La Tijera Avery, Nevada’s skateboarding senior from southern California, made herself at home on her the first trip Big Apple, exploding over the bar for a new PR of 1.80m/5’ 10.75” in the Championship High Jump to take third at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational. 

Avery had company on the trip east as the veteran jump trio of Debbie Amoah, Avery, and Nicole Williams journeyed to the New Balance Track and Field Center located in the Armory in New York City’s Washington Heights to mix it up with some of the best team’s in the country. With 130 collegiate teams represented in the two day meet, the Wolf Pack jumpers got exposed to the largest collegiate indoor competition in the nation.

Avery opened the competition at 1.75m/5’ 8.75”, only a centimeter below her previous PR. It was by far the highest the fourth year multi-talented jumper has ever begun a competition. Showing her resolve, she cleared easily on the first attempt. Missing on her first two attempts at 1.80, Avery blew over the bar on the third attempt. Ultimately unsuccessful at 1.83m/6’ 0”, Avery got her first looks at a 6’ bar during an indoor season. Avery’s mark of 1.80m/ 5’ 10.75” ties her for 13th nationally opening the door for a possible berth at the NCAA National Championships. Usually, around 16 athletes are taken in each event to the national championships.

Amoah competed Friday in the Long Jump and 60 Hurdles, notching 5.70m/ and 8.97 respectively, neither of which were seasonal bests. However, the junior came back on Saturday with a seasonal best in the Triple Jump, leaping to 12.02m/39’ 5.25”.

Williams, a fifth year senior who is in her first season of indoor competition, as she had played basketball previously before jumping in three outdoor season, came within a centimeter of her indoor best clearing 1.70m/5’ 7”.

Next week will see the Wolf Pack return to the Idaho Center for the Boise State Team Challenge. The Pack will compete in force at the Jackson Track with the notable exception of Sophomore Sam Diaz who will be at Washington’s Husky Classic to take a shot at a fast mile time in what is traditionally the best meet for middle and long distances each indoor season.