NORFOLK, Va. – Buoyed by four first-place finishes on Saturday, the Spartan men's track and field team defended its home turf by winning the 2022 MEAC Outdoor Track & Field Championship at Dick Price Stadium, completing a yearly sweep of the conference running titles for the Spartans.

The Spartans finished with 192.5 points, comfortably ahead of second-place Howard (163.5). This year marked NSU's first yearly sweep of the MEAC cross country, indoor and outdoor titles since 2011-12. That year also included the Spartans' most recent conference outdoor title. The 2022 outdoor title is NSU's 10th all-time.

Evans Cheruiyot earned MEAC Men's Most Outstanding Track Performer award after sweeping the three long-distance races and thus contributing 30 points to NSU's team total. He won the 10,000 on Thursday, the 3,000m steeplechase on Friday and the 5,000 meters on Saturday in a season-best 15 minutes, 19.55 seconds.

The Spartans started the final day by winning the first two races of the afternoon. The team of Kai Cole, Anthony Franklin, Bryan-Madison Ahouman and Savien Hayes won the 4x100 relay in a time of 40.12 seconds. A short time later, Regan Kimtai pulled away in the final 150 meters to win the 1,500 meters in 3:57.78. That was Kimtai's third career 1,500 MEAC title but first as a Spartan.

Jordan Williams added to NSU's gold medal haul later in the day, using a late surge to win the 400 hurdles in a PR of 51.87 seconds.
 

As usual, the Spartans displayed their depth in winning the team crown. Meshack Kipchirchir placed second behind Cheruiyot in the 5,000 (15:50.06) and Cole was runner-up in both the 100 (10.29) and 200 meters (20.92). NSU had multiple athletes in both shorter sprint finals – Franklin was fourth in the 100 and fifth in the 200, while Madison-Ahouman was also fifth in the 100.

In addition, Dazon Harrison placed sixth in the 400 meters and the 4x400 team of Harrison, Williams, Camren Wynder-Hill and Savien Hayes finished fourth to close the day out on the track.

In field events on Saturday, Isaac Haywood finished second in the triple jump with a top mark of 48 feet, 11.75 inches. Rodric Cox-Cooper II finished fifth in the same event with a top mark of 47-5. Additionally, Wynder-Hill placed fourth in the pole vault (11-6.5) and Kimtai finished fourth in the javelin (152-10).

Several Spartans are in position to qualify for the NCAA East Preliminary Round, which begins on May 26 in Bloomington, Indiana. More information will be available in the coming days.