BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Tuskegee indoor track & field teams completed a busy and productive weekend of competition at the Birmingham CrossPlex, turning in a series of strong performances across two meets hosted by UAB.
 
The Golden Tigers competed Friday at the UAB Green & Gold Invitational before returning to the track Saturday for the UAB Invitational, recording multiple top finishes, finals appearances, and season-best marks against deep regional and Division I-heavy fields.
 
Friday's Spring Invite provided an early-season test for both squads, and Tuskegee responded with encouraging results across the event spectrum. On the women's side, the Golden Tigers found success in the throws and combined events.
 
Danielle Wilson led the way in the shot put with a mark of 10.05 meters, finishing inside the top 20 overall, while Natalia Harper followed closely at 9.77 meters. Harper also delivered one of the top SIAC performances of the meet in the weight throw, recording a best of 12.60 meters, with Wilson adding a solid 11.63-meter effort.
 
Tuskegee's women also made their mark in the pentathlon, placing three athletes inside the top 10. Amira Broussard led the group with a sixth-place finish after scoring 2,732 points, followed by Kelsey Sawyer with 2,685 points and Mia Lindsey with 2,596, showcasing the program's depth in combined events. In the jumps, Aysha Furlow recorded a best of 10.31 meters in the triple jump, finishing just outside the top 15 in a large field.
 
The men delivered several standout performances Friday, highlighted by Christopher Thomas Jr., who advanced to the finals of the 60 meters after posting a 7.06-second time in the preliminaries against elite sprint competition.
 
Thomas also competed in the 200 meters, finishing in 21.92 seconds. In the field events, Christian Sanders recorded one of Tuskegee's top marks of the meet in the triple jump, placing inside the top 10 overall with a leap of 12.86 meters.
 
Sanders also added a 5.88-meter effort in the long jump. Christopher Carmack paced the Tigers in the shot put with a throw of 12.33 meters, while Tuskegee's distance runners logged solid performances in the 3,000 meters and mile, led by William McCullough's 9:22.43 and Chris Connelly's 4:28.54.
 
Saturday's UAB Invitational saw the Golden Tigers return to the CrossPlex and continue to build momentum, particularly in the women's events. Tuskegee's top relay showing came in the 4×400, where the Golden Tigers posted a time of 3:57.98, demonstrating strong pacing and a competitive close against regional opponents.
 
Kanjiah Angel delivered one of the day's top individual performances for Tuskegee, clocking a 57.57 in the 400 meters and contributing across multiple relay efforts. In the jumps, De'Shell Carr recorded a strong mark of 5.22 meters in the long jump, while Alysha Furlow followed with a 10.23-meter effort in the triple jump.
 
The women's throws group continued to show improvement, with Wilson leading the way once again in the shot put at 10.57 meters and Matalea Harper adding depth with a solid series. Tuskegee also competed across the hurdles and middle-distance events, gaining valuable experience and recording marks that put several athletes within reach of personal and seasonal bests.
 
The men's team remained active throughout Saturday's meet, producing notable results across the field events. Brent Prestor turned in one of Tuskegee's top performances of the weekend in the triple jump with a mark of 13.74 meters (45-1).
 
Sanders added another solid showing in the high jump, clearing 1.74 meters (5-8.5), while Carmack and Julian Joseph recorded shot put marks of 11.54 meters and 11.44 meters, respectively. Aiden Bass represented the Tigers in the long jump with a 4.97-meter effort, and Tuskegee's men's 4×400 relay gained valuable experience in a crowded field.
 
The weekend in Birmingham served as an important step forward as Tuskegee continues to fine-tune performances heading into the upcoming SIAC Indoor championship meet starting on February 19 in Louisville, Ky.
 
 How to Follow the Golden Tigers
For complete information on Tuskegee Golden Tigers Athletics, visit GoldenTigerSports.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.