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Dillard University

Dillard Men Showcase Depth, Speed, and Strength in Impressive Meet Performance

Mark Emilien competing in the 400 meter where he finished 2nd in his heat and 4th overall. Photo Credit: J'Brionne Helaire
Mark Emilien competing in the 400 meter where he finished 2nd in his heat and 4th overall. Photo Credit: J'Brionne Helaire
March 21, 2026

LAFAYETTE, LA– The Dillard University men's track & field team delivered a strong and balanced performance this past weekend, highlighted by a first-place finish, multiple personal bests, and standout efforts across sprints, hurdles, relays, and field events.

Leading the way on the track was freshman Surprise Babalola, who continued his breakout season with a second-place finish in the men's 100 meters, clocking an impressive 10.28. Fellow freshman Denim Charles posted a personal-best 10.65, while senior James Pennington III added a solid 11.00 to round out Dillard's sprint contingent.

In the 200 meters, senior Jamaal Morris Jr. turned in a strong performance with a time of 21.46. Charles contributed a 21.92 effort, and Pennington recorded a season-best 22.37, further showcasing the team's sprint depth.

The 400 meters proved to be one of Dillard's strongest events of the meet. Senior Mark Emilien led the group with an impressive 47.91 finish, placing fourth overall. He was backed by personal-best performances from Khel Arvie (49.91) and Kydell Miner (50.95), while Jordan Thomas (51.28), Jordan Winder (51.83), and Jeremy Geary Jr. (52.60) added valuable depth.

Junior Markel Myles delivered a headline performance, capturing first place in the men's 400-meter hurdles with a winning time of 54.49. He also competed in the 110-meter hurdles, finishing in 15.30. Freshman Dorian Cook added experience in both hurdle events, including a 1:02.81 effort in the 400-meter hurdles.

In middle-distance action, Kydell Miner led Dillard in the 800 meters with a 2:04.90 performance. Khel Arvie (2:11.11) and freshman Phillip Issac (2:11.72) followed closely behind. In the 1500 meters, sophomore K'mon Washington recorded a personal-best 4:20.79, while Issac added another PR at 4:29.90.

In the field events, freshman Elijah Williams cleared a personal-best 1.84 meters (6-0.5) in the high jump. Sophomore Anthony Thompson led the horizontal jumps with a 6.40m mark in the long jump and a 12.46m performance in the triple jump, finishing among the top competitors.

Dillard's relay teams capped off the meet with impressive performances. The men's 4x100-meter relay team of Babalola, Morris Jr., Emilien, and Charles placed third with a time of 40.45. The 4x400-meter relay 'A' team—Emilien, Morris Jr., Myles, and Thomas—secured a fourth-place finish while posting a season-best 3:19.09. Additional relay squads also recorded season-best times, highlighting the program's depth and development.

Overall, the Bleu Devils displayed a strong combination of elite sprinting, developing middle-distance talent, and impactful field event contributions, signaling continued progress as the season moves forward.

 

-Bleu Devils-