DES MOINES, Iowa — Marcus Jackson earned the first points for the Mississippi State University’s track and field team Thursday when he set a new personal record and became the Bulldogs’ latest All-American.
Jackson finished fifth with a personal-best mark of 7 feet, 4 1/4 inches in the high jump at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The effort earned the sophomore first-team All-America honors.
“It feels great to be an All-American,” the Carrollton native said. “When I got up this morning, that was not on my mind. I just went out there and gave it my all. Setting a new personal best and being named All-American was just a bonus.”
Jackson’s finish gave the Bulldogs with four points to place them 23rd entering the final two days of competition. The University of Texas leads the pack with 19 points, followed by Arkansas (16) and Nebraska (14).
MSU’s 4×400-meter quartet of Tavaris Tate, Emanuel Mayers, Daundre Barnaby, and James Harris closed the day with MSU’s third-fastest time in school history at 3:02.16 to finish third and secure a place in Saturday’s finals.
Favian Cowards started the Lady Bulldogs off as she competed in the hammer throw. On her second throw of the day, she reached 206-3 to finish ninth.
Thursday also marked the beginning of the women’s heptathlon, featuring MSU’s Erica Bougard. Competing in four events, Bougard closed her day with 3,191 points to stand at 20th place entering the final three events today. Bougard was sixth in the 100 hurdles (13.64), 21st in the high jump (5-3), 23rd in the shot put (28-11), and fourth in the 200 (24.08).
Jody-Ann Muir, who was seventh in the preliminaries of the 400 Wednesday, will compete today in the finals.
n Robertson places sixth in high jump: University of Mississippi junior Ricky Robertson placed sixth Thursday in the high jump for the sixth straight time in his career.
Robertson, who is from Hernando, cleared 7-4 1/4 inches before missing his attempts at 7-5 3/4. His mark tied for fourth-best among the competitors, but he tied for sixth on misses and scored two and a half points for his team.
Robertson will attempt to score more points for the Rebels today in the triple jump.
Junior Isiah Young advanced to Saturday’s championship final in the 200 meters by clocking the second-fastest time of any qualifier on Thursday, 20.43. He finished behind only ACC champion and 2012 collegiate leader Maurice Mitchell (20.23) of Florida State. It is the second time in Young’s short Rebel career that he has made an NCAA championship final (2012 indoor 60 meters).
Sophomore Fabia McDonald is 21st with 3,157 points after the first day of the two-day women’s heptathlon. Her best showing was in the high jump, in which she tied for 11th (5-5 1/4).
Freshman Sam Kendricks will compete today in the men’s pole vault.
The championships are being streamed live on ESPN3.com. ESPNU will televise Saturday’s action from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
n Eppinger competes in heptathlon: The University of Alabama’s Kaylon Eppinger competed in the heptathlon Thursday, while Tyler Campbell participated in the high jump at Drake Stadium
Eppinger is 14th after the first round of the heptathlon with 3,303 points. She is 121 points out of eighth and a spot on the podium. Campbell finished 16th in the men’s high jump with a mark of 7-1/2.
Eppinger was fifth in the 100 hurdles (13.64). She had a mark of 5-4 1/4 in the high jump and a mark of 39-3 in the shot put. She closed the day with a time of 25.47 in the 200.
Campbell easily cleared on his first two heights of the day before missing on his first attempt at 7-1/2. He cleared that height on his next attempt to push the bar to his personal best of 7-2 1/2. With the bar at 7-2 1/2, he missed on his first two attempts and appeared to have cleared on his final attempt, but just barely clipped the bar with his leg on the way down to end his season.
Krystle Schade will compete today in the women’s high jump.
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