NORFOLK, VA --- Two South Carolina State student-athletes earned Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Track and Field Weekly Honor, presented by Coca-Cola, the league announced Thursday (Apr. 18).

Senior Dexter Ratliff of Beaufort was named Men's Field Athlete of the Week, while sophomore Kennedy Spears of Spartanburg earned Women's Field Athlete of the Week accolades.

Ratliff, who earned the honor for a second straight week and the third time this season, placed first in the men's discus throw at the Sharonda Coleman-Singleton Classic, hosted by SC State, with a 48.99m throw to lead the MEAC, while Spears finished first in the women's high jump at the meet with a leap of 1.65m, ranking her second in the MEAC in the event.

SC State's Angelica Federick and Javon Brooks were among other student-athletes honored for outstanding performances.

Norfolk State's graduate student Kai Cole was named MEAC Men's Track Athlete of the Week, while Norfolk State junior Mercyline Kimaiyo was selected as the MEAC Women's Track Athlete of the Week

Cole (Gr., Alexandria, Va.) won first place at the Duke Invitational in the men's 100m dash, clocking a time of 10.27 seconds, and also placed third in the men's 200m dash for a season-best 20.76, while Kimaiyo (Jr., Kaptagat, Kenya) set a new MEAC record in the women's 5000m, with a time of 6:58.84, setting a new personal best. She beat her own school record of 17:14.49, set in the 2023 season. She is the only athlete in MEAC history to complete the 5,000m run in under 17 minutes.

Other Top Performers

· Adrian Holley (Morgan State) won first place in the men's 100m and 200m dash.

· Cathrina Morris (Howard) finished second in the women's 100m hurdles, clocking a MEAC best 13.45 time.

· Angelica Frederick (South Carolina State) won the women's 200m race (24.51), was second in the women's 100m race (11.87) and helped her team to a first-place finish in the women's 4x400m relay and second in the women's 4x100.

· Javon Brooks (South Carolina State) placed first in the men's 400m run in a time of 47.07. He also anchored in the 4X400 meter relay which posted a time of 3:12.32 ranking second in the MEAC.

· Meshack Kuyo (North Carolina Central) finished sixth in the men's 5000m run, with a personal best of 14:08.09 to put him in the top-five for the event in the conference.

· Lamont Victoria (North Carolina Central) came in fourth place in the men's high jump with a height of 2.05m.