Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Bulldog Invitational
Sears sets NCAA's top long jump mark
4/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
By: Matt Burkholder
mburkholder@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - With the No. 1 long jump registered in the NCAA this season, Je'Nia Sears headlined a strong showing by the Fresno State track and field team on Saturday at the Bulldog Invitational. The senior posted a 6.63-meter (21'-9.00") jump - the top mark entering Saturday was 6.54m set by Gabrielle Farquharson (Rutgers) on April 15, where Sears will stand after results across the country pour in is TBD - breaking her previous best of 6.33m, which stood as the No. 10 long jump in the NCAA entering the day.
Sears' leap was one of six Fresno State records set on a picture perfect day at Veterans Memorial Stadium - the site of the 2016 Mountain West Championships.
"Coming into today I just wanted to win and put on a good show in front of my friends and family that came to see me today," said Sears. "I was just hoping to PR and I did that. And it was a whole lot further so I was thrilled."
The senior from Edison High School beat out 31 others for the win with her Fresno State record-breaking jump. It also tied Mindy McClurkin (BYU), who leapt to the same mark in 2010, for the second-longest jump ever recorded by a Mountain West women's athlete.
"I think we got some pretty good momentum today," said head coach Scott Winsor. "Starting with Annemarie [Schwanz] last night running so well at Stanford and then not to be outdone, Je'Nia leads off in the long jump today, and at that time, led the country with her jump. And it's more than just those two ladies, the team is coming together in all areas and getting confident.
"Confidence is everything. Our confidence is getting better and better every single weekend. I think we're in a good place right now."
Joined by Sears setting the school record in the long jump on Saturday, five others recorded top 10 marks in school history at the Bulldog Invitational. Kayla Hopkins set the fourth-best discus throw (53.02m/173-11), Vanja Spaic set the sixth-best javelin throw (45.83m/150-04), Kyra Johnson set the seventh-best 100m hurdles time (13.96), Shakira Lewis set the ninth-best 100m dash (11.78) and on the men's side Keane Bland set the fifth-best 110m hurdles time (14.12).
In addition to those school records that doubles as PR's, 13 more personal records were set while the men's 4x100m relay team (42.14) and 4x400m relay team (3:21.37) clocked season-best times.
The Bulldog Invitational was also used as a stage to honor the 12 seniors that are set to move on. The group was honored at the end of the day prior to the 4x400m relays that closed the day.
"We've got a great group of seniors that I couldn't be more proud of," Winsor noted. "They've come a long way. They're responsible in a large part for turning this program around, or what I feel is turning it around. We had to get a culture here and they're the main reason that we've got that done. They've been a group who have been great leaders, all four years."
Next up for the Bulldogs is the Big Three Invitational, hosted by Cal State Fullerton, on Saturday (April 30).
ALL RESULTS:
Men's Team
100m: Eric Fernandez, 11.08; Alex Morris, 11.14; Joshua Biagtan, 11.46
200m: Alex Morris, 22.19; Eric Fernandez, 22.39*
400m: Jeffrey Dewall, 51.99
800m: Jack Kuzminsky, 1:55.11*
1500m: Uriel Cabanas, 3:53.20*; Chriss Grimble, 3:55.97; Esteban Vega, 3:58.03; Joel Gonzalez, 4:02.34; Clay Celum, 4:13.71*
3000m: Cooper Gill, 8:31.80*; Matt Kwiatkowski, 8:34.48; Nathaniel Esparza, 8:48.74; Efren Reyes, 8:58.58
110mH: Keane Bland, 14.12**
400mH: Kamara Biawogi, 54.22
4x100m: Fresno State 'A', 42.14
4x400m: Fresno State 'A', 3:21.37; Fresno State 'B', 3:22.28
Hammer: Peter Breceda, 48.15m (158-00)
Shot Put: Joseph Munoz, 15.19m (49-10.00)
Women's Team
100m: Shakira Lewis, 11.78**; Chastity Fellows, 11.91*; Kiah Sumler, 12.43; Jestena Mattson, 12.48
200m: Njeri Omawahleh, 23.75; Shakira Lewis, 24.25*; Chastity Fellows, 24.82*; Jestena Mattson, 25.18*; Kiah Sumler, 25.47
400m: Nailah Harris-Murillo, 55.52; Maja Pogorevc, 57.68; Kimberley Efonye, 58.04
800m: Dezirae Johnson, 2:10.93; Raven Nunez, 2:21.95*; Taylor Samson, 2:25.64; Kayla Gibson, 2:29.88*; Breana Begin, 2:31.07*
1500m: Jennifer Viramontes, 5:11.28; Christine Padilla, 5:51.92
3000m: Annemarie Schwanz, 10:06.99
100mH: Kyra Johnson, 13.96**; Kyndol Craver, 15.14; India Hines, 15.94; Marla Acosta, 16.66
400mH: Kyra Johnson, 59.49; Kyndol Craver, 1:19.40
4x100m: Fresno State 'A', 45.70
4x400m: Fresno State 'A', 3:53.67; Fresno State 'C', 4:01.22
Discus: Kayla Hopkins, 53.02m** (173-11); Yazmin Torres, 47.95m (157-04); Katianna Parisis, 41.88m (137-05)
Hammer: Kayla Hopkins, 49.11m* (161-01); Manpreet Grewal, 48.77m (160-00); Kylie Coleman, 44.56m (146-02); Katianna Parisis, 41.56m (136-04)
High Jump: Marla Acosta, 1.51m (4-11.50)
Long Jump: Je'Nia Sears, 6.63m** (21-09.00)
Javelin: Vanja Spaic, 45.83m** (150-04)
Pole Vault: Caroline Weaver, 3.40m (11-01.75)
Shot Put: Kayla Hopkins, 14.27m (46-10.00)
Triple Jump: India Hines, 11.29m* (37-00.50)
* indicates personal record
** indicates personal record and school record
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