The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Buccaneer men’s and women's track and field teams will compete for the final time this season in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) track and field championships on April 19 and 20 in Shreveport, Louisiana. The last time the Buccaneers competed was March 22 and 23 at the University of Central Florida’s (UCF) “Knight Invite” in Orlando, Florida.
“This has been a rebuilding year for track and field program,” said head coach Dale Joseph. “It is our first year back competing but I have seen improvement over the last few months. I’m looking forward to seeing them put it all together in the conference meets and make personal improvements for themselves.”
Men’s Team
On Friday morning, freshman sprinters Cecil Hector III and Rayhan Sabur alongside sophomore V’Andre Rochester will enter the blocks in the men’s 200-meter race. In their last meet at the “Knights Invite”, Rochester finished third in his heat holding off his teammates Sabur and Hector III who finished in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Rochester will also challenge the field at the championships in the men’s 400-meter race, after impressing coach Joseph with his practice pace and times. It will be his first time running at this distance this season.
On the second day of the competition, the men’s team returns to the track as Nijai Nisbett, the team's only senior, will open the day for the Buccaneers in the men's 1500-meter distance. In his last meet, Nisbett set the pace, racing out to the front of the pack before falling behind midway through the race.
Later in the day, Sabur and Hector III will line up for the 100-meter dash. The two teammates will look to improve their times after finishing fifth and sixth in their heat with times upward of 12 seconds their last time out.
Women’s Team
Sophomore Aisha Sabur may be the only woman in uniform at the conference championships for the Lady Buccaneers as sophomore distance Runner Ariana Renault is still sidelined due to injury. Sabur will compete in the 200-meter race on Friday and return to the track on Saturday for the women’s 100-meter dash.
Each student-athlete will be competing in an attempt to win the GCAC Conference Championship and also to qualify for the NAIA’s 72nd Annual Men’s and Women’s National Championships. The NAIA National Championship will be hosted from May 22-24, 2024 at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana.
After the meet, the conference Champion and the All-Conference teams will be announced based on performance.
About UVI Athletics
The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and, as of July 1, 2023, competes in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC). Entering the 2023-24 season, the Buccaneers will begin their 17th season of athletic competition. As the only Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the Caribbean, UVI currently sponsors six sports, including men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s and women’s outdoor track and field. For more information on UVI Athletics, visit UVIAthletics.com.