WSSU track & field

One of Winston-Salem State's newest athletic programs, track and field, has quickly become one of its most accomplished. After shutting down the track and field program for five years, the university revived it for the 2005-2006 school year.

"It's a work in progress," said head coach Halcyon Blake. "We've still got a ways to go."

Blake said that the key to building a solid program is getting the right athletes.

"It's all about recruiting and getting the best athletes you can on your team," she said.

Both the men's and women's teams have competed in two meets since the outdoor season began earlier this month, the UNC Wilmington Seahawk Invitational and the Wake Forest Open.

Because WSSU doesn't yet have its own on-campus track facility, the two-day meet is the only chance most WSSU students get to see their track team in action.

"It's always a great thing," Blake said. "It's basically a home meet for us."

Women's senior sprinter, Wykeita Barnett had the most dramatic finish of the meet's second day as she was outleaned at the finish line to take second place in the women's 100m dash.

After posting the best time in the preliminaries the previous day, Barnett ran a 12.13 and took second place by 0.01 seconds in the finals.

She was joined by freshman DeNisha Jiles, who also qualified for the finals in the women's 100m dash. Jiles finished the day with a 12.50.

The women's 4x400m relay team finished eighth in 3:54.38. The WSSU `B' team finished 10th in the women's 4x100m relay with a 49.14 in the event.

The men's relay teams also performed well in front of the hometown crowd. The WSSU 4x400m relay team finished second at 3:15.22, while the WSSU 4x100m relay team finished fifth in 41.96.

Both teams will participate in the Aggie Relays in Greensboro on April 3 and April 4.

Barnett has been with the program since its revival. She's witnessed and participated in the program's growth since her freshman year.

"Well we're in a different conference, and the program is stronger," she said. "We have more people and a better [practice] facility."