Top HBCUAC Championship Performers claim final 2026 HBCUAC Men's Track and Field Awards

These delivered strong performances at the 2026 HBCUAC Track and Field Championship

May 5, 2026

NEW ORLEANS - After delivering impressive performances at the 2026 Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Track and Field Championship, Voorhees University distance runner Camron Gilliard wins HBCUAC Men's Track and Field Track Athlete and Freshman of the Week. Talladega College thrower Jaylen Haynes garners Field Athlete of the Week. Wiley University distance runner John Russell Jr. brings home Newcomer of the Week.

Gilliard was the Most Valuable Track Performer at the 2026 HBCUAC Championship. He won the 1,500-meter run and turned in a runner-up finish in the 800-meter run. He helped Voorhees place in the 4 x 400-meter relay and 4 x 800-meter relay. His performances helped the Tigers repeat as HBCUAC Champions.

Haynes won Most Valuable Field Performer. He won the hammer throw and discus and finished runner-up in the shot put.

Russell Jr. delievered an All-HBCUAC finish in the 5,000-meter run. He finished third with a time of 17:35.85. He also placed in the 1,500-meter run.

2026 HBCUAC Men's Track and Field Athletes of the Week

Date	Track	Field	Freshman	Newcomer
March 9-15	Ronald Garrett, Wiley	Carey Owens, Stillman	Denim Charles, Dillard	Jai Harden, Wiley
March 16-22	Surprise Babalola, Dillard	Jayden Burris, Voorhees	DeAndre Jones, Voorhees	N/A
March 23-29	Surprise Babalola, Dillard	Kemal Benjamin, Rust	Romel Collins, Dillard	John Russell Jr., Wiley
March 30-April 5	Ronald Garrett, Wiley	DeAndre Jones, Voorhees	DeAndre Jones, Voorhees	Jai Harden, Wiley
April 6-12	Zaireon Skinner, Voorhees	Jaylen Burris, Voorhees	Zaireon Skinner, Voorhees	Kendrick Sherrer, Wilberforce
April 13-19	Ronald Garrett, Wiley	Myrian Blaze, Wiley	Earl Hurd Jr., Wiley	Kendrick Sherrer, Wilberforce
April 20-26	Jamaal Morris Jr., Dillard	Muhammad Shreef, Voorhees	Jordan Thomas, Dillard	N/A
April 27-May 3	Camron Gilliard, Voorhees	Jaylen Haynes, Talladega	Camron Gilliard, Voorhees	John Russell Jr., Wiley

About the HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Huston-Tillotson University (TX), Oakwood University (AL), Paul Quinn College (TX), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.