It was a great start for Eagle athletics this past weekend at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va at the 2006 CIAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.

The Men’s Indoor Track and Field team took second in the conference, as the Women’s Indoor Track and Field finished third in the conference.

But, the soaring Eagle of the weekend was sophomore sprinter Maurice Gailey, with a record-setting performance.

Gailey, a native of Pensacola, Fla., set a record in the 200-meter dash finals with a time of 21.93 seconds, defeating Saint Augustine’s College by just one-hundredths of a second.

“Gailey can be the next world class athlete out of Central,” said Men’s and Women’s Cross Country/ Indoor and Outdoor Head Coach Michael Lawson.

This first place achievement added 10 points to the men’s score, giving them a grand total of 93 points to acquire second place, 44 points ahead of third place finisher Bowie State University.

Gailey finished the weekend not only with a win in the 200-meter dash, but a second place showing in the 4x400m relay with sophomore Brian Hope and juniors Hakeem Mohammed and Dorian Turner.

“This guy [Gailey] could be the next Jason Smoots,” Lawson said.

Hope earned all-conference honors, finishing third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.10 seconds and finishing first place in the 60m dash with a time of 6.80 seconds.

Other performers for NCCU were Mohammed in the 400m dash (2nd); junior Rashaad Lee in the 800m run (3rd); freshman Brandon Jones in the 5k run (3rd); and the mens distance medley relay (2nd) consisting of Jones, Turner, Lee, and sophomore Robert Currington.

All together, the men’s team finished within the top three in 10 out-of 14 events.

The women’s team owes their third place finish in the conference to three conference titles.

Lady Eagle freshman Jessica Mills won the triple jump with a leap of 12.09.

Along with Lady Eagle freshman Rejon Littlepage, who won the mile run with a time of 5:48.69.

The Lady Eagle’s medley relay team won the third conference title with a time of 12:42.87; this all-confernce team consists of junior Aisha Brown, senior Sharonda Arnold, freshman Robin Thomas and sophomore Yolanda Barber.

As a whole, the Lady Eagle’s place in the top three in 8 out-of 12 events, finishing with 83 points, just nine points behind second place finishers Bowie State University

Lady Eagle freshmen Latasha Jones and Chanel Raynor earned their first all-CIAA indoor honors. Jones placed second in the shot put with a throw of 11.90 meters, followed by Raynor with a throw of 11.15 meters.