Wyatt turns in automatic qual in long jump

Senior jumper breaks school record, records just the second indoor automatic qualifying mark since program's resurrection in 2008.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (GoThunderWolves.com - Jan. 21, 2012) - Senior jumper Danita Wyatt (Sr., Aurora, Colo.) has always been an ace at the triple jump, turning in at least a provisional qualifying jump at nearly every meet and even finishing fifth in the nation at last season's Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

However, she has always a step behind in the long jump, never qualifying for nationals, even provisionally, in the event. 

Saturday, that all changed, as Wyatt uncorked the jump of her life at one of the biggest track meets in the nation, the University of New Mexico Cherry & Silver Invitational, turning in a leap of 19 feet, 5-1/4 inches, barely surpassing the Division II automatic qualifying standard by less than a half-inch, breaking her own indoor school record in the process.

In finishing seventh in the event, which included competitors from some of the top Division I track programs in the Western United States, and fifth among competitors attached to colleges (the Cherry & Silver Invitational was an open event).  She obliterated her previous indoor personal best and school record, an 18-foot, 1-1/4 inch jump last season, but more than a foot.

To add icing to the cake, Wyatt also qualified provisionally in the triple jump, turning in a ninth place finish with a 38-foot, 7-3/4-inch jump.  It was the third time in as many meets this indoor season that she qualified provisionally for nationals in the triple jump.

The rest of the ThunderWolf competitors faced incredibly stiff competition in their events, but reigning RMAC Field Athlete of the Week, Holli Salazar (Jr., Hayden, Colo.) once again broke the 15-meter plateau in the weight throw, tossing the weight 49 feet, 3 inches en route to an eighth place finish.  She was also 14th in the shot put.

CSU-Pueblo will return to a Division II meet next week, travelling to Colorado School of Mines next Saturday for the Joe Davies Invitational.