Eagles Claim Three Event Wins to Open Indoor Track & Field Season
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Meridian Community College men's and women's track & field teams opened the 2026 indoor season with a strong showing Saturday at the UAB/Vulcan Invitational, competing against a deep field of 18 colleges and universities at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
Meridian stood out as the only community college in attendance, yet still found success against four-year competition, highlighted by three first-place finishes on the men's side.
Sophomore Jamari Page (Ridgeland, Miss.) captured first place in the men's 60-meter hurdles, crossing the line in 8.02. Sophomore T.J. Autrey (Auburn, Ala.) claimed the top spot in the men's high jump with a clearance of 2.01 meters, while sophomore Khiyon Lewis (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) won the men's triple jump with a mark of 15.04 meters.
The Eagles also posted several notable performances across the meet. In the men's 200 meters, three Meridian athletes finished inside the top six, with Eryk Brown, Jaden King, and Jamir Haskin all turning in strong races. Freshman Tylar Ross added a fifth-place finish in the men's 800 meters.
In relay action, Meridian recorded solid early-season results, with the men's 4x400-meter relay teams finishing fourth and sixth, while the women's 4x400-meter relay squads placed sixth and seventh.
Head Coach Chip Gayden was pleased with how his team opened the indoor campaign.
"For our first meet of the season, I thought our athletes competed extremely well," Gayden said. "To go into a meet like this against four-year programs and come away with event wins and strong performances across the board is a great way to start the indoor season."
The Eagles will return to action Friday, January 16, when the men's and women's teams travel to Baton Rouge, La. to compete in the Purple Tiger Invitational.
For full results and meet highlights from the UAB/Vulcan Invitational, visit:
https://live.xpresstiming.com/meets/59987/teams/1429688
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