GOLDEN, Colo.— Justin Thompson claimed victory with a mark that was just three centimeters off his own school-record as he and newcomer
Miller Jones both set NCAA Division II Championship provisional qualifying efforts to lead a contingent of Colorado Mesa University long jumpers on Friday evening here at the Mines Alumni Classic.
Thompson leaped 7.56 meters (24 feet, 9 ¾ inches) at the Colorado School of Mines' Steinhauer Fieldhouse, just shy of his school-record of 7.59 meters (24-11), set in the same facility in February, a mark that easily qualified him for last year's national meet, where he finished sixth. In the process, he bested a strong field of 25 jumpers, 13 of which flew seven meters or more.
Meanwhile, Jones, a touted Maverick freshman, took fourth with a mark of 7.17 meters (23-6.25) to also surpass the NCAA Championship provisional qualifying standard of 7.13 meters (23-4.75). In the process, he quickly moved into the No. 3 position of Maverick history.
The other two Maverick men in the field also fared well as
Zace Buckhold placed eighth with an indoor personal-record mark 7.12 meters (23-4.5) while
Eddie Kurjak set a solid mark of 7.00 meters (22-11.75) to move into sixth place in CMU indoor history while taking 13
th place in what was his first collegiate effort at the long jump. Buckhold is tied for fourth in Maverick history with his leap.
The Maverick women also had four representatives in the long jump, which was the only one of the three field events contested on Friday night that CMU was represented in.
Hope Matteson fared the best, placing 14
th with a leap of 5.43 meters (17-9.75) to move into the No. 10 spot of CMU history while
Jordan Brockman leapt 5.40 meters (17-8.75).
Katie Thomson also set a PR mark of 5.29 meters (17-4.25) while
Venesa Handzhiyska made her Maverick debut with a leap of 5.13 meters (16-10).
The small group of Mavs will continue the meet, their first of the 2023-24 campaign, on Saturday with entrants in the high jump, 60-meter dash and women's 60-meter hurdles.
