The North Carolina A&T men’s track & field program has not only been a crown jewel of HBCU track programs but is also among the best in the nation.
The Aggies 400-meter hurdle quartet of Aveon Reid, Thomas Smith, and twin brothers Isaiah and Xvaviah Taylor is the best in the nation, according to the most recent U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association rankings.
At the Raleigh Relays this past weekend, Reid, who is the reigning CAA Track Athlete of the Week, claimed first place in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 50.53. The time was ranked the seventh-best in the nation.
The time also was the best in the CAA and the second best in the East Region. Isaiah Taylor’s time of 51.45 was 25th in the nation, while twin brother Xzaviah ran 52.69, which was the nation’s 70th-best effort.
The Aggies hurdlers occupy four of the top five rankings in the CAA, with Reid at No.1, Isaiah Taylor and Xzvaviah Taylor at second and third, respectively, and Thomas Smith at fifth.
The @NCATAGGIES men’s T&F team has the No.1 400H foursome in the nation and the No.3 110H group in the NCAA!! #Aggiepride @CAASports pic.twitter.com/jux4hC5qfO
— N.C. A&T Athletics (@NCATAGGIES) April 3, 2024
The A&T 110 hurdles group of Jason Holmes, Aveon Reid, Thomas Smith, and Isaiah Taylor has also made a name for itself on the national scene, as they are ranked the third-best in the nation, only trailing Howard and Texas A&M in the USTFCCA rankings.
All four ran top-ten times in the recent Raleigh Relays, led by Reid’s time of 13.94, placing seventh. Reid moved up to the no.4 ranking in the CAA, behind Holmes, who sat at the No. 2 spot in the conference.
The Hurdle and the rest of the North Carolina A&T Track Team will be in action at the VertKlasse Meet on the campus of High Point University on April 5 and April 6.