Virginia Union University's Rashad Smith became the latest member of the men's track and field team to be a National Provisional Qualifier by placing third at the Dick Taylor Invitational, held on January 13 & 14 at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Smith placed third in the men's 60-meters with a time of 6.91 seconds.  VUU's Dennis Thomas was sixth in the same event with a time of 7.01.

The men's 4 x 400 relay team of Smith, Deion Dickens, Bryan Gurley and Tremayne Banks set a new school record by placing seventh in the event with a time of 3:23.85.

VUU's Marcus Dean was fifth in the men's triple jump with a leap of 14.12 meters while Jamaal Petty was seventh in the men's high jump with a leap of 1.96 meters.

Smith joins VUU's Gurley, Thomas, Petty and Dean as National Provisional Qualifiers for the NCAA Division II National Track & Field Championships, to be held on March 9 & 10 in Mankato, Minn.