NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State track and field teams will compete in the 2020 MEAC Indoor Track & Field Championships this Thursday through Saturday at the Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex in Landover, Maryland.

Competition will begin on Thursday at 2 p.m. with the men's heptathlon. The long jump and 5,000 meters are the only two finals that will be contested on the first day.

The championships continue Friday, with the conclusion of the men's heptathlon starting at 9 a.m. Other field events on Friday's slate include the women's pentathlon, men's and women's high jump, and men's and women's weight throw. The afternoon includes semifinals in several track events before concluding with the men's and women's distance medleys.

The competition concludes on Saturday, beginning at 9:30 a.m. with the women's pole vault, followed by the men's and women's shot put, men's pole vault, and the men's and women's triple jump. Running events begin at 12:30 p.m. with the women's mile. Rounding out the afternoon's events will be the men's and women's 4x400-meter relay race, starting at 3:40 p.m.

For the second straight year, FloSports, through its FloTrack platform, will stream Saturday's action live.

Admission is $10 on Thursday, $15 on Friday and $20 on Saturday. Fans can purchase a three-day pass on Thursday for $15, or a two-day pass on Friday for $20. Tickets are available at the Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex on the event dates.

The Spartan men placed third at both the MEAC track championship meets last season, but won their second conference cross country title in three years in October. The Spartans again boast the conference's best depth in the distance events, with four runners ranked among the top eight in the mile, 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters. The group is led by sophomore Evans Cheruiyot, the reigning MEAC outdoor champ in the 5K and 10K, while senior Anteneh Girma, sophomore Meshack Kipchirchir and junior Lelei Too also add depth.

NSU also boasts three of the conference's top eight in the high jump, including six-time MEAC champion Jacob Milton; and three of the top eight in the heptathlon. Sprinters Trequan Barnes, Kai Cole and Keith Brown and 800m runner Kamil Jihad also rank among the top eight in their respective events.

The women, who finished fourth at last year's indoor championship, will again be led by All-Americans Martha Bissah in the 800 and Kiara Grant in the sprints. Bissah has won all six 800m conference championships in her career to date (indoor/outdoor) and is a three-time All-American at that distance. She has also won the MEAC gold medal in the mile three years running.

Grant ranks second in the MEAC and among the top 11 nationally in both the 60 and 200 meters. She is the defending MEAC 60m champion and meet record holder in addition to earning second-team All-America honors at that distance last year.

Grant is one of three Spartans who rank near the top in the conference in the sprints. Sophomore DaJah Parker-Love is ranked in the MEAC's top eight in both the 60 and 200, while junior Malika Pride is No. 2 in the 400 meters.

Kara Grant joins Bissah as threats to score points for the Spartans in the 800 and mile as well. Sophomore Fridah Koech helps anchor NSU in the distance.

In the field events, pole vaulters Destiny Hooks and Kylis Gilmore, throwers Arieana Parker, Tiara Simms and Daiysa Burrell and high jumper Tynnieisia Wilson will all look to add to the Spartans' point total.

Live results will be available through the MEAC site at www.meacsports.com.

On Wednesday, the MEAC announced its indoor track and field all-academic honors. Fourteen Spartans made the list, which consists of MEAC athletes who are sophomores, juniors and seniors with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Those Spartans are listed below.

Joseph Abiakam
Trequan Barnes
Daiysa Burrell
Kayla Brown
Evans Cheruiyot
Anteneh Girma
Kiara Grant
Kamil Jihad
Meshack Kipchirchir
Fridah Koech     
Lelei Too
Jacob Milton
Caroline Samoei
Akiera Sessoms