Photo by Timothy Rice


Watch the Race (ESPN2)


North Carolina A&T State's Randolph Ross claimed the men's track & field program's first-ever outdoor NCAA event title Friday evening, taking gold in the 400-meter dash at the NCAA Div. I Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field.

Ross ran a 43.85 -- the fastest time in the world this season and third-fastest collegiate time ever.

Teammate Trevor Stewart finished fourth with a 44.96.

Ross is the first MEAC men's track & field athlete to win an NCAA outdoor title since Ronnie Ash of Bethune-Cookman won the 110-meter hurdles in 2009.

Earlier in the evening, Ross was part of the Aggies' 4x100-meter relay team that came in fourth with a 38.60.

Ross and Stewart will compete later this evening in the men's 4x400-meter relay -- an event they won the NCAA indoor title in back in March -- and Javonte Harding will compete for an NCAA title in the 200 meters.