North Carolina A&T delivered one of the greatest nights in program history Friday at the NCAA East Regional, rewriting school records and sending six entries to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
The Aggies accounted for six of the seven HBCU men’s entries that advanced to nationals, highlighted by twin brothers Isaiah and Xzaviah Taylor, who each won their 400-meter hurdles quarterfinal heats with personal-best performances. Florida A&M’s Leonard Mustari joined the group by earning a berth in the men’s 110-meter hurdles.
The NCAA Championships are scheduled for June 11-14 at historic Hayward Field in Eugene.
Isaiah Taylor becomes one of the nation’s fastest hurdlers
Isaiah Taylor delivered the performance of the night.
The North Carolina A&T junior won his quarterfinal heat in a personal-best 48.71 seconds, the fastest time posted across both the NCAA East and West Regionals on Friday. The mark shattered the Aggies’ school record, which had previously been held by his twin brother Xzaviah.
The breakthrough performance was even more remarkable considering Taylor had never broken the 50-second barrier before this week. He first ran 49.76 during Wednesday’s opening round before lowering his personal best by more than a full second to secure a trip to Eugene.
His 48.71 now ranks among the fastest times in the country this season.
Taylor twins dominate the 400-meter hurdles
The Taylor brothers have become one of the nation’s most compelling track and field stories.
Just days after advancing out of the first round with nearly identical times, both brothers won their quarterfinal heats to earn NCAA Championship berths.
Xzaviah Taylor crossed the line in a personal-best 48.82 to win the opening heat, while Isaiah followed later in the evening with his record-setting 48.71. Both performances rank among the fastest times produced at either regional site.
The twins are the sons of four-time Olympian and four-time Olympic medalist Angelo Taylor, who won Olympic gold medals in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Their latest performances further cemented the family’s legacy in the event.
Following Friday’s races, the Taylor brothers now own the five-fastest 400-meter hurdle times in North Carolina A&T history:
| Rank | Athlete | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah Taylor | 48.71 |
| 2 | Xzaviah Taylor | 48.82 |
| 3 | Xzaviah Taylor | 49.18 |
| 4 | Isaiah Taylor | 49.753 |
| 5 | Xzaviah Taylor | 49.756 |
Xavier Partee breaks 11-year-old school record
Senior Xavier Partee added another historic moment to the Aggies’ evening.
Partee produced a personal-best jump of 16.26 meters (53 feet, 4¼ inches) to finish second overall in the triple jump competition and qualify for the NCAA Championships.
The mark broke Keenan Smith’s 11-year-old school record of 53 feet, ¼ inch and solidified Partee’s place among the nation’s elite jumpers.
Partee is headed back to Eugene for the second straight season after earning honorable mention All-American honors in the triple jump last year.
Jason Holmes returns to the national stage
North Carolina A&T senior Jason Holmes punched his ticket to Eugene in the men’s 110-meter hurdles.
Holmes ran 13.40 seconds to finish third in his heat and automatically qualify for nationals. The performance placed him among the top 12 hurdlers advancing from the East Regional.
The NCAA Championships appearance marks Holmes’ return to the national meet after earning honorable mention All-American honors in the event in 2024.
Aggies qualify both relay teams
North Carolina A&T’s success extended beyond individual events.
The Aggies’ 4×100-meter relay team of Lassale Hewlett, Nakhi Benjamin, Jason Holmes and Jalen Booth-Mitchell advanced after running a season-best 38.84 seconds, finishing second in their heat. The time tied for the ninth-fastest mark in school history.
Later in the evening, Elijah Thomas, Xzaviah Taylor, Dyimond Walker and Isaiah Taylor teamed up to run a season-best 3:01.22 in the 4×400-meter relay. The performance secured a spot at nationals and stands as the fourth-fastest time in program history.
Florida A&M’s Leonard Mustari joins national field
Florida A&M senior Leonard Mustari ensured the Rattlers will also be represented in Eugene.
Mustari ran a personal-best 13.53 seconds in the men’s 110-meter hurdles to earn one of the final qualifying positions for the NCAA Championships.
The senior becomes Florida A&M’s lone men’s qualifier from Friday’s quarterfinal action.
HBCU men headed to Eugene
The following HBCU athletes and relay teams qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships:
| Athlete/Team | School | Event |
| Isaiah Taylor | North Carolina A&T | 400m Hurdles |
| Xzaviah Taylor | North Carolina A&T | 400m Hurdles |
| Jason Holmes | North Carolina A&T | 110m Hurdles |
| Xavier Partee | North Carolina A&T | Triple Jump |
| Leonard Mustari | Florida A&M | 110m Hurdles |
| North Carolina A&T | 4×100 Relay | |
| North Carolina A&T | 4×400 Relay |
With six entries from North Carolina A&T and another from Florida A&M, HBCU athletes will once again have an opportunity to compete for national championships on track and field’s biggest collegiate stage at Hayward Field.