NASHVILLE — The Tennessee State track and field program opened the 2025 indoor season with the kind of energy and depth the coaching staff hoped to see, turning in multiple personal bests and several top-eight finishes at Saturday's Vanderbilt Indoor Opener. Against a field stacked with SEC and regional programs, the Tigers showed they're ahead of schedule — led by breakthrough performances from Devin Jones and Robert Hooper.

The tone of the meet shifted early when Jones stepped onto the track for the men's 600m. Known for his closing strength, the sophomore pieced together his most complete race yet, staying disciplined through the first 300 before making his push. His surge over the final lap carried him to a new personal record, immediately establishing one of the day's top TSU highlights and setting the bar for the rest of the squad.

Not long after, Hooper answered with a personal best of his own in the men's mile. Running with poise and patience, the senior settled into the pack before executing a strong negative split over the final laps. His lifetime-best finish capped one of the most polished races of his TSU career and gave the Tigers their second PR of the afternoon.

While Jones and Hooper delivered the headline results, TSU's women matched the energy with steady performances across the middle-distance lanes. Sydney McGee led a group of four Tigers in the women's 600m, powering to a top-20 finish, while Haley Blades, Quinn Hudson, and Maleia Ali each opened the year with strong baseline efforts that will serve them well as the indoor season unfolds. Senior hurdler Kara Stewart added a 9.16 performance in the 60m hurdles, giving TSU another early-season mark to build on.

The Tigers carried that momentum into the field events, where Olivia Allison, Haley Blades, and Madison Houston-Boykin delivered competitive marks. Allison highlighted the group with an eighth-place finish in the triple jump, hitting 11.62m on her season-best effort. She also placed 17th in the long jump, with Blades adding a 23rd-place result in her second event of the day. In the high jump, Houston-Boykin cleared 1.52m to secure a top-13 finish in a deep field.

TSU's throwers also made an early statement. Senior Ayana Pugh finished sixth in the shot put, while teammate Carolyn McRee added a solid 10.95m. McRee's biggest performance, however, came in the weight throw, where she unleashed a career-best 15.41m to finish eighth overall — the Tigers' third PR of the meet. Pugh followed in 12th with a consistent series of throws.

The day closed on a high note for the men's team, with both TSU 4x400 squads turning in confident season-opening relays. The A-team of Quest Agee, Joshua McClendon, Nigel Simon Jr., and Devin Jones ran 3:18.05 to place sixth overall, while the B-team — featuring Hooper, Brian Townsend, Aaron Davis, and Kylen Thorps — won its heat in 3:26.49, surging past two opponents over the final lap.

Freshman sprinter Nigel Ancrum added one more bright spot in the short sprints, advancing to the finals in the 60m with a 6.82 prelim before placing eighth among all qualifiers. Junior Caleb Joshway posted a strong 6.83 in the prelims, just shy of advancing.

From PRs on the track to strong marks in the field, Tennessee State walked away from the Vanderbilt Indoor Opener with momentum — and a clear sense that this year's roster has both the depth and the upside to make noise as the indoor season unfolds.

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Up Next

The Tigers return to action on Saturday, Jan. 3, when TSU hosts the Edward S. Temple Invitational at the Nashville Gentry Center. The early-January meet will provide another opportunity for athletes to sharpen their competition skills as the team heads deeper into the indoor season and prepares for Ohio Valley Conference challenges later this winter.