NEW ORLEANS (May 20, 2024) - All-Region honors for the 2024 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field season were announced on Friday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) following the conclusion of the regular season.
Top-5 individuals in each event from each region earned All-Region honors, and each member of a top-3 ranked relay team.
Only USTFCCCA member programs are eligible for awards.
For the Atlantic region, WSSU had 10 student-athletes be named to the All-Region team.
First, the 4X100 relay team of Lydia Chapple, Brianna Benloss, Ronee Tudor, and Hayleigh Bryant earned honors. The foursome had a top time of 45.71 at the Livingstone Blue Bear Invitational.
Also, from Winston-Salem State was Benloss being named for the 100m and 200m, Tudor for the 100m, Bryant for the 200m, Kennedy Alexander for high jump, Destiny Griffin for shot put, Charnessa Reid for 100m hurdles and long jump, and Layla Simpson for 100m hurdles.
Benloss was named the CIAA Outdoor Women’s Athlete of the Year and captured first place in the 100m finals with a time of 11.87.
Tudor finished second in the 100m finals with an NCAA qualifying time of 12.01.
Bryant captured first place in the 200m finals with an NCAA qualifying time of 23.83 at the CIAA championships. She later qualified for regionals at the Dani Palooza Last Chance meet with a school record time of 23.66.
Alexander, named to the All-Region team last year, captured second at CIAA’s in the high jump with a mark of 1.65m (5'5").
Griffin had her top performance mark in the shot put of 13,92m (45’8”) at the Livingstone Blue Bear Invitational.
Reid took second place in the 100h (14.45), and Layla Simpson finished in third (14.45) at outdoor championships. Reid had her top mark of 5.87m and also broke the school record at the Dani Palooza Last Chance meet.
Bryant, who was named the CIAA Indoor Women's Track Athlete of the Year is scheduled to compete in the preliminary round on Friday, May 24 around 5:45 p.m.
For additional information, regarding the Rams track and field program visit the Official Website of WSSU Athletics at www.WSSURAMS.com.
About Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem State University fosters the creative thinking, analytical problem-solving, and depth of character needed to transform the world. Rooted in liberal education, WSSU's curriculum prepares students to be thought leaders who have the skills and knowledge needed to develop innovative solutions to complex problems. Founded in 1892, WSSU is a historically Black constituent institution of the University of North Carolina with a rich tradition of contributing to the social, cultural, intellectual, and economic growth of North Carolina, the region, and beyond. Guided by the motto, "Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve," WSSU develops leaders who advance social justice by serving the world with compassion and commitment. For more information, visit www.wssu.edu.
About the CIAA
Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first, and longest running, African American athletic conference in the U.S. and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. The CIAA conducts 14 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. The Basketball Tournament has been honored as a 2019 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, for both 2018 and 2019.
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 13 member institutions: Bowie State University, Bluefield State University, Claflin University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Saint Augustine's University, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State University. For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.