Freshman Reindell Cole made his collegiate track and field debut for CSUN Saturday by winning the long jump with a leap of 26-1.75 (7.97 meters). Cole’s distance is an automatic NCAA qualifying mark and is the best in the nation this year, as well as the fifth-best in the world so far this year.

“I’m not that surprised,” said Avery Anderson, assistant coach. “I would expect this from him at some point in the season.”

Anderson said that this early in the season it’s hard to know what will happen.

“He has the ability to do great things,” Anderson said.

The CSUN men and women’s track teams started the 2008 indoor track and field season over the weekend at the two-day University of Washington Invitational at the Dempsey Indoor Facility. The meet started on Friday afternoon for the multi-events, the distance medley relays and the 5000 meter runs. All other events were contested on Saturday.

Senior Terry Ross was another winner, taking first in the 60-meter dash with a time of 8.03 seconds.

Anderson said that although Ross’ starting block slipped in the preliminaries, he ran well in the finals and he expects that with continued good competition, Ross will continue to improve.

Senior Justin Johnson took second in the heptathlon with 5,536 points, an NCAA provisional mark The winner of the event, Ashton Eaton of Oregon State, won the event with 5,859 points, setting a new facility record. Johnson’s point total was his career-best.

“That was huge,” Anderson said. “He broke our school record by about 150 points. It’s really remarkable how much he’s improved and developed.”

Other top ten performances on the men’s side include senior Rolando Felizola’s third place finish in the long jump with his distance of 24-01.50 (7.35). Senior DaShalle Andrews, the defending NCAA outdoor long jump champion, finished fourth with a distance of 23-07.50 (7.20).

Anderson said that Andrews is the fastest he has ever been and he is still working on adjusting his approach. He was jumping from behind the board, said Anderson, who expects Andrews to jump further.

Senior Jonathan Moore took fifth in the triple jump with a distance of 48-04.50 (14.74), followed by junior Awet Hagos who took sixth place with a leap of 48-00.00 (14.63).

Junior Alex Butler took eighth in the shot put with a distance of 51-07.25 feet (15.73) and sophomore Derek Cooper took ninth with a distance of 51-02.75 (15.61). Junior Cody Pearce took fifth in the weight throw with a distance of 58-07.50 (17.87).

Sophomore Robert Robinson finished in sixth in the heptathlon with 4,894 points and sophomore Owen Morse came in ninth with 4,620 points.Junior Bradley Ike came in sixth in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.86, with teammate junior Kenjamin Jackson taking ninth with a time of 6.92. Jackson took seventh place in the 200-meter dash at a time of 22.19 and Ike followed in eighth place with a time of 22.29 seconds.

Cole also took fourth place in the high jump with a height of 6-09.00 (2.06 ) and Thomas Johnson took eighth with his jump of 6-07.00 (2.01).

For the women, sophomore Desirae Gonder took second in the high jump with her height of 5-11.50 (1.82), an NCAA provisional mark.

Gonder was just three centimeters short of an automatic qualifier, Anderson said. He said Gonder has put in a lot of work and he expects her to continue to develop.

“If she keeps doing what she’s doing, she’s gonna put herself in a great position to be an All-American jumper,” Anderson said.

Precious Watkins, a freshman from Moreno Valley, came in fourth in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.62 seconds. In the 200-meter dash, freshman Tara Prier came in second at 24.75 seconds. Prier came in third in the 400-meter dash with a time of 55.60 seconds.

The team of Prier, sophomore Sherrina Lofton, Watkins and Gonder took third in the 4X400 meter relay with a time of 3:45.90. The “B” team of senior Krystal Quinn, sophomore Lauren Michaels, Christina Hibbert and freshman Brenna Hoffman came in at 3:50.84 for sixth place.

In the shot put, senior Bobbie Patton took third with her distance of 45-11.25 (14.00). Junior Morgan Bogard took fifth in the weight throw with a distance of 58-10.75 (17.95).

The CSUN women are defending champions of the WAC, however, CSUN is now competing in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

The next meet for CSUN will be in Seattle on Feb. 16.