Men's Outdoor Track and Field | 5/28/2022 2:27:00 PM
GENEVA, OH – On the final day of the 2022 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Kyle Rollins of St. John Fisher College was crowned an All-American for the 12th time with a sixth-place finish in the triple jump. It comes less than 24 hours after Rollins won the fourth national championship of his collegiate career with his third-straight outdoor high jump gold medal.
Utica's Ke'Sean Watlington, the 2022 Empire 8 Championship Field Athlete of the Meet, wrapped up his stellar career by placing 14th in the same event. Watlington fouled on his first two attempts before marking down a final effort of 14.44 meters to land in 14th place. Watlington completes his incredible career as one of the most decorated athletes in program history. He is a five time NCAA qualifier and a two-time All-American.
Now a four-time All-American in the triple jump, Rollins was slated for the second flight on Saturday. After waiting for the first 10 athletes to complete their preliminary leaps, he flew 15.03 meters on his second try. That distance immediately vaulted Rollins into third place behind the eventual champion and runner-up, but this year's field proved to be exceptionally strong towards the end.
On their last two attempts, Justin Kiefel of Carnegie Mellon University (15.16m), Justin Dreyling of Mount Saint Joseph University (15.09m), and Shelvin Garrett of University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (15.08) all surpassed Rollins, which dropped him three places into sixth.
The graduate student from Groveland, New York, scored two legal jumps in the finals but was unable to better his standing. His fourth attempt was 14.94 meters, while his sixth jump cleared 14.99 meters.
Will Ross of Illinois College captured the national title with a second-round jump of 15.31 meters despite an injury that forced him to pass on his remaining four attempts. Virginia Wesleyan University's Geni Roberts finished as the runner-up at 15.16 meters.
Rollins, who entered as the No. 1 seed in the triple jump and was recently named the Division III Niagara Region Field Athlete of the Year, was the only athlete in the top seven to not set a new personal record, an illustration of the incredible talent displayed by this year's competitors. However, he was the only jumper at the national championships to earn All-America accolades in two different events. Including the 2021-22 indoor track and field season, Rollins was the recipient of four All-America awards in his final go-round with the Cardinals.