Mariah Stephens of Egg Harbor Township popped a long jump lifetime best 19-10 ¼ to win the MAAC title and smash the Rider school record Saturday at the Armory.
Stephens, a Rider senior, jumped 19-10 ¼ on her only legal jump of the competition to win her 11th MAAC individual title.
Her previous best was a 19-7 ½ earlier this month at Ocean Breeze. She broke the school record of 19-8 ¾ set by another Atlantic County jumper, Holy Spirit graduate Asia Young, at the 2018 MAAC championships at the Armory. The only superior jump in Rider history is Raisa Thunig’s outdoor school-record 20-1 ½ in a meet in Lawrenceville in 2023.
Stephens also leads all qualifiers into Sunday’s hurdles final with an 8.60, just off her lifetime-best 8.57 from the prelims at the 2023 MAAC Championships, also at the Armory. That 8.57 is No. 2 in school history behind Sara Gardner’s 8.41 at the 2019 MAAC meet at the Armory.
Stephens also found time to jump in the 60-meter dash trials and PR’d with a 7.60, which is also No. 2 in school history, behind only Tierra Taylor’s 7.57 at the 2017 MAAC meet at the Armory. She’s the No. 3 qualifier in the dash, just ahead of teammate Dylan Giloley, a freshman from Washington Township, who ran 7.67. She’s already No. 4 in school history with her 7.66 from December at the Ott Center. Giloley also advanced in the 200 with a 25.12.
Absegami’s Diamond McLaughlin, a senior at St. Peter’s, ran 57.37 in the 400 trials and is the No. 3 seed going into the final.
In the men’s meet, Rider freshman Damere Lassiter of Glassboro threw 53-9 to place 5th in the weight throw.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 