Freshman Reindell Cole was already impressive last week at the University of Washington Invitational, when he hit the automatic qualifier for the NCAA championships by jumping 26-1 ?, the year’s best mark in the country and fifth-best in the world.
This week, Cole jumped even further, 26 feet, 4 1/2 inches (8.04 meters), at the 8th Annual New Balance Collegiate Invitational at the Armory Track and Field Center in New York. The jump sets a new school record, bettering Derek Scurry’s leap of 26-3.50 in 1993.
Cole, who is 6 feet 3 inches and came to Northridge from Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas, out jumped the second place finisher, Ngonidzashe Makusa by a foot. Teammate DaShalle Andrews came in at 12th place with his jump of 22-11.75 (7.00).
The men’s track team received a best-ever indoor ranking of 24th last week by the U..S. Track ‘ Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
The New Balance college competition was conducted in a single division, however, in some events a seeded section was held and called Championship, while the remaining competitors contested a College final.
In Championship finals, Desirae Gonder jumped 5-10.00 (1.78) for third place in the high jump. Gonder cleared the same height as the first and second place finishers. Krystal Quinn tied for eighth in the pole vault, clearing a height of 12-05.50 (3.80). Morgan Bogard took fourth in the weight throw with her distance of 60-03.75 (18.38) and Shelese Ruffin placed 16th in the long jump with her leap of 18-05.00 (5.61).
The 4×400 Relay Team took 13th place with a time of 3:48.31.
For the men, Cody Pearce placed tenth in the weight throw with a distance of 60-07.25 (18.47). Alex Butler placed 19th in the shot put with a distance of 52-04.50 (15.96 ).
In the College finals, Dominique Calvin placed fifth in the long jump with a distance of 19-04.25 (5.90), followed by Gonder in seventh place with a distance of 19-00.75 (5.81). Stella Dugall placed seventh in the triple jump with a distance of 39-01.25 (11.92).
For the men in college finals, Justin Johnson placed third in the high jump with his height of 6-08.25 (2.04). In the high jump consolation, Thomas Johnson placed second with his jump of 6-06.25 (1.99). Terry Ross placed sixth in the 60-meter hurdles consolation with his time of 8.02 seconds.