As the 2026 NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships draw near, all eyes are turning to rising Grenadian hurdler Shantay Augustine, who has emerged as a key competitor for Iowa Western Community College in its quest to retain the national title. The three-day competition, set to kick off May 14 at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, sees the Reivers arrive on-site fresh off a dominant win at this year’s indoor national championships, with eyes set on securing a rare full-season sweep.
A graduate of St Joseph’s Convent in St George’s, Grenada, Augustine has earned strong seedings heading into the championships: she ranks among the top eight 100m hurdlers and top 16 400m hurdlers across all junior colleges in the United States. Across the three days of competition, she is scheduled to compete in four events: both hurdle individual races, plus the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams.
Iowa Western head coach David Burnett, now leading the program in his fourth season, has heaped praise on Augustine’s consistent performance and mental toughness ahead of the high-stakes meet. “Shantay has been excellent from day one this season,” Burnett said. “She shows up to every training session, follows every instruction, and gives 100% effort whether she’s practicing or racing. Four events over three days is a grueling schedule, but we’re approaching it one race at a time. I know she’s prepared to run well. All I’ve asked is that she stays focused, gives her best, and makes it to the final—because she’s earned that spot.”
Augustine’s journey to becoming one of the NJCAA’s top hurdlers is not a straightforward one. A former flat sprinter with Grenada’s 473 MVP Track Club, she initially resisted making the switch to hurdles. It was her former youth coach Albert Joseph who pushed her to embrace the technical demands of the event, a decision that has reshaped her burgeoning collegiate career.
“I didn’t want to take up hurdles at first,” Augustine recalled. “I didn’t even want to race anything longer than 200m, let alone the 400m hurdles. But Coach Joseph saw potential I didn’t see in myself, especially after I picked up an injury that derailed my plans to compete for Grenada at that season’s Carifta Games. He was honest with me about what the injury meant for my sprinting goals, and he pushed me to give hurdles a chance. I’m so grateful he did—now I’m a hurdler, and I love what I do. I’m ready to compete at my best this week.”
Augustine’s breakthrough this season speaks for itself. As the reigning champion of the Whitsuntide Games in both the 100m and 400m hurdles, she has lowered her personal best times to impressive marks: 13.88 seconds for the 100m hurdles and 62.24 seconds for the 400m hurdles. These results have cemented her place among the NJCAA’s elite hurdlers and confirm she is peaking at the perfect moment to help power her team’s title defense.
Even as she prepares for the biggest meet of her collegiate career so far, Augustine says she draws ongoing strength and motivation from her home country. “It means so much that people back home still check in with my parents to ask how I’m doing,” she said, thanking the Grenadian public for their steady support.
While confidence is high within the Iowa Western program, the team is under no illusion that retaining the title will be simple. The Reivers face stiff competition from traditional NJCAA powerhouses including host New Mexico Junior College, South Plains College, and Barton County Community College—with the latter two fielding their own strong contingents of Grenadian athletes. Still, Augustine’s rise as both a team leader and legitimate podium contender has reinforced the Reivers’ belief that they can bring home another trophy. Fans around the world can follow Augustine and Iowa Western’s title defense live via the NJCAA Network at njcaa.org/network/live.