Men’s Track and Field Highlights Weekend with Strong Finishes at Carl Knight Invitational

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — The Texas A&M University–Texarkana men's track and field team delivered a solid showing at the Carl Knight Collegiate Invitational, held April 2–3 and hosted by Stephen F. Austin. Competing against a deep field that featured programs from multiple divisions, the Eagles recorded a runner-up finish, several personal bests, and multiple NAIA marks over the two-day meet.

Highlighting the meet was Jayden Erikewe, who turned in an outstanding performance in the 110-meter hurdles. After qualifying for the finals with a time of 15.05, Erikewe surged to a second-place finish in the finals with a time of 14.60, continuing to rank among the top hurdlers in the NAIA this season.

On the sprint side, Giovani Jean-Pierre led the Eagles with a strong showing in the 200 meters, placing 12th with a personal-best time of 21.87, while Glenn Parker also notched a personal best in the event with a time of 22.28. Jean-Pierre returned in the 400 meters to place 17th in 49.41, with Parker adding a 51.22 finish.

In the distance events, Chapman White recorded a personal-best time of 16:17.36 in the 5,000 meters, while Graycen Vargo followed closely behind in 16:40.30. Chris Avila competed in the 800 meters, finishing in 2:12.07.

In the field events, the Eagles were led by Maurice Williams, who placed 10th in the shot put with a mark of 13.54 meters and added a 19th-place finish in the discus at 41.10 meters. Dorian Pruitt posted personal bests in both throwing events, recording marks of 36.96 meters in the discus and 11.09 meters in the shot put, while Koltyn Lybrand added a personal-best throw of 34.76 meters in the discus.

Overall, the Eagles showed growth and competitiveness across the board, highlighted by podium finishes and multiple personal records against a highly competitive field.