"If you are getting better each week then as a team we will be in a good spot come May." - Orangeburg Preparatory Track and Field Coach Brooks Smith
Watch 2025 SCISA Track and Field Division II race videos
MileSplit South Carolina talks with Orangeburg Preparatory track and field coach Brooks before the SCISA Track and Field Championships - May 1 and 2. Division II is Friday at Orangeburg Preparatory. Division I is Saturday at Ben Lippen. The girls team has won five consecutive state titles.
Click on the meet pages to your right to see 2025 SCISA track and field state meet coverage.
Program Outlook
After winning the 2025 state championship, what is the overall outlook for your girls team this season?
We are excited to see what the season holds, we have a lot of scorers from last year's state meet returning, and the girls are ready to compete.
How has the team responded in the offseason after reaching the top last year?
We have won five (SCISA Track and Field Division II) in a row, so the girls are not in uncharted territory. They understand that this is a new year and no one is going to give anything to you, you have to go out and compete each day and see where the chips fall at the end of the season.
What lessons from last season's championship run are you emphasizing this year?
Just that in order to compete at a high level during meets, you have to compete every day during practice.
Tell us about how the girls and boys team work together at practice and meets.
We practice together, and have during my tenure here. It creates a competitive environment every day. Its an advantage for the girls in that they have someone to chase everyday in practice, but at the same time it allows our younger boys an opportunity to compete against the older girls. It really helps us to come together as a team. During meets our kids cheer for each other and are excited for each other whenever we meet our goals.
Top Returners
Who are some of your top returning athletes and events from last year's championship team?
We return a lot of scorers from last season, starting with senior Morgan Newsome (pole vault), Juniors: Mary Legare Delaney (Long/Triple/200/400), Emmaline Dangerfield (100 Hurdles/Relays), Morgan Gue (100/200/Relays), Sophomores: Naomi McCutchen (200/400/Javelin/Relays) Gee Gee Riley (Long/Triple/400 Hurdles/Relays) Freshmen: Blakely Garrick (Long/Triple/100 Hurdles/400 Hurdles), Ella Sarvis (Pole Vault), Eighth Graders: Erika Martin (Shot Put), Delilah Howe (Relays) and Seventh Grader: Carson Gue (Relays).
Which returning athletes do you expect to take on bigger leadership roles this season?
Our seniors have done a great job in providing leadership to our younger athletes. Morgan Newsome has inspired a group of young pole vaulters and Carley Fairey and Ansley Newsome are leading our throwers, which is a group that is getting better every day. Mary Legare and Morgan Gue do a great job of encouraging our runners during practice and Emmaline Dangerfield is a great role model for our young hurdlers.
2026 SCISA track and field rankings
New Athletes / Breakouts
Who are some new athletes that could make an impact this season?
We don't have a lot of new faces, but we have a group of young girls that have been in the program that are starting to come into their own. Kennedy Lawton has come on strong in the hurdles and relays for us as well as Delilah Howe and Carson Gue in our middle distance program.
Team Strengths
What events or areas of the team do you feel are strongest this year?
Our jumpers and relays are performing at a high level this season. Michael Delaney has been our long/triple jump coach and relay coach for the past six years and he has these girls performing at a different level this season. It seems that each week we have girls setting new personal records and school records. I am also very proud of our hurdle group this season, they are really pushing each other during practice and making each other better each week.
Are there any events where you are looking to build depth or develop athletes? How do you work on areas to build depth?
We are really working on building depth in our pole vault group and our triple jump group. We are always monitoring athletes in drills and in the weight room looking for characteristics that might help them perform in specific events. We have been fortunate to pick up on little things that translate to success on the track.
Season Goals
What are the main goals for the team this season?
Our goal remains the same each season and each meet and that is to go out and set a personal record every time you get a chance to compete. If you are getting better each week then as a team we will be in a good spot come May.
What would make this season a success for the team?
Success for us is measured in the relationships that you build. We set goals each year in winning the "trophy meets" but our ultimate goal is to create a family environment. Once you become a part of this program you are a part of it for life. Nothing brings our staff more joy than seeing our alumni who are competing in college come home during their breaks and work with our younger athletes.
What do you see regarding the growth of the SCISA track and field?
SCISA Track and Field is growing exponentially which is great for the organization. Makes it more difficult for me, but we welcome the competition and are glad to be a part of it.
Team Culture / Mission
"The kids, seeing their drive to improve inspires me to do my best each and every day."- Brooks Smith
What is the mission or theme for the team this season?
Compete each and every day.
How do you keep athletes motivated after winning in 2025?
The goal remains the same each week we want to set new personal records. Iron sharpens iron and our girls hate to lose which creates great competition each and every day at practice.
What do you want this group of athletes to be remembered for?
They are setting their legacy by the school records that are breaking, but we just want them to be remembered for how they helped to continue the growth of this program.
Are there any key meets or invitationals your team is particularly excited about this season?
We won the Melicue Metts Invitational, which is a special meet to me. We host that meet every March and it is named after my late grandfather who won a state championship as the track coach at Orangeburg High School in the 1950's. He is the reason that I started participating in track and was a major role model for me. This is our first win in this meet and the girls knew how much it meant to me and that was a really special day for all of us.
Is there anything unique about this group compared to past teams?
They are a really close knit group who encourage each other every day.
As a coach, what drives you to keep going?
The kids, seeing their drive to improve inspires me to do my best each and every day.
"If you are getting better each week then as a team we will be in a good spot come May." - Orangeburg Preparatory Track and Field Coach Brooks Smith
Watch 2025 SCISA Track and Field Division II race videos
MileSplit South Carolina talks with Orangeburg Preparatory track and field coach Brooks before the SCISA Track and Field Championships - May 1 and 2. Division II is Friday at Orangeburg Preparatory. Division I is Saturday at Ben Lippen. The girls team has won five consecutive state titles.