Dillard University four-peats, Philander Smith's Collins win Second Straight Individual Title
DANVILLE, Ala. - The 2024 Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship featured a pair of dominating performances as Dillard University had all five of its runners finish in the top 15, continuing its dynasty with its fourth consecutive title. Ja'Neisha Collins of Philander Smith University captured her second straight individual by 41 seconds Friday at Oakville Indian Mounds Education Center Course.
Brooklyn Acosta led the Lady Bleu Devils with a third-place finish at 27:04.70. She was followed by her teammates Tazia McGee (28:12.53), Kevell Byrd (28:23.99), and Kennedy Timmons (28:33.69), who finished sixth through eighth place. Jaelynn Hoffman rounded out Dillard's finishers with an 11th place finish (28:52.33).
Collins finished the six-kilometer race in 26:04.02, which was 12 seconds from her personal best. She dominated the conference winning three HBCUAC Runner of the Week awards.
Tougaloo College finished runner-up with two All-HBCUAC runners.
Jewel Cross of Talladega College finished a distant second at 26:45.73. Also earning All-HBCUAC with top 10 finishes were Ta'Mya Sims (27:59.46) and Herlancia Miller (27:59.89) of Tougaloo College, who finished fourth and fifth respectively. Lauren Warr of Rust College (28:43.93) and Ariel Johnson (28:52.13) finished ninth and 10th.
Tougaloo College finished runner-up with 79 points and Talladega followed with 81.
Dillard coaches Niles Legania and Brandon Scruggs won Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year after leading the Bleu Devils to the title. Acosta won the HBCU Elite 9 Award presented by Blooksy which honors the athlete with the top grade-point average, marking the first time in conference history that it has presented an academic award at its championships. She is a physics major with a 4.0 GPA through 107 credit hours.
Dillard, Collins, Cross, Sims and Miller - the top four finishers not on the winning team - will qualify for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Championship at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo. on November 22. NAIA Cross Country Championship qualifiers will be announced in the coming weeks. For details on the championship, visit naia.org.
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About 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), Oakwood University (AL), 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 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.