NC State track and field faced off against a slew of regional opponents at the Virginia Tech Invitational in Blacksburg, Virginia on Friday and Saturday. Competing in its second meet of the year, the Wolfpack saw solid performances from its top runners and promising finishes from budding underclassmen.
In the shorter distance races, multiple runners achieved personal-best times, including
sophomore Elijah Dawes, freshman Shauné Ingraham and freshman James Coleman.
Dawes finished the 300 meter in 33.70 — the fastest time for an NC State runner in program history in the 300m — to place fourth in the event.
Graduate transfer Jailen Hobbs opened his first season in red and white with a time of 6.81 in the 60m, earning a fourth-place finish.
The men’s 4×400 relay team placed third with a time of 3:14.15, featuring junior Lance Patterson who finished in 48.66, Coleman in 47.96, Dawes in 48.17 and sophomore Xavier Branker in 49.37.
The women’s 4×400 relay team finished in 3:52.93, placing eighth. It included sophomore Jordyn Parker who finished in 57.88, sophomore Madison Moraja in 58.18, sophomore Kyra Durham in 59.44 and freshman Jada Ray in 57.45.
In the jumping portion of the competition, NC State excelled, with the men sweeping the podium in the high jump and earning the top spot in the long jump.
In the men’s high jump, senior Charles McBride placed first, clearing the 2.15m bar. Junior Kyzaiah Stone took second with 2.10m. Freshman Christian Hackett also cleared 2.10m to place third.
Sophomore Tyson Adams leaped a personal best of 7.45m, placing first in the long jump. McBride finished seventh with a mark of 7.03m.
On the women’s side, freshman Audrey Jenkins snatched a third-place finish in the high jump competition, clearing 1.66 meters. Freshman Jenna Barnes also cleared 1.66, placing 6th. Sophomore McKenna Moritz placed 7th in the high jump with 1.61 m.
In the women’s long jump, junior Elyssia Fisher led the Pack in her Wolfpack debut, placing seventh with a mark of 5.61m. Freshman duo Mariama Hunt and Nia Poole also debuted, placing ninth and 10th with marks at 5.51m and 5.50m, respectively.
In the throwing competitions, sophomore Tony Taylor II recorded a personal best in the weight throw, launching the hammer 17.15m for an eighth-place finish. Taylor placed ninth in the shot put with a toss of 14.13m.
In the women’s weight throw, senior Sydney Freeman placed seventh with a throw of 17.85m. Graduate Makayla Wright placed eighth with a throw of 17.77.
The Pack will be back in action next weekend, once again in Blacksburg, at the Hokie Invitational from January 24-25.
