Courtesy of North Carolina A&T State Athletic Communications
EAST GREENSBORO – Following another stellar weekend for the North Carolina A&T State men's indoor track & field team, they are now nationally-ranked in the top 10 by the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
The men are ranked No. 9 in the country this week after a two-day meet at Virginia Tech where they won the high jump, 4x400-meter relay and the 400 meters. The Aggies were ranked 31st last week.
USTFCCCA released their latest rankings on Monday.
Florida State is No. 1 followed by LSU, Southern Cal, Texas and Texas A&M in the top 5. The next five are No. 6 Indiana followed by Florida, Baylor, N.C. A&T and Kentucky.
One of the reasons the Aggies are ranked in the top 10 is their 4x400-meter relay team. The team of seniors Akeem Sirleaf, Trevor Stewart, Kemarni Mighty and freshman Randolph Ross are ranked No. 1 in the nation after running a time of 3:06.06 at the Jim Green Invitational at the University of Kentucky on Jan. 10.
Ross is also ranked No. 1 in the nation in the 400m after running a time of 45.85 at Kentucky on Jan. 11. The Aggies ranking is also aided by senior Jaylan Mitchell who is third in the country in the 60m with a time of 6.60 completed at the Hokie Invitational at Virginia Tech on Jan. 24.
The Aggie women are 30th in the nation, their ranking fueled by sophomore Cambrea Sturgis, who has the No. 2 60-meter time in the nation at 7.15 completed at the Jim Green Invitational. Senior Madeleine Akobundu and sophomore Paula Salmon are strong in the 60-meter hurdles.
Akobundu ranks third in the nation after this weekend at the Hokie Invitational after she completed the 60mh final in 8.08. Salmon ran 8.09 in the 60mh at the Jim Green Invitational to rank fourth in the nation.