After Saturday’s 2009 NCAA Division I Championship Meet at the University of Arkansas, Alexandira Spruiel became the first Aggie athlete in school history to earn indoor and outdoor All-American honors in the same year.

Spruiel finished sixth in the women’s 400 meter finals with a school-record time of 51.59 to earn her place in N.C. A&T history. Saturday marked the third time she has broken the 400 meter record this season.

Teammate and fellow senior Loreal Smith added to the historic event. Smith also earned All-American status by finishing seventh in the women’s 100 meter hurdles with a time of 13.43. The two All-American finishes marked the first time in school history two Aggies running in individual events became All-Americans in the same race.

They are also the first two females to become outdoor All-Americans in school history. They join jumpers Brandon Via, Everett Bruce and sprinters Timothy Walls, Sean White, Titus Haywood, Gerald Wright and Theo Wilds as All-Americans.

“I’m elated,’’ said Roy Thompson, N.C. A&T’s director of track and field programs. “These are monumental accomplishments. The performances Alex and Loreal have been able to render throughout their careers have been tremendous, and they have put our program on another level.”

Thompson, who is in his 28^th season as the leader of the Aggies track and program, went on to say that Spruiel and Smith’s careers rank among the top five careers he has witnessed over the last 20 years of Aggies track and field ? men and women.

“Alex and Loreal have given the program more exposure and an opportunity to bring in more quality athletes,’’ said assistant coach James Daniels, who is tasked with coaching sprinters and the hurdlers. “They didn’t try to go it alone. They worked within the system we set out for them to maximize their talents and abilities.”