Thursday, October 1, 2026
An academic false start may have slowed Nicholas Guscott’s college career, but it has not stopped this sprinter from finishing his race to graduate and continue his road to more championships and success.
A native of Baldwin, Guscott’s passion for sprinting and track and field sprouted through a sport that’s immensely popular in his Jamaican roots — soccer.
“I started out playing soccer, and my high school coach commended me for my speed and suggested I should also do track and field, so I did,” Guscott said.
He learned quickly that he was born and bred to run track. His outstanding high school times led him to the University of Rhode Island’s track and field team where he helped the team win three Atlantic-10 championships.
“I was in the college selection process and wanted to choose a good school with a good track reputation,” Guscott said. “A friend of the family suggested John Copeland as a very good coach who would help develop me into a better athlete and I said to myself, ‘I’m going to URI!’ It all worked out for me as soon as I met the staff, team, and saw the school’s wonderful campus. I was positive about coming to URI.”
Throughout Guscott’s four years at URI, he has been a key part of the men’s track and field team specializing in the 55m, 60m, 100m, and 200m dashes along with the 4x100m relay. His biggest achievements were winning the URI Sorlien Invitational 55m dash and placing second at the A-10 Championships in the same race. As he prepares to graduate, he is aiming for a fourth-straight A-10 Championship this summer.
Although his achievements on the track have been noteworthy, Guscott’s true determination can be seen in his will to succeed in the classroom. A rough freshman year put Guscott in a hole that he has been digging himself out of ever since, and he is eager to finish strong.
“Dealing with grades, my freshman year wasn’t hopeful, but things are shaping up now,” said Guscott. “Since I’ve been here at URI it has been a large part of who I’ve become. Coming in struggling with school, I’ve grown up and become responsible in the classroom. It’s been one big collective growing process for me as an individual.”
