NORFOLK, Va., April 19, 2023—Norfolk State senior Kai Cole and Howard University graduate student Dylan Beard were named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men’s Track Co-Athletes of the Week, presented by Coca-Cola, and Howard University senior Jessica Wright was selected as Women’s Track Athlete of the Week, the conference office announced today. Coppin State junior James Bell was named Men’s Field Athlete of the Week, while Morgan State junior Tia Jackson earned Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors.
Cole (Sr., Alexandria, Va.) set two personal bests at the NSU Invitational, winning both the men’s 100 meters and 200 meters. The 10.24 he ran in the 100 meters is the best in the MEAC and 39th in the nation, while he ranks 51st in the nation in the 200 meters with a time that ranks second in the conference.
Beard (Gr., Baltimore, Md.) broke two program records at the Tom Jones Memorial, including the 13.29 he ran in the preliminaries of the men’s 110-meter hurdles (which is best in the MEAC and second in the nation). He also was on the 4x100-meter relay team that ran a program-record 40.04.
Wright (Sr., Durham, N.C.) set a new MEAC-best mark in the women’s 400-meter hurdles at the Tom Jones Memorial, running a 55.81 to come in fourth in the event to rank fourth in the nation. She also ran a MEAC-best 52.34 in the women’s 400 meters, ranking 29th nationally.
Bell (Jr., Newark, N.J.) won the men’s high jump at the NSU Invitational, matching his MEAC-best mark in the event by clearing 2.02 meters (6 feet, 7.5 inches).
Jackson (Jr., Bristol, United Kingdom) won the women’s long jump at the NSU Invitational, leaping 5.78 meters (18 feet, 11.75 inches) to record her third straight win in the event. She also came in second in the women’s high jump, clearing 1.62 meters (5 feet, 3.75 inches).
Other Top Performers
Carl Drakes (Coppin State) was on the men’s 4x100- and 4x400-meter relay teams that both won gold medals at the NSU Invitational, while also finishing third in the 200 meters with a 21.20.
Halutie Hor (Coppin State) came in second in the women’s 100 meters with an 11.61 at the NSU Invitational.
Mikyla Rodgers (Howard) was fourth in the women’s hammer throw at the Tom Jones Memorial with a MEAC-best distance of 56.96 meters.
Rachel Field (Morgan State) won the women’s 5,000 meters at the NSU Invitational in a MEAC-best 19:05.66.
John Purvis (Morgan State) won both the men's discus (46.16 meters) and hammer throw (47.78 meters) at the NSU Invitational.
Dwight Henry (Norfolk State) was fourth in the men’s javelin throw at the NSU Invitational with a distance of 42.62 meters.
Mercyline Kimaiyo (Norfolk State) won the women’s 1,500 meters at the NSU Invitational with a personal-best time of 4:43.18.
Brooklyn Robinson (Norfolk State) was sixth in the women’s long jump at the NSU Invitational, leaping 5.29 meters.