ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Stanford junior Alyssa Jones opened her indoor track and field season and won the long jump at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Collegiate Invitational on Friday at the Albuquerque Convention Center.
Jones had only two legal jumps among her six in the competition, but it was enough to soar 21-8 (6.60 meters) to capture the victory by 5 ½ inches. It was the longest season-opening jump by Jones indoors or outdoors in her collegiate career.
A six-time All-American and two-time Pac-12 champion, Jones opened with a 21-0 ½ (6.41m) to take the lead and never trailed thereafter. However, Jones needed the 21-8 on her third attempt because Aaliyah Foster of Texas reached 21-2 ½ (6.46m) on her fifth jump to draw into second.
Stanford’s Teagan Zwaanstra placed sixth with a season-best 19-5 ¼ (5.92m) and Tess Stapleton was seventh 19-2 ¾ (5.86m).
Stapleton -- a sprinter, hurdler, and long jumper -- continued her strong start to the season by running a 200-meter wind-legal personal record of 23.88. Stapleton came in with a wind-legal best of 24.27 from the 2024 indoor season and an all-conditions PB of a windy 23.33 outdoors. This one placed her into a tie for No. 9 on Stanford’s all-time indoor list with Ashley Purnell from 2003, while earning ninth in the invitational section.
In the men’s 200, sophomore Zachary Ryan ran 21.60 in the unseeded ‘B’ race to move into a tie for No. 10 on Stanford’s all-time indoor list with Wopamo Osaisai (2006) and Dorien Simon (2023).
In the men’s 35-pound weight throw, Stanford’s Anthony Argyropoulos found himself in a dramatic dual with Cal’s Jared Freeman, with each taking the lead on their final throws. Freeman led through the first five rounds before Argyropoulos seized the lead on his sixth and final toss – of 65-3 ¼ (19.89m). However, Freeman responded with a 66-0 ¼ (20.12m) on the final throw of the competition to win.
Seventeen Stanford athletes competed Friday and combined for seven personal records. Joseph Bailey and Sevilla Duran each set two PBs. Bailey ran 22.59 for 200 and 49.79 for 400 for the men. In the same events, Duran, a graduate transfer from Columbia, ran 26.14 and 57.85 for the women.
The meet continues Saturday with 14 Cardinal entered, including Jones in the 60, Stapleton in the 60 hurdles, and Ryan in the 60 and invitational 400.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational
At Albuquerque Convention Center
(200-meter banked track)
Men
200 – Invitational: Ryan Zeze (unat.) 20.59. Unseeded ‘B’: 8, Zachary Ryan (Stanford) 21.60 (No. 10 Stanford AT); 15, Ryce Reynolds (Stanford) 22.13; 16, Gabriel Ajaegbu (Stanford) 22.14 (PB); 29, Joseph Bailey (Stanford) 22.59 (PB); 30, Dylan Davis (Stanford) 22.67.
400 – Unseeded ‘B’: 9, Joseph Bailey (Stanford) 49.79 (PB); 11, Gabriel Ajaegbu (Stanford) 51.32.
Long jump – 1, Solomon Washington (Texas) 25-5 ¼ (7.75m); 5, Xavier Drumgoole (Stanford) 23-10 (7.26m); 17, John Kroeger (Stanford) 21-11 (6.68m).
Weight throw – 1, Jared Freeman (Cal) 66-0 ¼ (20.12m); 2, Anthony Argyropoulos (Stanford) 65-3 ¼ (19.89m); 5, Mason McKhann (Stanford) 55-9 ¼ (17.00m).
Women
200 – Invitational: 1, Ramiah Elliott (Texas) 23.26; 9, Tess Stapleton (Stanford) 23.88 (PB; No. 9 Stanford AT); 14, Sage Hinton (Stanford) 24.71. Unseeded ‘B’: 7, Rachel Nelson (Stanford) 24.98; 9, Camille Peisner (Stanford) 25.10; 29, Sevilla Duran (Stanford) 26.14 (PB).
400 – Unseeded ‘B’: 4, Rachel Nelson (Stanford) 57.14 (PB); 9, Sevilla Duran (Stanford) 57.85 (PB).
Long jump – 1, Alyssa Jones (Stanford) 21-8 (6.60m); 6, Teagan Zwaanstra (Stanford) 19-5 ¼ (5.92m); 7, Tess Stapleton (Stanford) 19-2 ¾ (5.86m); 11, Alaysia Oakes (Stanford) 18-4 ½ (5.60m).
PB = personal best
AT = all-time
Stanford’s schedule (all times Pacific)
Saturday
9 a.m.: Women’s pole vault – Sec.A: Sky Schuller.
9:15 a.m.: Women’s 60 hurdles prelims – H1, Tess Stapleton.
9:30 a.m.: Women’s shot put – Flight 2: Kaiah Fisher.
9:30 a.m.: Women’s triple jump – Alaysia Oakes.
9:30 a.m.: Men’s triple jump – Fl.2: Xavier Drumgoole.
9:35 a.m.: Men’s 60 -- Unseeded ‘B’: S2, John Kroeger; S3, Zachary Ryan.
10 a.m.: Men’s 60 prelims – Invitational: H3, Dylan Davis.
10:10 a.m.: Women’s 60 prelims – Invitational: H1, Teagan Zwaanstra; H2, Alyssa Jones.
Noon: Women’s 60 hurdles final.
Noon: Men’s shot put – Garin Gross.
Noon: Men’s pole vault – Sec.A: Garrett Brown.
12:05 p.m.: Men’s 400 – Invitational: S4, Zachary Ryan.
12:20 p.m.: Women’s 400 – Invitational: S4, Sage Hinton; S5, Camille Peisner.
12:35 p.m.: Men’s 60 final.
12:40 p.m.: Women’s 60 final.
1:20 p.m.: Men’s 4x400 relay – S4, Stanford (Olufemi Cole, Gabriel Ajaegbu, Joseph Bailey, Zachary Ryan).
1:40 p.m.: Women’s 4x400 relay – S1, Stanford (Sage Hinton, Camille Peisner, Rachel Nelson, Sevilla Duran).