BROOKINGS, S.D. - Talladega College had limited representation at the 2023 NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships, with only two athletes in attendance. That, however, did not keep them from staking a claim to a national title.

Junior Emmanuel Niang put an exclaimation point on an outstanding indoor season by claiming the NAIA National title in the 60-meter hurdles. His teammate Christian Louis also qualified for the Championships in both the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash, but he did not make the final in either event.

Niang, a junior from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, saved his best for last. Beginning in the last qualifying event on February 17, Niang ran successively faster in each trip. He first broke the eight second mark in the University of South Carolina Indoor Open in Columbia, South Carolina where he posted a time of 7.97. He bettered that on Friday in the preliminary heats of the NAIA Championships with a 7.95 second effort. On Saturday, though, Niang found another gear. He blistered the track at a clip of 7.85 seconds - setting a new personal record in the process. The win secured 10 points in the final standings for the Tornadoes, and it was the first NAIA title in any event for Talladega.

The Tornadoes will now move outdoors for the remainder of the 2023 schedule, with their first outdoor meet slated for March 12 when they will take part in the Jacksonville State Gem of the Hill Classic.