The Talladega College men's and women's track and field teams opened the 2026 outdoor season with an impressive performance at the Mississippi College Spring Classic on Saturday.

The Tornado men delivered a standout performance, finishing second overall out of 18 teams with 101 points, ahead of several NCAA Division II programs including Jackson State, West Alabama, and Alcorn State. The strong showing highlighted a successful start to the outdoor campaign for Talladega.

Leading the way for the Tornado was Anthony Gentles, who delivered a national-level performance in the 100-meter dash, earning an NAIA "A" standard qualifying mark to secure his spot at the 2026 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships.

Gentles was joined by teammate Jaedon Chambers, who also posted a national qualifying performance in the 100 meters, earning a qualifying mark for the NAIA Outdoor National Championships.

The Talladega women's team also turned in a solid performance, finishing fifth overall out of 13 teams in the meet. The Tornado women scored consistently across multiple events to open the season with a strong team finish.

The Mississippi College Spring Classic featured a competitive field of collegiate programs from across the region, making the Tornado's early-season success a promising indicator for the remainder of the outdoor season.

Talladega will continue its outdoor campaign in the coming weeks as the Tornado look to build momentum toward the conference championships and the NAIA Outdoor National Championships later this spring.