VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (February 24, 2022) – Both South Carolina State track teams finished sixth in the team standings at the 2022 MEAC Track and Field Championships conducted Feb. 21-23 at the Virginia Beach Sports Center. The SCSU men compiled 47 points and the women 41 for the competition.
The Howard women (184 pts.) and Norfolk State men (175 pts.) finished first, respectively.
On the final day of the three-day competition Wednesday, SC State grabbed two firsts, a runner-up finish and a third-place showing. Junior Jada Banks captured the 3000 meters (10:27.64), the men’s 4×400-meter relay team of Devin Brewington, Waddell Rembert-Jett, Jaden Barker and Tyler Jeffers was also first (3:13.64) with its best clocking of the season, while Tyler Jeffers was second in the 800 meters (1:55.18) and the women’s 4×400-meter relay team (Taryn Thorn, Ra’Necia Brown, Jasmaine Donovan and Debrielle Williams) third in a time of 3:48.76.
The showing by the Lady Bulldogs was their best in almost a decade. Banks, a junior of Staybridge, GA, was the catalyst for Coach Jerod Wims‘ team winning both the 3000 meters (10:27.64) and the 5000 meters (18:3.14) and anchoring the distance medley relay squad to a runner-up showing (12:36.15) after taking the baton in sixth place.
“We made quite a few podium appearances,” said Wims following the competition. “We are making progress and we certainly made out presence felt. With Jada (Banks) earning a double (5000m, 3000m) and our men’s 4×400 winning, it shows that we can compete, our track programs are on the rise and we should be taken seriously. I expect an even better outcome during the outdoor season.”
Banks accounted for 22 of the Lady Bulldogs’ 41 points in earning first-team All-MEAC accolades. The top three performers in each event earned All-MEAC honors.
Also earning first team All-MEAC honors were Brewington, Rembert-Jett, Barker and Jeffers. Second team accolades went to Ashanti Meyers, Williams, Makylah Jones and Banks, while Thorn, Brown, Donovan and Williams were named to the third team.