MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama freshman Kaitlyn Beans closed her first collegiate season Friday with a 17th-place finish in the triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, narrowly missing All-America recognition.
Close to All-America Status
Beans recorded her best mark of 12.67 meters on her second attempt in the 24-athlete final field. The result left her one place and two-hundredths of a meter short of earning second-team All-America honors.
Historic Qualification
Beans, a Montgomery, Ala., native, earned her trip to the national meet with a 13.18-meter jump and a seventh-place finish at the NCAA regional preliminary round.
With that performance, she became the first individual in South Alabama program history to advance to the NCAA finals in any of the jumping events. She is also the first freshman from the program to qualify for the national championships in any event.
Sun Belt Champion and Record Holder
Beans finishes the season as South Alabama’s school record holder in the triple jump at 13.19 meters, a mark she set in May while winning the gold medal at the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Championships.
Her freshman season included a conference title, a school record and a place in the national final, all in her first year with the Jaguars.
