NORFOLK, Va., Jan. 16, 2019—North Carolina A&T State seniors Rodney Rowe and Kayla White were selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men’s and Women’s Track Athletes of the Week, the conference office announced today. Norfolk State junior Jacob Milton earned Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honors, while North Carolina A&T State junior Madeleine Akobundu was named Women’s Field Athlete of the Week.

Rowe (Sr., Clayton, N.C.) shined at the Virginia Tech Invitational this past weekend, further establishing himself as one of the MEAC’s best sprinters. He turned in a 6.74 – third-fastest in the MEAC and tied for 22nd in the nation – to win gold in the 60-meter dash, and he was part of the Aggies’ 4x400-meter relay squad that broke the school record and set a new MEAC best at 3:08.96 – the fifth-fastest time in the nation.
 
White (Sr., Miami, Fla.) set the MEAC standard in the 60-meter dash at the Virginia Tech Invitational, turning in a 7.25 to win gold. That time is currently good enough for tied for third among all Div. I runners. She was also part of the Aggies’ 4x400-meter relay team that came in second with a MEAC-best 3:43.00.
 
Milton (Jr., Stuttgart, Germany) opened his 2019 indoor campaign the way he left off in 2018, taking gold in the high jump at the Virginia Tech Invitational. He set a MEAC best in the event, leaping seven feet, 0.25 inches (2.14 meters) to rank tied for 17th in the nation.
 
Akobundu (Jr., Lanham, Md.) won the long jump in the Virginia Tech Invitational, turning in a MEAC-best distance of 19 feet, 4.75 inches (5.91 meters) – ranking in the top 40 nationally. She also turned in the second-best time in the nation in the 60-meter hurdles, running an 8.14 to take gold.
 
Other Top Performers
Tre’J Johnson (CSU) ranks second in the MEAC in the long jump after leaping 18 feet, 5.25 inches at the HBCU Battle.
 
Aaron Lewis (CSU) ran a 7.86 to win the 60-meter hurdles at the HBCU Battle.
 
Precious Igwebuike (DSU) was fifth in the long jump at the HBCU Battle.
 
Tre’ Johnson (DSU) won the triple jump at the HBCU Battle with a mark of 14.24 meters (46 feet, 8.75 inches).
 
Tariq Fullerton (HOW) set a personal best in the mile run, turning in a gold medal-winning 4:28.79 at the HBCU Battle.
 
Jessika Gbai (HOW) came in second in the 60-meter dash at the HBCU Battle with a personal-best 7.68.
 
Shemar Parker (MDES) came in second in the pole vault at the HBCU Battle at 3.80 meters (12 feet, 5.5 inches).
 
Atinuke Shittu (MDES) qualified for the ECAC Championships in the triple jump with a mark of 11.60 meters (38 feet, 0.75 inches).
 
Kobe-Jordan Rhooms (MSU) won the long jump at the HBCU Battle at 6.92 meters.
 
Lasheon Strozier (NCAT) was second in the triple jump at the Virginia Tech Invitational.
 
Marvin Jones (NCCU) set a personal best in the high jump at six feet, 10.25 inches).
 
Gordon Lewis (NCCU) won the 400-meter dash at the JDL College Kick-Off and was also on the winning 4x400-meter relay team.
 
Martha Bissah (NSU) opened her indoor season by coming in second in the 1,000-meter run at the Virginia Tech Invitational with a personal-best 2:47.24.
 
Kamil Jihad (NSU) won the 800-meter run at the Virginia Tech Invitational with a time of 1:54.01.