Track & Field 5/9/2024 2:17:00 PM

NCCU Wins Nine Medals at the MEAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships

NORFOLK, Va. – The North Carolina Central University men's and women's track and field team wrapped up the 2024 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships with nine medals. The event was hosted at the Dick Price Stadium on May 6-8 and included a golden performance by senior Joidon Boddie in the women's triple jump.

The NCCU women's team finished with 63 points, its highest total in the Division I era. The men's team was four points shy of last year's point total finishing with 76 points. Both teams completed the championships in sixth place.

Boddie (Raleigh, N.C.) captured her third gold medal in two years. Last season she struck gold in the women's triple jump at the indoor and outdoor MEAC championships. After missing all indoor competition this year, Boddie was back in form and finished first in the same event leaping 12.99m, fourth best in the Southeast region.

Two-time MEAC medalist Meshack Kuyo (Nairobi, Kenya) added two more to his collection closing out his first year at NCCU. After a delay in activity due to lighting, Kuyo collected a silver medal in the men's 10,000m run with a time of 30:17.71, the first finish for NC Central in this event. The previous championship record was 30:38.46 from Ronald Korir of Florida A&M University back in 2017. Kuyo's second medal was also silver coming in the men's 5,000m race with a time of 14:16.07. Both performances totaled 16 team points.

Graduate student Laderique McNeill (Bunnlevel, N.C.) finished in second in the men's 3,000m steeplechase in 9:15.36, breaking his school record in the Division I era adding 13 total points to the men's team score.

Freshman Jonathan Raijon-Koger (Pfafftown, N.C.) won his second MEAC medal after collecting bronze at the conference's indoor championships in February in the men's high jump event. Raijon-Koger earned silver this time, clearing 2.03m in the high jump for a new personal best.

Ryan Montgomery (Raleigh, N.C.) also competed in his first MEAC Outdoor Championships and collected silver with a 48.98m performance in the men's javelin throw.

Sophomore Laila Jackson (Avondale, La.) ran a time of 2:09.01 in the women's 800m improving her time and taking down her own NCCU record of 2:11.04 earlier in the season. Jackson's performance earned her a bronze medal.

The final two bronze medals were awarded to two NC Central women's high jumpers in a four-way tie. Sophomore Tia Lucas (James Island, S.C.) and senior Alejandra Urraca (Jacksonville, N.C.) cleared 1.58m sharing the third-place finish with Lyee Simms of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Delaware State University's Catherine Glenn. Lucas has now won four individual medals in two years in the MEAC.

For complete results, visit MEACsports.com.

Gold

Joidon Boddie – Women's Triple Jump (12.99m)

Silver

Laderique McNeill – Men's 3,000 Steeplechase (9:15.36)

Meshack Kuyo – Men's 10,000m (30:17.71) and 5,000m (14:16.07)

Jonathan Raijon-Koger – Men's High Jump (2.03m)

Ryan Montgomery – Men's Javelin (48.98m)

Bronze

Tia Lucas – Women's High Jump (1.58m – Tie)

Alejandra Urraca – Women's High Jump (1.58m – Tie)

Laila Jackson – Women's 800m (2:09.01)

Women - MEAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships (NCAA Division I)
2024 – 6th (63 points)
2023 – 6th (56.5)
2022 – 7th (42)
2021 – 7th (4)
2019 – 6th (50.5)
2018 – 8th (28)
2017 – 11th (20)
2016 – 10th tie (22)
2015 – 11th tie (20)
2014 – 6th (54)
2013 – 9th (41)
2012 – 9th (35)

Men - MEAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships (NCAA Division I)
2024 – 6th (76 points)
2023 - 5th (80)
2022 - 5th (75)
2021 – 6th (32)
2019 – 9th (29)
2018 – 12th (18)
2017 – 9th (40)
2016 – 9th (38)
2015 – 10th (14)
2014 – 12th (3)
2013 – 13th (19)
2012 – 10th (30)

* 2020 – No outdoor championships due to COVID