FINAL RESULTS
NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Junior
Renn Eason claimed Rhodes College track & field's first ever individual national championship as he won the high jump at 2.06m on Saturday morning at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships at Al B. Carius Track on the campus of North Central.
After Eason cleared 1.97m and 2.02m with ease, five jumpers entered the next round of 2.06m. Eason cleared 2.06m with only one failed attempt while the other jumpers failed more than once. With no one clearing 2.10m, Eason won the tiebreaker on attempts and took the title home to Memphis.
Eason becomes the fourth individual to win a national championship since Nao Kinoshita won the individual women's tennis title in 1997. Kinoshita also won an individual title in 1995, along with a doubles title in 1997 with teammate Taylor Tarver.
It is also the sixth overall NCAA Championship as the Rhodes College women's golf team lays claim to both the 2014 and 2016 championships.
For Eason, who competed in his fifth nationals meet, it was redemption for past disappointments. Not only was it his first title, but it was the first time Eason placed in the top eight to earn All-American honors.
Alexander Niemiec of Springfield placed second while Logan Mulford of Central was third.
Eason was the Southern Athletic Association Field Athlete of the Year a season ago as well as the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Indoor and Outdoor Regional Field Athlete of the Year in the South/Southeast.
Eason will now turn his focus to the outdoor season where he will look to return to nationals and defend his outdoor title as well as add to his honors.
