Hampton University’s 4×100-meter relay team came up a couple spots shy of getting the opportunity to race for a national championship Wednesday evening in the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore.

With junior Predist Walker (Lakeland) as the first leg on the Pirate relay, HU finished 10th in a time of 39.85 seconds. The top eight teams reached the final heat.

The relay team of Walker, Reggie Dixon, Aaron Anderson and Devon Brown is all underclassmen. During the outdoor season, the team set new 4×100 records for Hampton and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Pirates’ best time this season was 39.55 seconds.

Individually this season, Walker won the MEAC Championships title in the 110-meter hurdles in a school-record 13.83 seconds.