COLUMBIA, S.C. – Norfolk State's
Jacob Milton showed no signs of rust from the month-long layoff between indoor and outdoor track and field seasons, as the sophomore recorded the best high jump for a Spartan in 10 years as NSU opened outdoor season at the Weems Baskin Invitational hosted by the University of South Carolina over the weekend.
Milton cleared 7 feet, 2.25 inches to win the high jump. That ranks as the best high jump by a Spartan since Marlon Woods also cleared 7-2.25 in winning the 2008 MEAC outdoor title. Milton's mark is also the fourth-best in the country and second-best in the NCAA East Region through the first two weeks of outdoor season, though the Spartans did not compete last weekend. The Weems Baskin Invitational marked NSU's first meet since the MEAC Indoor Championships from Feb. 15-17, where Milton won his second consecutive indoor high jump title.
Milton also threw the javelin at the meet and earned seventh place with a best throw of 142 feet, 7 inches. Rounding out a strong weekend for NSU in the field events, freshman
Patrick Booker claimed third place in the pole vault with a top height of 13 feet, 1.5 inches.
The Spartan relay teams also opened up outdoor season with notable performances. NSU's 4x300 relay team of
Trequan Barnes,
Keith Brown,
Jaylen Banks and Phil Griggs won their event in a time of 2 minutes, 16.69 seconds. Banks, Barnes, Griggs and
Justin Pinder later took fourth in the 4x400 relay in 3:15.69.
Several members of the relays also fared well in their individual events. Barnes' meet also included a PR in the 200-meter dash. He won his section and was 13th overall in 21.49 seconds. Banks was 13th in the 400-meter hurdles in 54.40 seconds, while Pinder placed second in his heat and 14th overall in the 400 meters in a time of 48.65 seconds.
Other good showings were turned in by
Ashton Thoroughgood, who ran a PR of 10.78 seconds and won his heat in the 100 meters, and
Felix Kiprotich, who placed 13th in the 3,000 meters (8:49.98).
The Spartans are back on the track next Friday and Saturday at the Fred Hardy Invitational hosted by the University of Richmond.
