JACKSONVILLE, Fla (May 24, 2023) - Senior Queshun Watson-Riggins has qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships after a tenth place finish in the long jump Wednesday at the NCAA East Preliminaries in Jacksonville, Florida.
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On the third and potentially final college jump of his collegiate career, Watson-Riggins leaped 7.53m to earn the qualifying spot, after jumps of 7.18 and 7.00 on his first and second attempts. It is the first NCAA Championships appearances in Watson-Riggins' career.
"We're so thrilled and proud of Queshun," said FIU head coach
Ryan Heberling. "He's stayed the course through all the years, and this is such a reward for him. He's been deserving of this."
Watson-Riggins, the FIU long jump record holder, was coming off a bronze medal in the long jump and triple jump at the Conference USA Championships.
In the javelin, freshman
Cole Crkvenac capped a standout freshman campaign placing 29th of 48 competitors with a mark of 62.62m on his final throw.
"Cole is off to a great start as a Panther," said Heberling on Crkvenac, who is already second in the FIU record books in the event. "This was a terrific experience for him and we're confident in the bright future he has."
Thursday will kick off the women's action, with
Michaelle Valentin competing in the hammer,
Filippa Miller and
Nicole Janse Van Rensburg in the pole vault and
Christiana Ellina and
Hannah Jansen in the javelin.
