BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alcorn State's men's and women's track and field teams opened the heart of the indoor season with a strong and well-balanced performance at the UAB Blazer Invitational on Saturday, competing against a deep field at the Birmingham CrossPlex and collecting multiple top-eight finishes across sprint, middle-distance, and field events.
The Lady Braves were led by a dominant showing in the 500 meters, where Alcorn State secured the top two spots in the event. Rikki Gray delivered one of the day's standout performances, capturing first place with a winning time of 1:18.34. Close behind, Sanaa Parker finished second at 1:18.39, giving Alcorn State a one-two sweep and underscoring the team's strength in the middle-distance events.
Earlier in the meet, Kayotric Taplin opened competition for the Lady Braves in the 60-meter hurdles, placing seventh overall with a time of 9.02. In the 200 meters, Brianna Wilson continued her strong indoor campaign by finishing sixth with a time of 24.62, a mark that continues to rank among the top performances this season within NCAA Division I and HBCU competition. Izayla Harris added another top-eight finish for Alcorn State in the 300 meters, crossing the line seventh at 40.04, while Mercedes Sewell rounded out the women's running events with an eighth-place finish in the 400 meters, clocking 1:03.37.
On the men's side, the Braves turned in several podium performances, beginning with Derrick Williams in the 300 meters. Williams placed third in the event with a strong time of 33.81, continuing a productive indoor season. Bryan Alvarez followed with a third-place finish of his own in the 1000 meters, stopping the clock at 2:42.80 and adding valuable points against a competitive field.
Trellas Forrest delivered one of the most consistent performances of the meet for the Braves, competing in multiple events. Forrest placed sixth in the 200 meters with a time of 22.02 before returning to the track later in the day to earn a second-place finish in the 500 meters, clocking 1:04.19.
In the field events, Jadan Miller represented Alcorn State in the shot put, recording a sixth-place finish with a throw of 15.11 meters, adding to the Braves' overall depth across disciplines.
With the UAB Blazer Invitational now complete, Alcorn State turns its attention to the next phase of the indoor season. The Braves and Lady Braves will travel to Nashville, Tenn., next week to compete in the Vanderbilt Invitational, scheduled for January 16–17, as they continue to build momentum and prepare for upcoming conference competition.
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