Women's Track & Field | 2/23/2026 8:32:41 PM
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Feb. 23, 2026 – Howard University claimed its fifth consecutive MEAC Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championship on Monday evening at the Virginia Beach Sports Center.
The Bison finished with 215 total points to secure the 2026 title. Norfolk State placed second with 125 points, followed by North Carolina Central with 97 points for the third-place finish.
Howard’s Alexis Jones was named the 2026 MEAC Women’s Indoor Track & Field Outstanding Runner of the meet after scoring 28 individual points. Temi Banwo, also of Howard, earned Outstanding Field Athlete of the meet honors after scoring 20 points. Bison head coach David Oliver was named the meet’s Outstanding Coach.
Jones, a freshman from New Windsor, New York, delivered an impressive weekend performance. Her standout moment came in the 3,000 meters on day one, where she claimed gold with a time of 10:07.34. She followed that effort with another first-place finish in the women’s mile on Monday, clocking 5:15.34.
Banwo, a senior from Allen, Texas, was also a double champion. She captured the women’s weight throw title on Sunday with a mark of 18.49m and added a shot-put championship on Monday with a throw of 14.39m.
Howard added three more gold medals on championship Monday as Tiffany Mugubi captured the women’s 800 meters in 2:07.14, Yahnari Lyons won the 200-meter dash in 23.68, and Lindsay Johnson claimed the 400-meter title with a time of 54.65.
The meet concluded in dramatic fashion as Norfolk State claimed the 4x400-meter relay title with a winning time of 3:48.31, narrowly edging South Carolina State, which finished close behind in 3:48.93.
The top three finishers in each event were named All-MEAC.
Outstanding Coach: David Oliver, Howard
Outstanding Runner: Alexis Jones, Howard
Outstanding Field Athletes: Temi Banwo, Howard
ALL-MEAC
First Team: Alexis Jones, HOW (Mile, 3,000), Temi Banwo, HOW (WT, SP), Yowome Ayim, NSU (LJ), Brooklyn Robinson, NSU (60h), Faithlyn Irving, UMES (TJ), Melanne Sutton, SCSU (PV), Lindsay Johnson, HOW (400m), Tiffany Mugubi, HOW (800m), Yahnari Lyons, HOW (200m), Tia Lucas, NCCU (HJ), Rebecca Jansen, DSU (5,000), Norfolk State (4x400m relay), Mmekon Inyang, HOW (Pentathalon), North Carolina Central (DMR)
Second Team: Soni Koech, NSU (3,000), Terry-Ann Thompson, MSU (WT), Brooklyn Robinson, NSU (60h), Tajhana South, SCSU (TJ, Pentathlon), Lindsay Johnson, HOW (60h), Ai’yana Gray-Williams, HOW (60m), Sonia Koech, NSU (Mile), Emma Svetiev, NSU (PV), Kinnidi Hampton, HOW (SP), Zoe Turner, HOW (400m), Laila Jackson, NCCU (800m), Kaydence Daniels, NCCU (200m), Valerie Ashamu, DSU (HJ), Sonkoech, NSU (5,000), South Carolina State (4x400m relay), Howard (DMR)
Third Team: Rebecca Jansen, DSU (3,000), Kinnidi Hampton, HOW (WT), Keira Stewart, MSU (LJ), Carrie Vannoy, HOW (60h), Kelis Armsyrong, HOW (TJ), Yahnari Lyons, HOW (60m), Chloe Poindexter, HOW (Mile), Raven Johnson, MSU (PV), Mmekom Inyang, HOW (SP), T’Sheylah Moore, NCCU (400m), Kayla Johnson, NCCU (800m), Ai’yana Gray-Williams, HOW (200m), Lyee Simms, UMES (HJ), Alexis Jones, HOW (5,000), Kelis Armstrong, HOW (TJ), Essence Shaw, NSU (Pentathlon), Morgan State (4x400m relay), Norfolk State (DMR)
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is in its 55th year of intercollegiate competition with the 2025-26 academic school year. Located in Norfolk, Va., the MEAC is made up of eight outstanding historically black institutions across the Atlantic coastline: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State University.