Cox and Sheppard Break State records, UC wins 5 events at Meet of Champions
The 56th edition of the NJSIAA Track and Field Meet of Champions at Pennsauken High School on Wednesday was nothing short of legendary, and Union Catholic was at the heart of it all.
In one of the most dominant and electrifying performances in meet history, Union Catholic athletes shattered state records, packed the podium, and redefined excellence in New Jersey track and field.
Leading the charge was Taylor Cox and Paige Sheppard.
Tthe University of Georgia-bound Cox, whose pursuit of greatness has been relentless. On a warm Saturday afternoon, Cox finally seized the elusive New Jersey state record in the 100-meter hurdles, clocking a wind-legal 13.18 (+1.4) in the trials. That time shattered the previous automatic time state and meet record of 13.33 set in 1988 by Dawn Bowles of Neptune.
Cox’s 13.18 also surpassed the converted hand-time record of 13.34 set by Dawn Bowles of Neptune in 1988, making her time officially the fastest ever by a New Jersey girl in the high hurdles.
But Cox wasn’t done. In the finals, she returned with fire, capturing the title in 13.24 to earn her fourth individual Meet of Champions crown. She now holds state records in the 55m and 60m hurdles indoors, and with three national titles to her name, Cox’s reign as New Jersey’s greatest high hurdler of all time is now indisputable.
While Cox made history over the barriers, Sheppard, just a sophomore, took center stage on the track with a jaw-dropping run in the 1,600 meters. Sheppard unleashed a perfectly executed race — splitting 68.04, 70.49, 71.21, and closing in a blistering 67.92 — to win in 4:37.65, shattering the state record of 4:40.15 held by Lilly Shapiro (2021), and converts to 4:39.26 for the mile — just 0.01 off the all-time mile record held by Danielle Tauro of Southern since 2006. Sheppard also annihilated the previous meet record of 4:41.61 set in 2013 by Josette Andrews of Tenafly.
Sheppard’s victory was part of an amazing 1-2-6 finish as Sophia Thompson claimed second in 4:45.43 and Kayla Devine placed sixth in 4:54.70 in a field where seven girls ran under 4:58.
The fireworks didn’t stop there.
Union Catholic’s Maya Wyche, Taylor Cox, Natalia Thompson and Taylor Aska combined to run a meet record 46.22 in the girls 4×100. The former record of 46.23 was set by Timber Creek last year.
Morgan Holley, another UC sophomore, soared to a personal-best and NJ No. 1 mark of 19-8 in the long jump, placing her 10th all-time in Meet of Champions history and securing a fourth victory for the Union Catholic girls.
On the boys’ side, junior Keandre Kelly added to UC’s haul with a tactical masterpiece in the 800 meters. Using a decisive kick, Kelly surged past Toms River North’s Tayshaun Wilson in the final meters, taking the win in 1:51.01, just ahead of Wilson’s 1:51.28 — the two fastest times in New Jersey this season.
If the Meet of Champions were scored, Union Catholic’s girls would have racked up a staggering 85 points, an unofficial total that leaves no doubt: this is the greatest girls team the Garden State has ever seen.
In a meet packed with talent, it was Union Catholic that stole the spotlight — rewriting the record books, redefining dominance, and raising the standard of excellence for years to come.
