Jackson State and FAMU take SWAC Track Titles
The 2026 Southwestern Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships concluded Tuesday at A.W. Mumford Stadium with Florida A&M claiming the women's title and Jackson State capturing the men's championship.
Both team races featured standout individual performances, championship-record efforts and dramatic scoring battles throughout the meet.
For Florida A&M, the women's title came down to depth and sprint dominance. For Jackson State, the men's championship marked a historic breakthrough decades in the making.
Florida A&M Women Edge Alabama State for Championship
Florida A&M captured the women's SWAC Outdoor Track and Field Championship with 145.5 total points, narrowly holding off Alabama State, which finished second with 132 points.
Southern placed third with 95.5 points, while Alabama A&M finished fourth with 93 points.
The Lady Rattlers were powered by one of the most dominant performances of the championship meet from sprinter Diandrenique Gaines.
Gaines captured gold in both the women's 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash. She set a championship-record time of 11.15 seconds in the 100 meters before returning to win the 200-meter title in 22.72.
Florida A&M also received strong sprint performances from Kiersten Clark and Janaree Kinchen as the Lady Rattlers secured the conference championship.
Alabama State, Alabama A&M Shine in Distance Events
Alabama State's distance runners played a major role in keeping the team race close throughout the meet.
Aliyah Williams swept both the women's 800-meter run and 1500-meter run, while teammate Shone Walters finished runner-up in both events to help the Lady Hornets remain in contention until the final day.
Alabama A&M also delivered several standout performances.
Alisha Wilson won the women's 400-meter dash in 53.26 seconds, narrowly edging teammate Laila Gaynor, who crossed the finish line at 53.27.
In long-distance competition, Alabama A&M's Laura Avila claimed conference championships in both the women's 5,000-meter run and 10,000-meter run.
Southern's Tashina Alase also turned in one of the top performances of the championship, posting a blazing 12.84 time in the preliminaries of the women's 100-meter hurdles.
Jackson State Men Capture First Outdoor Title Since 1990
On the men's side, Jackson State claimed the SWAC Outdoor Track and Field Championship with 142 total points.
Texas Southern finished second with 110 points, while Bethune-Cookman placed third with 104.5 points.
The championship marks Jackson State's first men's outdoor track and field title since 1990.
The Tigers relied on strong scoring depth throughout the meet along with key gold-medal performances.
Collins Kibet won the men's 3000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:41.74, while Kaiden Berry - co-Most Outstanding Field Performer - captured the shot put championship with a throw of 17.13 meters.
Jackson State also received valuable points from Sedgwrick Pitts Jr., who finished fourth in the men's 200-meter dash, and Connor Cooper, who placed fifth in the decathlon.
Sprint and Field Events Produce Standout Moments
Several individual performances highlighted the men's championship meet.
Alcorn State's Derrick Williams delivered one of the fastest times of the week, winning the men's 200-meter dash in 20.49 seconds. Texas Southern's Joshua Brown finished second, while Bethune-Cookman's Shanard Walker placed third.
Florida A&M's Tyon Reed claimed the men's 400-meter hurdles title with a winning mark of 51.43.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff's Kewarny Fletcher captured the men's 800-meter championship with a winning time of 1:50.00, while Southern's Marcus Delcy finished second.
Texas Southern's Donovan Brooks won the men's decathlon title with 6,152 total points after posting victories in the javelin throw, shot put and 1,500-meter run.
Bethune-Cookman's Christian Dozier finished second in the decathlon standings, while Alabama State's Kaden McKire placed third overall.
Final Team Standings
Women
- Florida A&M - 145.5
- Alabama State - 132
- Southern - 95.5
- Alabama A&M - 93
Men
- Jackson State - 142
- Texas Southern - 110
- Bethune-Cookman - 104.5
Championship Meet Showcases SWAC Depth
The 2026 SWAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships once again showcased the conference's depth across sprinting, distance events, hurdles and field competition.
Florida A&M and Jackson State ultimately emerged with the team championships, but standout performances across the conference highlighted the growing strength of SWAC track and field heading into postseason competition.
The post Jackson State and FAMU take SWAC Track Titles appeared first on HBCU Gameday.
HBCU Gameday
This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 6:08 PM.