Track & Field earns seven NJCAA qualifying marks in season opener
Paradise Valley, AZ - The 2020 indoor track and field season kicked off for Mesa Saturday at the Puma Indoor Invitational and it got off to a fine start for the T-Birds who collected seven NJCAA Indoor National Championship qualifying marks.
The MCC men had five, three in jumps and two on the track.
Lofton Thomas continued Mesa's long-standing excellence in the pole vault by topping the NJCAA standard in his first collegiate meet. He jumped 15-7 ¼ to earn his spot at nationals.
Makel Hubbard, who placed sixth indoors a year ago in the high jump clinched his spot for 2020 with a leap of 6-8 ¾, exactly his mark at indoor nationals in 2019.
Juba McClay, who earned All-America honors in the decathlon last year, bettered the standard in the triple jump Saturday at 46-10 ¾.
On the track, Van Harvey Vance qualified in the 600 meters in 1:21.65 and Jacob Samford beat the standard in the 400 at 48.84
The women's team earned two qualifying marks, both in the pole vault. Belle Huber leaped 11-1 ½ and Janie Tenney cleared 10-7 ½.
Mesa will be back in action next Saturday at the Paradise Valley Indoor Invitational.
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