Meet-record 258 points propel Nuggets to GCAC repeat

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana repeated Saturday as women’s team champion of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships at Tad Gormley Stadium, winning six events on day two and scoring a meet-record 258 points.

XULA’s men scored 123 points — nearly twice as many they had the previous two years combined — and finished second.

The Gold Nuggets’ individual champions were Taylor Price in the 5,000-meter run (22 minutes, 37.48 seconds), Raven Davis in the 100 hurdles (15.33), Maliya Vaughan in the 3,000 steeplechase (13:20.61), Ry-Anne Riley in the long jump (5.48 meters/17 feet, 11 3/4 inches), Alysia Terry in the triple jump (11.38 meters/37 feet, 4 inches) and Calah Williams in the discus (34.75 meters/114 feet).

The XULA women won eight titles overall. On Friday Price won the 10,000, and Tamia Scott won the javelin. Price (5,000) and Riley were repeat champions.

Meeting B-qualifying standards for the NAIA National Championships were Justyce Riggs (24.89) and Riley (25.00) in the 200. Riggs’s time is the the fastest by a XULA woman in four years.

Christopher August won his second individual men’s title of the meet, the 5,000 (17:35.86). August teamed with Damoy Boyd, Ammiel Williams and Oji Wells for the 3,200 relay title (8:38.32). August won the 10,000 Friday.

XULA’s Joseph Moses was voted GCAC Women’s Coach of the Year by his peers. The Gold Nuggets have won five of the last six GCAC titles.

The Gold Nuggets beat the previous GCAC women’s record of 218 points by Dillard in 2012. XULA’s previous high was 213 points in 2014. XULA’s 96-point winning margin also was the largest by a GCAC women’s team. The previous high winning margin was Dillard’s 76 in 2012, and XULA’s previous best was 72 in 2004.

SUNO was second in women’s points with 162.

Edward Waters scored a men’s meet-record 304 points to win its fourth consecutive title.

XULA will compete in three weeks in a last-chance meet at William Carey (Hattiesburg, Miss.), then travel to Gulf Shores, Ala., for NAIA nationals May 24-26.