MEAC Outdoor Final Results

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Steve Coles set a new personal record in the 400 meters in his final conference meet as a Spartan, placing second in the event to lead the Spartan men's track and field to a fifth-place team finish at the 2016 MEAC Outdoor Track & Field Championship on the campus of North Carolina A&T on Saturday.

Bethune-Cookman won the MEAC outdoor title with 151 points, while the Spartans finished fifth with 73.5 points.

Coles blistered the Irwin Belk Track with a clocking of 46.08 seconds, more than one second faster than his previous best in the race, which set last season at the Morgan State Legacy Meet. Only Joel Roberson of Morgan State (45.66) was faster in Saturday's final.

It was a big day for Coles, who was also honored prior to the beginning of Saturday's action as one of eight track and field graduates among the participating schools who ran at the conference meet instead of attending Saturday's commencement ceremonies. The eight MEAC student-athletes were recognized by MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas prior to the first events of the day.

Coles' silver medal Saturday matched the Spartans' highest finish of the final day of competition. Sophomore Haileyesus Demsie also won a silver medal on Saturday. He finished as runner-up in the 5,000 meters with a time of 15:20.95.

Also on Saturday, junior Desmond Fogg posted a PR in the 1,500 meters. Fogg crossed the finish line in 4 minutes, 2.48 seconds, good for third place. He bested his previous PR in the event by some four seconds.

In other track finals on Saturday, Allan Frye placed fifth and Marcus Anderson seventh in the 110 meter hurdles. Frye, Coles, Rashad Ramsey and Justin Pinder clocked a season-best 4x400 meter relay time of 3:12.98, good for sixth place.

The 4x100 meter relay team of Coles, Frye, Michael-Thomas Brown and Romero Hines came in eighth in 41.07 seconds to pick up one point.

In final-day field events, Shaw Barfield tied for fourth in the pole vault with a height of 12 feet, 0.5 inches.