USC Jumpers Shine in Season Debut at Kansas State
The USC Track and Field jumps squad wasted no time making their presence felt in Manhattan, Kansas, closing out the second and final day of competition at Kansas State with a win in the women’s long jump and a pair of personal bests in the triple jump.
Leading the way was Alyssa Hope, who opened her season with authority. On just her third attempt, she soared to a mark of 6.11 meters, good enough to lock up first place in the women’s long jump. It was a strong statement from Hope, who looked sharp and composed despite it being her debut for the season.
Avery Lewis wasn’t far behind. She set the tone early with a 5.70m jump to kick off her series, then closed strong by stretching it out to 5.96m on her final attempt to claim second place. That kind of clutch performance on the last jump shows a level of poise that bodes well for the rest of her indoor campaign.
In the women’s triple jump, it was a day of personal milestones. Lauren Reed landed a new indoor personal best of 12.54m on her second attempt, which earned her sixth place in a competitive field.
Jada Foreman followed with a solid 12.28m for eighth place, while Jada Gatlin rounded out the group in ninth with a personal indoor best of 12.05m. Three Trojans, three top-10 finishes, and two PRs-exactly the kind of depth and progression coaches like to see this early in the season.
These performances came on the heels of a strong showing by the men’s squad on Friday. Freshman Jackson Norris turned heads with a personal-best 7.40m in the men’s long jump, good for sixth place. Elias Gerald added to the team’s momentum by clearing 2.14m in the high jump to secure ninth.
Altogether, USC’s jumpers opened their indoor season with a blend of top finishes, personal records, and promising signs of what’s to come. If this weekend was any indication, the Trojans are building something special on the runway and in the pit.