On Senior Day, senior Tiffany Ellick won the women’s triple jump which was quite befitting. Junior sprinter Christopher Belcher was included among the men’s first-place 4x100 meter relay team and won the 200 meters. There were also five additional first-place finishes for the Aggies despite the swirling, unrelenting wind coupled with frigid weather conditions making it difficult for all the athletes competing.

“The weather definitely didn't do us any favors,” said Duane Ross, N.C. A&T’s director of track and field programs. “I'm not going to let my team use that as an excuse. I think mentally we had a breakdown. Physically I think we were the best team out there. But I think the weather got to our kids a little bit, so they have to keep reminding themselves, and we have to keep reminding them that you have to keep competing regardless.”

For Ross, however, going through the adversity of the weather, competing at home and building on the successes and failures of Saturday is all about building toward the next time the Aggies return to Irwin Belk Track – May 5-7 for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Track and Field Championships.

“We’ve got to be ready to compete at all times, but we understand May is where we really need to be ready,” said Ross. “We have MEACs the first weekend in May and then we have NCAA regionals later in the month in May. It’s about being ready at that time.”

Belcher looks like he is headed toward readiness in May. He teamed with freshmen Michael Dickson and Rodney Rowe and junior Maurice Eaddy to run a 40.95 in the men’s 4x1. The men’s 200 also belonged to Belcher on Saturday as he crossed the finish line in 21.45. Eaddy (21.87, 3rd) and Dickson (22.02, 5th) also finished in the top-5 of the 200.

Freshman Justin Hamilton also had a first-place finish on the track for the men as he ran the 400-meter dash in 48.08. In fact, the Aggies took the top three spots in the 400 as sophomore Dujuan Harding (48.59) and junior Dorrian Claggett (49.36) were second and third respectively.

The Lady Aggies sprinters impressed as well. The women’s 4x1 team duplicated the men’s effort by coming in first. Freshmen Yakira Love and Kayla White and sophomores Morgan Knight and India Brown combined to run a 46.66.

Brown, who won nine 60-meter races during the indoor season including the MEAC title, was a multiple winner on Saturday by winning the 100 in 11.78. Sophomore Miranda Green represented the female distance runners by winning the 1500 in 5:00.03.

N.C. A&T took ownership of the triple jump as freshman Lasheon Strozier jumped 46-feet, 10 ¼-inches to win on the men’s side. The women’s triple jump victory was a little more symbolic as Ellick, was honored during a Senior Day ceremony along with teammates Perry Cabean and Demetria Dickens.

“Overall it was a good meet, I don't think it was our best by any means, but it certainly wasn't our worst. We're excited,” said Ross. “We're just going to get back to work. I enjoyed track and field when I competed, and I want them to enjoy it too. I like to think my words are enough to inspire (them to do even better).”