Winston-Salem State women repeat as CIAA track champions
Winston-Salem State added another championship, repeating as CIAA women’s outdoor champion.
The Rams captured the 2026 CIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship at Rogers Stadium on the campus of Virginia State University. WSSU finished with 130 points, holding off Claflin, which scored 125.42 points. Fayetteville State finished third with 102.26 points.
It was the second consecutive outdoor title for Winston-Salem State. It was also the fifth CIAA outdoor championship in program history. The Rams previously won titles in 2017, 2019, 2022 as co-champions, 2025 and now 2026.
Winston-Salem State adds another CIAA crown
Head coach Antonio Wells was named Women’s Coach of the Year after guiding WSSU to back-to-back championships. The honor capped another strong season for a Rams program that continues to stack hardware in the CIAA.
WSSU did not win the title with one star carrying the whole load. The Rams won it with balance. They scored across sprints, hurdles, middle distance, jumps and throws. That depth proved to be the difference in a tight team race.
Rainn Sheppard delivered one of the biggest moments of the weekend for Winston-Salem State. She captured the 800 meters in 2:09.75, giving the Rams a crucial victory on the track.
The Rams also picked up big points in the 400 meters. Asheika Smith finished third in 55.77. Olivia Cosby followed in fourth at 56.82, while Leigh Wills added another point with an eighth-place finish.
Brianna Benloss helped WSSU in the sprints. She finished third in the 100 meters with a time of 11.97. She also placed fifth in the 200 meters with a season-best time of 24.81.
HBCU continues strong stretch
The hurdles also played a major role in the championship run. Charnessa Reid finished second in the 100-meter hurdles in 14.09. Layla Simpson added a sixth-place finish in the event. Jaynissa Cauthen placed second in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:02.31.
WSSU also made noise in the field events. Lanyjah Gunter won the long jump with a mark of 5.93 meters. Reid finished second with the same mark, giving the Rams a huge one-two finish. Trinity Brooks added a sixth-place finish.
Leila Henderson placed second in the discus with a throw of 43.40 meters. She also added points in the shot put.
The latest CIAA title confirms WSSU’s place as one of the league’s premier women’s track and field programs. Back-to-back outdoor championships are hard to earn. The Rams now have another banner to prove it.
The post Winston-Salem State women repeat as CIAA track champions appeared first on HBCU Gameday.
HBCU Gameday
This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 2:46 AM.