WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The North Carolina A&T track and field men’s team is without of its elite sprinters, including 400m star Randolph Ross Jr. at the 2022 Big South Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships. The two-day meeting will be contested on Thursday (24) to Friday (25).
The Aggies finished the first day of competition sitting fifth in the men’s team standings behind High Point University, which leads with 50 points, but director of track and field programs, Duane Ross still believes his team can recover from the slow start and win another indoor conference championship.
READ MORE: Follow the 2022 Big South Indoor Track and Field Championships
Ross revealed he decided not to run some of his elite athletes, including Ross Jr., Javonte’ Harding, and Daniel Stokes in certain events (200m and 400m) at the JDL Fast Track because of its surface on the turn is flat.
Despite trailing leaders High Point in the standings by 33 points, coach Ross remains positive heading into the second and final day of competition on Friday.
Sitting second in the points standings overnight was Campbell with 42 points, followed by Charleston Southern (25), UNC Asheville (22) and North Carolina A&T (17) to round out the top-5 teams.
“I think for our men, this needed to happen,” the coach said on the school official website at ncataggies.com. “They have grown used to sitting back and letting others score most of the points. You can’t sit back and wait for others to do it. You have to show up.”
Although he competed in the 60m, Harding did not run the 200m, while Ross Jr. and Stokes did not run the 200m and 400m.
It is still uncertain whether Ross Jr. and Stokes will take part in the men’s 4×400-meter relay on Friday.
The 2022 Big South Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships will continue on Friday with a loaded schedule that includes several high-profiled finals.
Will High Point University hold off the inevitable surge from nationally ranked No. 2 North Carolina A&T later on today and repeat as conference champion?
