Led by 43.70 anchor leg from Stewart, Aggies clock 2:59.21 in 4x400 relay to elevate to No. 3 in collegiate history, along with running 38.54 in 4x100; Kipsang clocks 3:35.49 in 1,500, with Burrell running 48.86 in 400 hurdles; Thunderstorms and lightning force all track races to be moved to Saturday at Texas A&M

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

From the first relay to the last at the East Regional, including impressive 400-meter efforts from Trevor Stewart and Randolph Ross in between, North Carolina A&T demonstrated it is primed for memorable performances at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships, with or without the spotlight.

But the Aggies, who endured multiple power outages in Jacksonville, will have to wait at least another day to learn who their biggest challengers from the West Regional could be, as thunderstorms and lightning Friday caused all the men’s track events at E.B. Cushing Stadium in College Station, Texas, to be postponed until Saturday, as they will be scheduled along with the remaining women’s competitions.

Men’s events are expected to start at 11:30 a.m. Central time, with the women’s schedule beginning at 3:15 p.m. Central at Texas A&M. 

North Carolina A&T closed out the unpredictable evening schedule at Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium by running the third-fastest 4x400-meter relay in collegiate history, clocking 2 minutes, 59.21 seconds, anchored by Stewart with a 43.70-second split.

The Aggies achieved a facility record, taking more three seconds off the 2016 mark established by LSU, and trail only USC from 2018 (2:59.00) and Texas A&M in 2019 (2:59.05) among all-time performances.

LSU was runner-up at 3:02.14, with Alabama earning the final qualifying spot to compete June 9 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., by running 3:07.88.

North Carolina A&T was one of three teams to run faster than the 4x100 facility record of 38.75 established by Purdue two years ago.

The Aggies ran 38.54, followed by Georgia at 38.57 and Florida State clocking 38.67. Coppin State was the final qualifier in 39.57.

Stewart, who equaled the fastest 400 performance in East Regional history Wednesday by clocking 44.55, followed Friday with a 44.59 effort and Ross was second in 44.86.

Taj Burgess of Rutgers earned the final spot to advance to nationals at 45.94.

Florida State’s Jo’Vaughn Martin ran a wind-aided 9.97 in the 100-meter dash, with LSU’s Terrance Laird clocking a wind-aided 10.00.

Four athletes ran 10.10, with only three earning trips to Oregon for the national semifinals. Florida State’s Taylor Banks, Georgia’s Arian Smith and Virginia Tech’s Cole Beck all qualified over Indiana’s Rikkoi Brathwaite, who was edged by two-thousandths of a second for the final spot.

Alabama freshman Eliud Kipsang elevated to the No. 4 all-time competitor in the 1,500 meters by clocking 3:35.49, ahead of collegiate record holder Yared Nuguse of Notre Dame (3:36.85). Nuguse ran 3:34.68 on May 13 at the Atlantic Coast Conference prelims to achieve the all-time collegiate mark.

Virginia Tech’s Diego Zarate was the final qualifier for nationals at 3:39.88.

LSU freshman Sean Burrell produced a collegiate-leading performance of 48.86 in the 400 hurdles, eclipsing the 2019 facility record of 49.38 achieved by South Carolina’s Quincy Hall, the defending Division 1 champion.

Northeastern senior David Adams was the 12th athlete to advance to Oregon in 51.04.

Laird and Florida’s Joseph Fahnbulleh produced another exciting clash in the 200, with the LSU standout prevailing by a wind-aided 19.932 to 19.936 margin.

Michigan State’s Morgan Beadlescomb ran a personal-best 13:40.43 to prevail in the 5,000, moving from sixth to first with a 57.11-second final lap, ahead of Georgetown’s Robert Brandt (13:40.66) and North Carolina’s Thomas Ratcliffe (13:40.76).

Hofstra’s Alex Masai (13:42.09), Alabama’s Vincent Kiprop (13:49.17) and Brandt are the only athletes from the regional to qualify for both the 5,000 and 10,000 finals in Oregon.

Alabama’s Robert Dunning clocked a wind-legal 13.24 in the 110 hurdles, with Kenney Broadnax of Ole Miss and Yves Cherubin of Louisiana Lafayette securing the final two national berths, both running 13.65.

Finley McLear, a sophomore at Miami (Ohio), ran 1:46.87 to lead all qualifiers in the 800, as Penn State freshman Evan Dorenkamp was the last athlete to advance at 1:49.11.

Middle Tennessee State’s Kigen Chemadi was the top qualifier in the 3,000 steeplechase in 8:37.93, with Georgetown’s Parker Stokes earning the last qualifier to Oregon by clocking 8:45.73.

South Alabama freshman Francois Prinsloo achieved a facility record in the discus with a third-round throw of 216 feet (65.85m), surpassing the 2014 mark of 207-9 (63.34m) established by LSU’s Rodney Brown.

Virginia freshman Claudio Romero also surpassed the previous mark with a third-round effort of 215-10 (65.78m).

Cavaliers’ teammate Jacob Lemmon, also a freshman, secured the final berth for nationals by throwing 185-2 (56.45m).

Tennessee State’s R’Lazon Brumfield was the top qualifier in the triple jump at 53-11.25 (16.44m).

Seven athletes from the SEC advanced, including Tennessee teammates Carey McLeod and Jah-Nhai Perinchief, along with the Alabama pair of Christian Edwards and Keshun McGee.

Purdue’s Tamar Greene earned the last spot with a mark of 52-2 (15.90m).

Eight competitors soared over 7-2.25 (2.19m) in the high jump, including LSU’s JuVaughn Harrison, Allen Gordon of Ole Miss and Brandon Burke of Buffalo equaling the facility record with first-attempt clearances. The final four athletes all cleared 7-1 (2.16m) on their first attempts to advance.

The cutoff in the West Regional was also 7-1, with Washington State’s Mitch Jacobson the only qualifier who didn’t successfully clear 7-2.25.

Only three events were completed before the weather delay, leaving all track events to be concluded Saturday.

Before the rain fell at Texas A&M, facility records did also at E.B. Cushing Stadium in both the discus throw and triple jump.

Arizona State’s Turner Washington produced a third-round throw of 212-10 (64.87m), surpassing the winning mark May 15 of 195-6 (59.58m) by Kentucky’s Charles Lenford at the SEC Championships.

Brigham Young freshman Dallin Shurts was the last athlete to qualify at 184-10 (56.34m).

Three NCAA champions competed in the triple jump, with reigning indoor winner Emmanuel Ihemeje of Oregon achieving a facility record 55-8.50 (16.98m), surpassing the 55-0.75 (16.78m) effort April 10 performance of 2019 outdoor winner Chengetayi Mapaya of Texas Christian.

USC’s Jordan Scott, the 2019 indoor champion at Virginia, was second at 54-2.50 (16.52m), with Mapaya taking third at 54-1.75 (16.50m). Texas Tech’s Jalen Seals earned the final berth to Oregon with a mark of 52-4.75 (15.97m).