WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Alyssa Jones became the first Stanford athlete to win an Atlantic Coast Conference outdoor track and field championship.
Jones won the women’s long jump with identical jumps of 21-5 ½ (6.54 meters) on Friday at Wake Forest University’s Kentner Stadium to complete a sweep of the ACC indoor and outdoor long-jump titles.
Jones, a junior, remains perfect in conference long-jump championship competitions, earning her fourth. In addition to her ACC victories this year, she was the Pac-12 outdoor champion the past two years (the Pac-12 did not sponsor indoor track and field).
Next year, Jones will have a chance to become the first Cardinal to win four conference outdoor long-jump titles. Mackenzie Little (2016-19) and Brianna Bain (2012-15) in the women’s javelin and Erica McLain in the women’s indoor and outdoor triple jump (2005-08) are the only Stanford track and field athletes – men or women – ever to win four conference titles in a single event in a certain season, either indoors or outdoors.
McLain won Pac-10 long-jump championships in 2005, 2006, and 2008 and is the only other Stanford woman besides Jones to win a conference outdoor long-jump title.
The day was magical in other ways for Jones and Stanford. In the long jump, teammate Teagan Zwaanstra placed third and then the two of them finished 1-2 in their heat of the 100, with both advancing to Saturday’s final.
Saturday will be a busy one for Jones, who is expected to close out the three-day meet with three events – the high jump, 100, and 4x100.
The long-jump competition began with the first three jumpers each seizing the lead, settling on Louisville’s Synclair Savage at 20-7 (6.27). Jones fouled on her first attempt, and Savage increased her lead with a 21-0 ½ (6.41) on her second.
However, Jones immediately followed Savage’s jump by eclipsing that distance with a 21-5 ½ in the second round. The distance was ¾ of an inch off the meet record. The jump held up, with Savage drawing no closer and with Jones matching her effort in the sixth round on the final jump of the competition.
Behind her, Zwaanstra, who came in with a personal best of 19-8 ¾ (6.01), uncorked a 20-3 (6.17) on her second attempt to vault into third. In the fifth round, Zwaanstra unleashed a 20-6 ½ (6.26), and emerged from the pit clapping in excitement. That jump marked an improvement upon her PB by 9 ¾ inches in one day and allowed her to break into Stanford’s all-time outdoor Top 10 at No. 10, knocking Whitney Liehr (20-5 ¾, 6.24, 2011) off the list.
Alaysia Oakes was seventh in the competition with a season-best 19-6 ¾ (5.96) to give Stanford three scorers and 18 points. After two days and seven of 21 events, those 18 points place Stanford sixth. The Stanford men are eighth with 15.5.
A little more than two hours later, Jones and Zwaanstra lined up next to each other for Heat 1 of the 100. Zwaanstra got out to an especially fast start and led until the final steps with Jones barely overtook her. Both were timed in personal bests of 11.37, with Jones in 11.363 to Zwaanstra’s 11.370. Their previous bests were 11.53 and 11.40, respectively.
Jones was the lone automatic qualifier out of the heat and Zwaanstra advanced on time, both with Stanford Top-10 times. Jones is now No. 5 and Zwaanstra No. 6 all-time.
Eight Stanford track athletes advanced through prelims to finals over the past two days, including Roisin Willis, who was second in a fascinating matchup with North Carolina’s Makayla Paige, with both advancing automatically out of Heat 1, with Paige winning in 2:00.87 and Willis running a season-best 2:00.93. Willis beat Paige for the ACC indoor title and Paige went on to win the NCAA indoor title, with Willis third.
The Stanford men had three scorers Friday with Sam Liokumovich earning the highest finish – fourth in the shot put at 59-8 ¼ (18.19). His best throw was his first, which put him second through the first round.
John Kroeger was seventh in the long jump at 23-10 ¾ (7.28) and Garrett Brown tied for eighth in the pole vault at 16-7 ¼ (5.06).
Stanford sophomore Zachary Ryan broke a two-year-old 400 personal best with a 46.60 for 10th overall, two spots and 0.14 from advancing.
Friday’s results
ACC Outdoor Championships
At Kentner Stadium, Wake Forest Univ.
Winners and all Stanford
Men
Team scores (8 of 21 scored) – 1, Duke 57; 8, Stanford 15.5.
400 – Prelims: 10, Zachary Ryan (Stanford) 46.60 (PB).
800 – Prelims: 17, Zane Bergen (Stanford) 1:51.65.
Pole vault – Final: 1, Simen Guttormsen (Duke) 18-4 ½ (5.60); 8, Garrett Brown (Stanford) 16-7 ¼ (5.06).
Long jump – Final: 1, Tyson Adams (North Carolina State) 25-2 ¾ (7.69); 7, John Kroeger (Stanford) 23-10 ¾ (7.28).
Shot put – Final: 1, Thomas Kitchell (North Carolina) 66-2 ½ (20.18); 4, Sam Liokumovich (Stanford) 59-8 ¼ (18.19).
Women
Team scores (7 of 21 scored) – 1, Louisville 44; 6, Stanford 18.
100 – Prelims: 4, Alyssa Jones (Stanford) 11.37Q (PB; No. 5 Stanford AT); 5, Teagan Zwaanstra (Stanford) 11.37q (PB; No. 6 Stanford AT).
400 – Prelims: 14, Sage Hinton (Stanford) 54.98.
800 – Prelims: 2, Roisin Willis (Stanford) 2:00.93Q; 16, Amelia Everett (Stanford) 2:08.11.
Long jump – Final: 1, Alyssa Jones (Stanford) 21-5 ½ (6.54); 3, Teagan Zwaanstra (Stanford) 20-6 ½ (6.26) (PB; No. 10 Stanford AT); 7, Alaysia Oakes (Stanford) 19-6 ¾ (5.96); 13, Ariana Guerrero (Stanford) 18-7 ¾ (5.68).
Shot put – Final: Jayden Ulrich (Louisville) 57-7 ½ (17.56); 9, Kaiah Fisher (Stanford) 50-6 (15.39).
Stanford’s Schedule (all times Pacific)
Saturday
11 a.m.: Men’s discus prelims and final (F2: Sam Liokumovich).
11 a.m.: Women’s high jump prelims and final (Alyssa Jones).
11:30 a.m.: Women’s triple jump prelims and final (F1: Ariana Guerrero; F2: Alaysia Oakes).
2 p.m.: Women’s discus prelims and final (Kaiah Fisher).
2:30 p.m.: Men’s triple jump prelims and final (F2: Xavier Drumgoole).
2:30 p.m.: Women’s 4x100 relay final (S2: Stanford).
2:40 p.m.: Men’s 4x100 relay (S2: Stanford).
2:50 p.m.: Women’s 1,500 final (Sophia Kennedy).
3 p.m.: Men’s 1,500 final (Zane Bergen, James Dargan, Leo Young).
3:50 p.m.: Women’s 100 final (Alyssa Jones, Teagan Zwaanstra).
4:10 p.m.: Women’s 800 final (Roisin Willis).
4:40 p.m.: Men’s 400 hurdles final (Ryce Reynolds).
5:10 p.m.: Women’s 5,000 final (Audrey DaDamio, Sophia Kennedy).
5:30 p.m.: Men’s 5,000 final (Thomas Boyden, James Dargan, Robert DiDonato, Milo Skapinsky, Cole Sprout, Leo Young).
5:45 p.m.: Women’s 4x400 relay (S1: Stanford).
5:55 p.m.: Men’s 4x400 relay (S1: Stanford).