VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Norfolk State women's track & field team opened the 2026 indoor season with a strong showing at the VCU Ram Indoor Invite on Friday at the Virginia Beach Sports Center, registering 14 top-10 finishes.
The Spartans totaled six podium performances, highlighted by a sweep of the women's pole vault.
Freshman Emma Svetiev claimed gold in the event with a clearance of 3.15 meters, while Hunter Lexa finished second (2.70m) and Fabienne Renelus rounded out the podium with a third-place mark of 2.55 meters.
Brooklyn Robinson delivered a standout performance in the 60-meter hurdles, winning the preliminaries before finishing second in the finals with a time of 8.38. Robinson also added a sixth-place finish in the 60-meter dash (7.69) after placing second in the prelims (7.63).
Freshman Jada Arrington earned a bronze medal in the 400 meters, crossing the line in 58.52 seconds. Payton Drumwright followed closely in fourth (58.74), while Janaisa Dearry placed sixth with a time of 59.23.
Additional top-10 finishes included Essence Shaw, who placed fourth in the high jump after clearing 1.60 meters, and Malye Hawes, who finished fifth in the long jump with a mark of 5.56 meters.
In the distance events, Amira Dailey crossed the line eighth in the 3,000 meters with a time of 11:10.7, while Brandy Hall rounded out the top-10 performances with a ninth-place finish in the 200 meters (25.43).
Norfolk State returns to action on Saturday, January 17, when the Spartans travel to New York to compete in the HBCU Showcase.
VCU Ram Indoor Invite Results
