BALTIMORE, Md. (June 4, 2026) -- The 2026 outdoor season marked another competitive and developmental campaign for the Morgan State women's track & field program, as the Lady Bears continued to build depth across sprints, relays, throws, jumps, and middle-distance events throughout the spring.
From strong early-season performances to breakthrough efforts at the MEAC Outdoor Championships, Morgan State showcased emerging young talent, veteran leadership, and steady improvement throughout the outdoor schedule. Several athletes produced personal-best performances, earned conference medals, and positioned themselves among the MEAC's top competitors by season's end.
Regular Season Highlights
Early Outdoor Opener
Morgan State began the outdoor campaign by building off a productive indoor season, with several athletes quickly establishing themselves as conference contenders.
Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational (March 20-21, 2026)
- Raven Johnson cleared 3.20m and tied for 4th place in the pole vault.
- Cailyn Johnson took 2nd place in the discus with a season-best toss of 46.77m.
- The 4x400m relay unit (A. Robinson, N. Eastman, K. Stewart, J. Robinson) crossed the finish line in 2nd place in their debut with a time of 3:56.48.
Bill Carson Invitational (March 27-28, 2026)
- The Lady Bears were paced by Keira Stewart's third-place finish in the long jump (5.51m).
- Cailyn Johnson added a fourth-place mark in the discus (40.77m), while Brylan Carter placed sixth in the hammer throw (47.85m).
- The Morgan State 'A' team (J. Robinson, A. Robinson, K. Stewart, K. More) was edged out at the finish line with a second-place time of 47.65.
- Anyra Knight raced to a 2nd place finish with a time of 14.11 (PR).
Dalton Ebanks Invitational (April 3-4, 2026)
- The Morgan State men's track & field team continued its outdoor campaign this weekend at the Dalton Ebanks Invitational, a two-day meet held at George Mason Stadium.
- Aleah Alexander's personal-best 1.63m clearance for second place in the high jump. Keira Stewart added a third-place finish in the long jump (5.80m), while Jatavia Robinson posted a season-best 24.37 to place eighth in the 200m.
- Jatavia Robinson led the way with a third-place finish in the 100m, clocking 11.61, while sophomore Cailyn Johnson added a third-place finish in the discus with a toss of 43.16m.
- The Lady Bears also turned in solid relay performances, with the 4x400m relay team placing fourth in a season-best 3:51.92 and the 4x100m relay team finishing fifth with a season-best 46.31.
Legacy Track Meet (April 17–18, 2026)
- Morgan State turned in several encouraging performances across the weekend, finishing as the meet runner-up with 87.5 points.
- Morgan State opened Day 1 on Friday with Brylan Carter capturing first place in the javelin with a throw of 36.61 meters, and opened the hammer throw with a personal-best toss of 50.00 meters to place second overall.
- Keira Stewart recorded a personal-best mark of 6.08 meters to claim first place.
- The Lady Bears continued to impress in the 4x100-meter relay, as the 'A' team secured a third-place finish with a season-best time of 46.19.
MEAC Outdoor Championships (May 14–16, 2026)
Team Placement
- Morgan State capped off an outstanding weekend at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Outdoor Track & Field Championships, finishing second overall in the final team standings with 119 points at William "Dick" Price Stadium on the campus of Norfolk State University.
Medal & Podium Highlights
- Gold Performances
- Brylan Carter captured the MEAC title in the javelin (40.24 meters) and hammer (51.25m).
- Laniyah Henderson won the MEAC title with a leap of 13.03 meters.
- Cailyn Johnson earned gold in the discus with a winning throw of 46.17 meters.
- Crystal Coke captured gold by winning the 3000m SC in 11:57.26.
- Silver & Bronze Performances
- Keira Stewart earned silver in the long jump with a clearance of 6.22m.
- Morgan State 'A' (J. Robinson, A. Knight, K. Gordon, K. Stewart) earned silver with a time of 45.68.
- Raven Johnson secured bronze in the pole vault by clearing 3.30 meters.
All-MEAC Honors
NCAA East Regional Qualifiers
The Morgan State Bears women's track & field program will be represented by two standout jumpers at the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships East First Rounds.
- Qualifiers
- Keira Stewart qualified in the long jump after recording a personal-best leap of 6.22 meters at the MEAC Championships. Stewart, who entered the competition ranked No. 39 in the East Region, recorded a jump of 19-9 (6.02m) to finish 22nd overall among the region's top 47 long jump competitors.
- Laniyah Henderson secured her place in the triple jump after posting a personal-best mark of 13.03 meters at the MEAC Championships. Henderson, who entered the meet ranked No. 22 in the East Region in the triple jump, recorded a mark of 40-3½ (12.28m) to place 39th overall in a highly competitive field of 47 athletes.
The NCAA qualifiers marked one of the strongest indicators of the program's upward trajectory.
Season Themes & Takeaways
Youth Movement
Freshmen and sophomores played a major role in Morgan State's success throughout the outdoor season.
Freshmen and sophomores played a major role throughout the outdoor season, particularly in:
- Middle distance
- Relays
- Jumps
- Combined events
The development of Morgan State's younger athletes was one of the program's biggest positives.
Coach Hodge on the Season
"We were a team full of grit from the very start of the season. Despite the challenges we faced, we continued to show up with purpose because we believed we had something special. We persevered through setbacks and uncertainties together, and our success was truly a total team effort, culminating in a second-place finish at the MEAC Championships.
"As a staff, we are extremely proud of our student-athletes and all they accomplished this year, as well as the tremendous growth they demonstrated throughout the season. We celebrated several individual MEAC champions, runners-up, and All-MEAC performers. Laniyah Henderson set a new school record in the triple jump with a mark of 13.03 meters, and we capped off the year by qualifying two jumpers for the NCAA East Regional Championships. That experience proved invaluable for both Keira Stewart and Laniyah Henderson, who will return next season.
"The future is bright for Morgan State Track & Field. Go Bears!"
Looking Ahead
Morgan State demonstrated:
· Greater event depth
· More conference finalists
· Improved consistency across the roster
The overall trajectory of the program remained positive throughout the spring, and the future of the program is promising.
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.