ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – After competing with the basketball team all winter, Niki Fokken competed at one invite with the College of Saint Benedict track and field team during the indoor season, and missed qualifying for the MIAC Indoor Championships in the high jump by one centimeter.
In her first outdoor meet of the year, Fokken proved she belongs at the league’s outdoor championships.
Fokken won the high jump at the Trinity Triangular with a leap of 1.60 meters on March 23 in San Antonio, Texas. That mark not only won the event, it is also currently the best in the MIAC and in the top 15 in Division III so far this season. For her performance, Fokken has been named the CSB Athlete of the Week.
Fokken’s win was one of six for the Blazers at their meet in Texas, which also included athletes from Tufts. It was also one of the biggest wins for CSB, as her mark was the best among the other athletes competing, and it is also the fourth-best mark in CSB history. She is tied with Laurel Kennedy, who jumped 1.60 meters at the 2012 MIAC Championships. The school record is 1.66 meters, set in 2010 by Julia Renner.
Heading into last week’s meet, Fokken’s personal outdoor best was 1.51 meters, set as a first year in 2015. After clearing 1.50 meters in Texas she was the only competitor remaining, and she cleared 1.55 meters on her first try to set a new personal best, then one-upped herself by clearing 1.60 meters – also on her first try.
Fokken’s mark – a 10-centiemeter personal best – leads the MIAC by three centimeters early in the outdoor season. It is also tied for 11
th best in Division III. A pair of athletes lead the nation with jumps of 1.65 meters.
Fokken and the Blazers return to action Saturday, April 2, when they compete at the Hamline Invite in St. Paul. The meet starts at 10:30 a.m.
