NC State track and field competes in Duke and Tom Jones Memorial Invitational

Splitting time between Durham, North Carolina and Gainesville, Florida, NC State Track and Field competed in the Duke and Tom Jones Memorial Invitationals where the Wolfpack capped off a successful weekend setting 18 personal bests and a new school record.

Duke Invitational

At the Duke Invite, senior Zach Hughes set a school record by running a 1:48.386 in the 800M men’s invitational, placing third. The senior was joined in the top 15 by junior Grant Howlett who set a personal best with a 1:52.54 to earn 14th place in the event.

The Wolfpack succeeded even more in both the women’s and men’s 1500M invitationals.

In the women’s 1500M invitational, the red-and-white had six runners in the top 15 finishing below a 4:30. Sophomore Hannah Gapes led the Pack with a 4:17.35 and a new personal best. Freshman Kate Putman also earned a personal best in the event running a 4:26.88 to earn 13th. Joining Gapes in the top 10 were graduate student Nevada Mareno, freshman Leah Stephens and freshman Angelina Napoleon who placed fifth, sixth and eighth, respectively.

Although the placements earned in the men’s 1500M invite weren’t as high as the women’s, the Wolfpack still earned sixth PBs. Senior Brett Gardner set a personal best and the eighth-fastest time in school history with a 3:43.52.

Running in the women’s 800M, Napoleon had the best time with a 2:07.81 and was joined by Putman in the top five when the freshman took home fourth and a new personal best with a 2:10.19.

Tom Jones Memorial Invitational

Down in Florida, the other part of the track and field team competed in the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational where the Wolfpack showed out in multiple events.

On the first day of competition, the Wolfpack had two athletes place in the top 10 in the women’s hammer throw. Junior Sydney Freeman and senior Makala Wright earned fifth and eighth place respectively with throws of 56.48 and 55.93 meters.

NC State had three athletes place in the top 10 for three different jump events. In the men’s high jump, freshman Judd Armstrong earned eighth reaching 2.04 meters while sophomore Kyzaiah Stone earned sixth in the men’s high jump invite with a jump of 2.13 meters. Competing in the women’s long jump, graduate student Jirah Sidberry earned seventh place with a score of 6.07 meters.

Wrapping up the weekend in Florida, sophomore Ta'Honny Exum earned sixth and 17th in the women’s shot put and discus throw events with distances of 15.43 and 38 meters respectively. Freshman Xavier Branker competed in the 110-meter hurdles where he finished eight.

It’s a short turnaround and short trip for the Wolfpack as they travel to the University of Virginia to participate in the UVA Challenge starting on Thursday, April 18.