The LeMoyne-Owen men's and women's track and field teams delivered their most complete performance of the outdoor season this past weekend, competing at the Pelican Relays in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Facing a strong Division I field for the second time this year, the Magicians embraced the challenge and responded with a meet filled with personal bests, season bests, and podium finishes that signaled a team beginning to peak at the right time.

    Although no team points were recorded, the overall performance marked a significant step forward for LeMoyne-Owen, as athletes across multiple event groups elevated their level of competition and turned in some of their best marks of the season.

    Senior Jada Joshua led the way on the women's side with a standout showing across three throwing events. She recorded a lifetime best mark of 25.70m in the javelin, earning a seventh place finish and continuing her upward trajectory. That mark now ranks her ninth in the SIAC and 60th in the HBCU national rankings. Joshua also placed eighth in both the discus with a throw of 35.38m and the shot put with a mark of 10.47m, demonstrating her versatility and consistency as one of the team's top performers.

    Fellow senior Jacquelyn Beltran added a strong performance in the women's discus, finishing sixth with a throw of 36.17m, while junior Cierra Crusoe placed seventh in the shot put with a mark of 10.94m. In the jumps, junior Tajana Sims continued to build momentum with a season best mark of 10.75m in the triple jump, earning a sixth place finish. That performance now places her seventh in the SIAC and 61st in the HBCU rankings.

    The women's 4x100 meter relay team delivered one of the highlights of the meet, earning a third place finish with a season best time of 50.92 seconds. The quartet of Sims, Jaylah Jordan, Johnasia O'Neal, and Mya McKenzie showed strong chemistry and execution, securing the program's first podium finish in the event this season. Their time now ranks 50th in the HBCU standings and 10th in the SIAC, a significant step forward heading into championship competition.

    On the men's side, sophomore Jacob Coleman turned in a strong all around performance, placing seventh in the long jump with a mark of 6.55m and eighth in the 400 meter dash with a personal best time of 50.69 seconds. His improvement in the 400 places him 30th in the SIAC and reflects his continued development across multiple events.

    In the throwing events, senior Prince Nde recorded a lifetime best mark of 33.61m in the javelin, marking his third personal best in the event this season. His throw now ranks 61st in the HBCU standings and 20th in the SIAC. Sophomore DJ Price delivered one of the most impressive performances of the meet, throwing a lifetime best 42.38m in his season debut in the javelin. That mark ranks him 29th in the HBCU rankings and fifth in the SIAC, immediately establishing him as a key contributor in the event. Freshman Javion Scott also added a lifetime best in the shot put with a throw of 9.38m, continuing to show growth early in his collegiate career.

    The relay teams continued to show steady progress as well. The men's 4x100 meter A team finished fifth with a time of 44.91 seconds, marking their second fastest performance of the season. The members of the relay team were Coleman, Josiah Mounger, Michael Robinson and Andre Phillips. The B team followed with a sixth place finish in 48.12 seconds, adding valuable depth to the sprint group. That team consisted of Charles Smith, Terrence Stephenson Jr., Isaiah Fields and Zo Caldwell.

     In the 4x400 meter relay, the A team delivered a season best time of 3:31.30 to finish fourth, a mark that now ranks them 48th in the HBCU standings and 10th in the SIAC. The relay team consisted of Coleman, Julian Tallant, Phillips and Robinson. The B team added a fifth place finish with a time of 3:53.98, continuing to build consistency across the roster. Their team consisted of Smith, Fields, Caldwell and Mounger.

    Following the meet, Head Coach Christopher Davis emphasized the team's progress and confidence heading into the final stretch of the season.

    "Everyone is starting to peak at the right time. We have quite a few athletes in scoring range going into the conference championships, and we just have to take advantage of that in South Carolina. If we play our cards right, we can even walk out with some hardware and a few all-conference recognitions."

    With momentum building and performances trending upward, the Magicians now shift their focus to their final meet of the season. LeMoyne-Owen will travel to Columbia, South Carolina to compete in the SIAC Outdoor Championships from April 20 through April 23. With confidence growing across the team and several athletes positioning themselves among the conference's best, the Magicians are poised to turn their progress into a strong finish when it matters most.