Freshman Agata Kosuda set the new school record for the women’s triple jump to highlight a successful day for ISU field events at the Iowa State Classic Friday and Saturday.

Kosuda jumped 42-4 1/4, beating the previous record of 40-11 set in 2000 by Aurelia Trywianska. Kosuda and Trywianska are both natives of Poland.

This was Kosuda’s first meet since Jan. 24 because of a back injury. Despite not competing for nearly a month, she still managed to meet her goal of earning an NCAA provisional qualifying mark.

“I’m happy after today’s competition,” Kosuda said. “I had to deal with the pain, but it is getting better. Because [qualifying is] my goal, I’m happy. My goal for today was to qualify for nationals at Fayetteville. So I reached that goal.”

Kosuda is excited about the Big 12 Championships, the outdoor track season and going back to her native country in the summer.

“I just want to jump well and with good technique. I’m going to long jump at the Big 12 meet also,” she said. “I have two more [big indoor] meets left—Big 12 [Championships] and the NCAAs. I enjoy outdoor more.”

Jumps and vaults coach Ron McEachran was very enthusiastic about Kosuda persevering through her injury and still doing as well as she did.

“Agata’s been injured, and we didn’t know what to expect [from her],” McEachran said. “She’s had a slight pulled muscle that dates back to her competing in Poland. She reaggravated it and hasn’t jumped since the Wisconsin meet [Jan. 24].

“She lifted and ran but has not done much jump work. She just started bounding last Tuesday to see if her back would hold up. We felt it would, and she responded well and had her indoor personal best.”

McEachran said the triple jump is Kosuda’s number one event.

“She broke the school record by about a foot-and-a-half and is about one foot over provisionals for NCAAs,” he said. “She’s most likely to make it to Fayetteville [Arkansas]. For a freshman to qualify for nationals is really outstanding.”

Priya Hoze also competed in the women’s triple jump, where she scored a personal best of 39-10 1/2. Hoze received sixth in the women’s long jump Friday night at 19-6 3/4. Teammate Davonna Carr placed ninth with a jump of 19-1 1/2.

“I’m happy with how I did, because I’ve improved every track meet so that’s a positive thing for me,” Hoze said. “This meet, I really executed the board instead of having that fear of the board. That’s something I need to work on. Big 12 [Championships] in the next big meet. It’ll be fun to see how far I can improve in two weeks.”

In the men’s triple jump, Daniel Kaczmarczyk finished third with a bound of 50-7 1/4. This is a personal record for Kaczmarczyk, who has scarcely competed in the event and usually concentrates on the long jump.

“It was my second full approach in the triple jump ever,” Kaczmarczyk said. “I’m trying to actually get better since I just started working on triple jump last year. I’m completely out of shape [right now]. So to do well [in the long jump], I need to get into shape.

“I’m not where I need to be. The triple jump is pretty weak this year in the conference. So to jump what I did [today] and place in the conference, means it’s pretty weak. I just want to do well, but I still have two weeks [until the Big 12 Championships].”

McEachran was somewhat disappointed in Kaczmarczyk’s performance in the long jump, but was satisfied with his results in the triple jump.

“In the long jump, [Daniel’s] been doing well in practice,” McEachran said. “He’s had trouble keeping up with his speed. He had five fouls [Friday], but I am very pleased how he responded in the triple jump. It was a personal record of at least six inches [for him].

McEachran said Kaczmarczyk is in the top three or four in the conference.

“For Priya and Daniel to come back the next day after competing Friday night in the long jump, and then both having their indoor personal bests [really shows] that training is paying off,” McEachran said.

Freshman Leigh Wagner finished 11th in the women’s high jump at 5-6 1/2, tying seven other competitors at that mark.

Former ISU high jumper and last year’s Iowa State Female Athlete of the Year Gina Rickert won the event unattached with a leap of 6-1/2.

McEachran said he was pleased with the women jumpers.

“We had Tamela Jadin in the pole vault, Priya in the long and triple jump, Davonna in the long jump, and Agata in the triple jump. Leigh Wagner did the best since she’s been here. Priya really stands out. She had her lifetime best in the triple jump,” McEachran said.