Raijon-Koger Reaches New Heights at Duke Twilight as NCCU Caps Regular Season

DURHAM, N.C. – In the final tune-up before the MEAC Outdoor Championships, the North Carolina Central men’s and women’s track & field teams competed at the Duke Twilight at Morris Williams Stadium on Sunday. Sophomore Jonathan Raijon-Koger claimed the men’s high jump crown for a season and college career best of 2.09m.

Raijon-Koger has been steadily increasing his leaps this outdoor season. His ranges were between 1.95m and 2.06m in every meet until Sunday’s outburst of 2.09m to win the men’s high jump. He’s now tied for 8^th in the Southeast region this year.

Fellow Eagle Theodore Skinner joined Raijon-Koger in the top five, clearing 2.01m (5^th) in the event. After his performance in the Raleigh Relays earlier this spring, Skinner still stands at 7th in the Southeast region.   

Tia Lucas is now tied for 2^nd on the HBCU Outdoor Performance list and 10^th in the Southeast region after her 2nd-place finish in the women’s high jump at Duke. Lucas earned a new personal record of 1.71m.

On the track, Nyree Bacchus came in third in the women’s 400m with a new personal record of 53.42. That new time moves her to 4^th on the 2025 HBCU Performance List in the 400 event.

Both relay teams posted top-five performances in the 4×100. The women’s team, comprised of Melanne Sutton, August Freeman, Gianna Marquez and Bacchus crossed the line in 2^nd (46.89). The men’s relay team featuring Allen Barnes, Zion Amadi, Alan Webster and Deshaun Johnson took 5^th (40.47).

Some other personal records from NCCU included Naa’Irah Andrews (women’s shot put – 10.90m), Ryan Chong (men’s 3000m steeple – 10:15.47), Laila Jackson (2:08.89), Kayla Johnson (2:09.50) and Navi McDowell (2:17.37), all in the women’s 800m, Marquez (women’s 400m hurdles – 1:01.78), Sutton (women’s 200m – 23.86) and D. Johnson (men’s 100m – 10.58).  

NC Central turns its attention to the 2025 MEAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships on May 15-17 at William Price Stadium in Norfolk, Va.

NCCU Top-Five Finishes

Women’s 400m

Nyree Bacchus – 3^rd (53.42)

Men’s High Jump

Jonathan Raijon-Koger – 1^st (2.09m)

Theodore Skinner – 5^th (2.01m)

Women’s High Jump

Tia Lucas – 2^nd (1.71m)

Men’s 4x100m Relay

Barnes, Johnson, Amadi, Webster – 5^th (40.47)

Women’s 4x100m Relay

Sutton, Bacchus, Freeman, Marquez – 2^nd (46.89)

For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.