JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – App State senior
Jada Branch punched her ticket to the 2023 NCAA Championships in the women's triple jump on the final day of the NCAA East Preliminary Round in Jacksonville, Fla. Juniors
Chris Wainscott,
Calbert Guest, and
Niejel Wilkins also represented the Black and Gold in the men's shot put, men's 3,000-meter steeplechase, and men's triple jump, respectively, throughout the week.
Branch finished 12th in the women's triple jump with a leap of 13.09m (42' 11.5") on her third and final jump on Saturday. Branch entered the competition ranked eighth in the East Prelim qualifying list and 15th in the nation. Branch is the first Mountaineer to represent App State at the NCAA Outdoor Championships since Beverly Burnett in 2005. Last season, Branch finished 13th at the East Prelims, having tied with Indiana State's Ryaan Porter with a leap of 12.90m (42' 4"). The Stafford, Va. native stands third in the women's triple jump (13.13m (43' 1")) and ninth in the women's long jump (6.02m (19' 9")) in the App State all-time list. She also holds the women's triple jump facility record at the Randy Marion Track & Field facility.
In his first appearance at the NCAA East Preliminary Round, Guest stopped the clock at 9:06.75 to finish 34th overall in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase on Friday. Guest, who is the 13th Mountaineer to compete at the postseason meet in the 3,000-meter steeplechase event, entered the competition ranked 42nd. At the close of the outdoor season, the Fort Collins, Colo. native stands fourth in the App State all-time list in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 8:54.06.
Also making his first appearance at the NCAA East Preliminary Round, Wainscott recorded a toss of 16.41m (53' 10.25") to finish 44th overall in the men's shot put on Wednesday. Wainscott, who holds the Randy Marion Track & Field men's shot put, hammer, and discus facility records, had entered the competition ranked 40th in East Prelim qualifying list in the shot put category. Wainscott wraps the outdoor season ranked third in the shot put (17.95m (58' 10.75")), fourth in the discus (51.26m (168' 2")), and eighth in the hammer throw (58.11m (190' 8")) in the App State all-time list.
Wilkins scratched out of competition in the men's triple jump event. Wilkins ranked 45th on the East Prelim qualifying list entering the competition. The Kinston, N.C. native wraps the outdoor season as the Randy Marion Track & Field Facility triple jump record holder and ranks ninth in the App State all-time list with a leap of 15.30m (50' 2.75").
Up Next
The NCAA Championships are scheduled for June 7-10 at the Mike A.Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas. The women's triple jump is slated for 8:10 p.m. CT (9:10 p.m. ET) on Saturday, June 10. The meet will be broadcasted on ESPN2 and ESPN+.
