAC Outdoor Championship. It was the third consecutive title for Howard University who was crowned the MEAC Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Champions in 2024. The Bison totaled 231 points, 32 points more than the runners-up in Norfolk State University. The Hornets of Delaware State rounded out the top three with 94.5 team points.