FAMU Women's Track and Field Captures Back-to-Back SWAC Outdoor Championships

5/12/2026 10:10:00 PM

BATON ROUGE, La. — The Florida A&M women's track and field team defended its throne, capturing the 2026 Southwestern Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championship for the second consecutive year behind a dominant performance at Southern University's campus, May 10-12.

The Rattlers amassed 145.5 points to hold off Alabama State (132) and Southern (95.5) in a wire-to-wire effort that featured five individual event titles, two relay crowns and a host of personal bests and nationally ranked marks.

Gaines Headlines Championship Weekend

Senior sprinter Diandrenique Gaines was the star of the meet, sweeping the 100- and 200-meter dashes in championship-record fashion. Gaines clocked 11.15 seconds in the 100 meters — a new SWAC Championship meet record that ranks No. 1 among all HBCU performers and No. 20 in NCAA Division I this season. She followed that with a 22.72-second effort in the 200 meters, another HBCU-best mark that sits No. 15 nationally.

Gaines also anchored the Rattlers' 4x400-meter relay team alongside Kirah Copeland, Katelynn Smith and Kiersten Clark that won in 3:36.72 — a season-best time ranking No. 1 among HBCUs and No. 53 in Division I.

Event Winners and Top Performers — Women

Junior Katelynn Smith added to the haul with a victory in the 400-meter hurdles, crossing in 57.95 seconds — the top mark among HBCU athletes and No. 46 in Division I this season. Smith also placed fourth in the 100-meter hurdles (13.42).

Sophomore Ty'yanah Adams continued her breakout campaign with a runner-up finish in the 100-meter hurdles in a personal-best 13.07 seconds, ranking No. 2 among HBCUs and No. 22 nationally.

Freshman Janaree Kinchen delivered a pair of podium finishes, placing third in the 100 meters (11.38) and second in the 200 meters (23.51). Senior Kiersten Clark added second-place points in the 100 meters (11.37, a personal best) and was a key relay contributor.

Sophomore Kirah Copeland earned a third-place finish in the 400 meters with a personal-best 53.60, while senior Tara Bert scored in multiple events with third-place finishes in both the 800 meters (2:14.09) and 1,500 meters (4:52.97).

The 4x100-meter relay team of Kinchen, Gaines, Clark and Arayana Ladson ran 43.97 seconds to take gold.

Other contributors included sophomore Arayana Ladson, who scored in three individual events; freshman Kiyah Boyd, who placed fourth in the 400-meter hurdles (59.45, a personal best ranking No. 9 among HBCUs); freshman Leandra Ferrell, who scored in both the 800 (2:21.61) and 1,500 meters (4:55.72); and junior Niya Coleman, who picked up points in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (12:01.74).

Men Place Fourth Behind Breakout Performances

On the men's side, the Rattlers tallied 86 points to finish fourth behind champion Jackson State (142), Texas Southern (110) and Bethune-Cookman (104.5). Despite the fourth-place team finish, FAMU's men produced several individual highlights that bode well for the future of the program.

Freshman Tyon Reed was a revelation in the 400-meter hurdles, winning the conference title in a personal-best 51.43 seconds — a time that ranks No. 6 among HBCU athletes and No. 86 in Division I. Reed advanced from the prelims in fifth position before storming to the top of the podium in the final.

Sophomore Joseph DeRosier captured the SWAC title in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.55 seconds. DeRosier entered the final as the second-fastest qualifier and delivered when it mattered, while senior teammate Leonard Mustari placed third (13.98).

The men's 4x100-meter relay squad of Frankleen Newah-Jarfoi, Darien Lawrence, Evan Brown and Myles Copeland-Naughty blazed to a first-place finish in 39.59 seconds — the No. 3 time among HBCUs and No. 37 in Division I this season.

Senior Darien Lawrence placed third in the 100 meters (10.29) and junior Evan Brown was fourth (10.38, a personal best ranking No. 17 among HBCUs). Junior Myles Copeland-Naughty added a fifth-place finish in the 200 meters (21.08).

In the field events, sophomore Josiah Gaynor soared to a runner-up finish in the long jump at 7.75 meters (25-5.25), a personal best that ranks No. 2 among HBCUs and No. 19 in Division I. Sophomore Randell Pompey cleared 2.12 meters (6-11.50) for fourth in the high jump — a personal best ranking No. 2 among HBCUs and No. 59 nationally.

Senior Kirk Dawkins placed third in the 800 meters (1:51.33), and senior William Shelton also scored in the event (2:01.61).

Final Team Standings

Women: 1. Florida A&M, 145.5; 2. Alabama State, 132; 3. Southern, 95.5; 4. Alabama A&M, 93; 5. Prairie View, 78.5; 6. Texas Southern, 72; 7. Jackson State, 57; 8. Bethune-Cookman, 54.5; 9. Grambling, 36; 10. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 27; 11. Alcorn State, 26; 12. Mississippi Valley, 1.

Men: 1. Jackson State, 142; 2. Texas Southern, 110; 3. Bethune-Cookman, 104.5; 4. Florida A&M, 86; 5. Alabama State, 80.5; 6. Alcorn State, 68; 7. Southern, 64.5; 8. Alabama A&M, 52; 9. Prairie View, 44; 10. Grambling, 38; 11. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 24.5.

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