Daytona Beach, Fla. — The Albany State track and field teams kicked off the 2026 outdoor season with an impressive performance at the Embry-Riddle Eagle Invite in Daytona Beach, Florida. Competing against a deep field of programs, the Golden Rams men's team placed sixth out of 20 teams, while the Lady Golden Rams delivered a standout performance with a third-place finish among 16 teams.
 
Albany State's athletes posted several top finishes across both track and field events, setting a strong tone for the season ahead.
 
Adoni Nembhard-Belcher led the men's division by finishing 2nd in the 200 meters with a time of 21.37 seconds. Jace Weaver turned in a solid performance in the 100 meters, finishing fifth with a time of 10.60 seconds. Weaver also helped power the Golden Rams' top relay performance of the meet as part of the 4x400-meter relay team that captured third place with a time of 3:15.66. The relay squad featured Weaver, Demario Jackson, Adoni Nembhard-Belcher, and Amos Oruamabo, combining for one of Albany State's fastest times of the meet. The Golden Rams' B relay team of Bangally Touray, Rayshawn Goodman, Gene Jones, and Connor Jennings also performed well, finishing with a time of 3:23.67.
 
Sophomore Adoni Nembhard-Belcher highlighted the men's individual performances with a runner-up finish in the 200 meters, crossing the line in 21.37 seconds.
 
The Lady Golden Rams produced several strong performances throughout the meet, led by Cadence Cray, who placed third in the 400 meters with a time of 56.96 seconds. Cadence Tanner added another top finish on the track, placing fourth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.03 seconds.
 
Albany State's depth was especially evident in the women's 4x400-meter relay, where the Lady Golden Rams placed second and third. The A team, consisting of Princess Okoye, TyAsia Brown, Cadence Tanner, and Jeniya Lawrence, secured second place with a time of 4:04.96. The B team of Brea Vann, Sydney Haywood, Azzaria Brown, and Jayda Spikes followed closely behind, finishing third in 4:08.84.
 
In the field events, Cadence Tanner continued her strong day with a second-place finish in the long jump, recording a mark of 5.49 meters (18' 0.25"), while teammate Savannah Sparks placed sixth with a jump of 5.16 meters (16' 11.25").
 
Freshman Kaylee Holloway made an immediate impact in the throwing events, collecting three top-three finishes. Holloway finished second in the shot put with a throw of 11.97 meters (39' 3.25"), third in the discus with a mark of 42.19 meters (138' 5"), and second in the hammer throw with a distance of 40.67 meters (133' 5").
 
Additional strong performances came from Sataria Cantrell, who placed fourth in the shot put (10.73m / 35' 2.5") and sixth in the hammer throw (39.62m / 130' 0"), while Levita Williams finished fifth in the discus with a throw of 38.07 meters (124' 11"). In the javelin, freshman Skye Zwirner recorded a fourth-place finish with a mark of 33.28 meters (109' 2").
 
The strong early-season performances highlighted Albany State's depth across multiple events and set the stage for continued success as the outdoor season progresses.
 
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ABOUT ALBANY STATE ATHLETICS
Albany State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II-level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 11 sports: women's volleyball, women's tennis, women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, softball, men's and women's track and field, women's soccer, baseball, and football, with all teams competing in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), except women's soccer, which participates in the Peach Belt Conference.