There can be no doubt this year, that the appropriate name was given to the Aggie Relays.

The North Carolina A&T track and field men’s and women’s teams dominated the relay events at the Aggie Relays ran at Irwin Belk Track Friday and Saturday.

The Aggies won seven of the eight relay events, and finished second in the other. Director of track and field programs Roy Thompson was especially pleased with his women’s 4×800 meter relay team because it consists of two freshmen – Janessa Benn and Kristin Rush.

The women’s 4×800 relay team, which also features senior Janee Cadlett and Mississippi State transfer Diamond Marks, finished first by running a meet record 9:16.90, breaking East Carolina’s 2006 Aggie Relays record. The other relay winners on the women’s side included freshmen Jessica Farr and Janea McCammon and sophomores Ruth Hunt and Krystin Lawson winning the 4×200.

“We’ve got some tough meets ahead, so I though it was very important that our female freshmen competed the way they did this weekend,” said Thompson. “Right now, I think we are where we want to be.”

Farr, McCammon, Rush and Cadlett placed second in the 4×400 and Hunt, Lawson, Farr and Marks won the 1600 sprint medley relay on Friday.

The Aggie men were victorious in all four of their relay events.

On Friday, junior Akinwole Jordan, sophomore Jarrell Elliot, sophomore D’Mitri Bouttry and freshman Paris Simmons won the 1600 medley relay. On Saturday, Jordan and Elliot teamed with senior Calesio Newman and freshman Earl House to win the 4×2.

The men’s 4×4 went to Newman, Elliot, Bouttry and Jordan. Junior Vincent Alford, sophomore Danzeto Cephas, sophomore Steve Liggins and Simmons closed out the triumphant day with win in the 4×8. 

• Staff Reports