HBCUAC announces 2025 Preseason Women’s Track and Field All-HBCUAC Team, Rankings

NEW ORLEANS - March 7, 2025 - The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) presents its 2025 Preseason Women's Track and Field All-HBCUAC Team and Preseason Team Rankings, decided by the conference's head track and field coaches. Points were derived from the order the coaches ranked the athletes and teams.

Dillard University athlete Kevell Byrd was seen as the best of the best - claiming 2025 HBCUAC Preseason Track Athlete of the Year. Byrd earned Most Valuable Track Athlete at the last three conference championships. She won the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash at last season's championship. Byrd earned National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics All-American in three events at the 2024 Women's Outdoor Track and Field National Championship.

Her teammate Charra Bridges was crowned as the 2025 Preseason Field Athlete of the Year. She was the 2024 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Most Valuable Field Athlete at last year's championship. Bridges won the javelin and hammer throws, finished runner-up in the shot put and placed third in the discus. She threw a personal best 27.36 meters in the javelin.

Making up the rest of the first team are:

Tori Burton of Dillard University: Earned NAIA All-American as a member of the 4 x 100-meter relay team and also won the GCAC title; runner-up in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes

Tanijal Matthews of Dillard University: Ran on the GCAC Champion and NAIA All-American 4 x 100-meter relay team; finished runner-up in the 400-meter dash and third in the 200-meter dash

Ja'Neisha Collins of Philander Smith University: Won the 1,500-meter run; ran a personal best 5:26.48 at the Joey Haynes Invite on March 29 and 30.

Additionally, the conference announced the preseason team rankings. Dillard University, which seeks its fourth-straight title finished atop the standings with 81 points and all nine first-place votes. Talladega College, last season's championship runner-up finished second with 67 points. Wiley University took third with 55 points. The complete rankings are below.

2025 HBCUAC Preseason Team Rankings

1. Dillard University (9) 81

2. Talladega College 67

3. Wiley University 55

4. Philander Smith University 50

5. Fisk University 42

6. Rust College 37

7. Stillman College 35

8. Voorhees University 21

9. University of the Virgin Islands 17

The 2025 HBCUAC Track and Field Championship will take place at Lee Hedges Stadium in Shreveport from April 11-12. Fans can watch live on the Urban Edge Network.

-HBCUAC-

About HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Oakwood University (AL), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.