NC State track and field returns from 49er Classic with personal bests and podium finishes

Brennan Weiss, Assistant Sports Editor • Mar 27, 2026

Freshman sprinter James Coleman jumps over the hurdle in the 400m hurdles event during the Duke Invitational in the Morris Williams Stadium on Saturday, April 13, 2025. Coleman placed first in his heat and eleventh overall with a time of 53.00.

In the first event of the outdoor season, NC State hit the track and field hard at the 49er classic, reaching the podium eight times.

Sophomore James Coleman stole the show on the first day with a personal-best in the 110m hurdles. His time of 14.06 earned first place and cleared second by a tenth of a second. Graduate student Alexander Nunley and junior Xavier Branker also made the top five, coming in one-thousandth of a second apart.

Sophomore Shauné Ingraham delivered her own personal-best in the women’s 200m. Although she only took ninth place in the event, her time of 24.27 was the ninth-fastest in NC State history. Junior Jordyn Parker wasn’t far behind, taking 11th place in 24.38.

In the men’s 200m, the Pack placed even higher up on the leaderboard. Junior Christian Parker, as well as Coleman, delivered personal bests at 21.17 and 21.19, respectively. Those times were good for fourth and fifth place in the event. Just behind them was Junior Elijah Dawes, who took sixth place with a time of 21.23.

Sophomore Chandler Welsh — who debuted for the Pack in the 2025 Cross Country Season — ran a 4:31.83 in the women’s mile finals. Senior Caroline Murrell hit a personal-best of 4:36.34 to claim 10th place in the event.

NC State fared well in the 4x400m relays. Coleman, Branker, Dawes and Christian Parker clocked a 3:08.89 for first place. Meanwhile, Sophomore Molly Canon and freshman Alexis Mayhew were joined by Ingraham and Jordyn Parker for a 3:42.64 time. That was good for second in the 49er Classic, but also the No. 4 spot on the Wolfpack’s all-time record sheet.

NC State also showed up in the jump events. Freshman Chase Farlow took fourth place in the men’s high jump with 2.00m. Sophomore Audrey Jenkins grabbed fourth place in the women’s high jump with 1.63m. Freshman Kirstin Smalls and Jenna Barnes also reached 1.63m, but took more attempts to get there. Smalls tied for sixth place, and Barnes took ninth place.

Graduate student David Coles, a transfer from VCU, took first place in the men’s triple jump with a season-best 15.33m. Coles also competed in the long jump, taking 24th place with 6.63m, well below his career-high of 7.44m.

Wolfpack athletes also marked some unforgettable performances in the throws. Senior Luke Theirfelder took first place in the men’s javelin with 61.89m, sophomore Bradley Pawlak made second place in the men’s discus with 49.74m and junior Iniyah Mitchell threw a personal-best 11.09m for 20th place.

Next up, NC State hosts the Raleigh Relays here in the City of Oaks from March 26-28.