
Tags: Anthaya Charlton, Michelle Smith, Ncaa Division 1 Championships, Oneka Wilson, Shantae Foreman, Shenese Walker, Dejeana Oakley, Universiry of Georgia
Dejeana Oakley of Jamaica and Michelle Smith of the U.S. Virgin Islands delivered inspired performances on Saturday’s final day of the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, helping Georgia clinch their first-ever women’s team title. But while the two Caribbean standouts celebrated podium finishes and a historic team triumph, several of their regional compatriots endured a more bittersweet end to their collegiate seasons.
Oakley produced one of the day’s most impressive individual efforts, storming to a personal best 49.65 seconds in the 400m to claim the silver medal behind her Georgia teammate Aaliyah Butler, who ran a superb 49.26 for the win. Oakley’s effort was not only the fastest of her career but crucial in securing key points for Georgia’s title quest. Later in the evening, Oakley returned to anchor Georgia’s 4x400m relay team to victory in 3:23.62 alongside Butler, Smith, and Sydney Harris—sealing the championship and capping a memorable night for the Bulldogs.
Smith had earlier added to Georgia’s point tally in the 400m hurdles, where she claimed the bronze medal with a time of 55.20 seconds. The freshman, a native of St. Croix, ran a composed race behind winner Savannah Sutherland of Michigan, whose 52.46 set a new meet and collegiate record, and Texas’ Akala Garrett, who was second in 54.66.
While Oakley and Smith thrived under the spotlight, other Caribbean athletes experienced mixed results. In the 100m final, Bahamian sprinter Anthaya Charlton narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth in 11.19 seconds after setting a personal best of 10.87 in the semifinal.
The race was won by USC’s Samirah Moody in 11.14, edging South Carolina’s JaMeesia Ford (11.14) and LSU’s Tima Godbless (11.19). Trinidad and Tobago’s Leah Bertrand was also in the mix, finishing fifth in 11.21 and later returning to take fourth in the 200m in 22.60. Ford won that event as well in 22.21, ahead of USC’s Madison Whyte (22.23) and Dajaz Defrand (22.39), also of USC.
Jamaica’s Shenese Walker crossed the line sixth in the 100m in 11.23, representing Florida State, while her compatriot Clemson's Oneka Wilson, competing in the 100m hurdles, clocked 13.02 for fifth. The top three in that event were Oregon’s Aaliyah McCormick (12.81), Texas A&M’s Jaiya Covington (12.93), and Howard’s Marcia Sey (12.93). Notably, medal contender Habiba Harris, another Caribbean hopeful in the hurdles, did not start.
In the field, Jamaica’s Shantae Foreman narrowly missed out on the podium in the women’s triple jump. The Clemson junior recorded a best mark of 13.72m to finish fourth in a tightly contested final won by Texas A&M’s Winny Bii (13.96m), with San Jose State’s Emilia Sjöstrand second (13.88m) and Oklahoma’s Agur Dwol third (13.77m).
Despite the near-misses, the Caribbean presence remained a defining feature of the championship. Georgia’s triumph was led by head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert, who made history by becoming the first woman to win NCAA outdoor track and field titles at two different institutions, having previously led USC to national crowns in 2018 and 2021.
Georgia finished with 73 points, comfortably ahead of USC (47) and Texas A&M (43), to lift the women’s team title for the first time in program history. On Friday, the men’s title was shared between Texas A&M and USC, both finishing on 41 points.
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