IUTF Event Preview: Jumps

SEASON PREVIEW

After a successful 2022 season that saw Mahogany Jenkins (High Jump) and Paola Fernandez-Sola (Long Jump) advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, IU is preparing for a campaign with a tremendous core of jumpers.

Assistant coach and jumps coach Mike Erb returns a solid foundation, headed by Jenkins and Fernandez-Sola, along with newcomers such as freshman Alexander Smith and transfers Robert Blue and Serena Bolden.

A historically proud jumps program has the pieces to make it a successful season as the calendar flips to the 2023 campaign.

ATHLETES

Serena Bolden | Gr. | Springfield, Ill./LSU

A three-year athlete at LSU, Bolden joined Indiana this season to compete on the Track and Field team and further her education in the IU MaurerSchool of Law.

She competed at the SEC Indoor and Outdoor Championships in both the Long Jump and Triple Jump. A jump of 6.16m/20-2.5 at the NCAA East Prelims sent her to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2022 where she finished in 18th.

The Springfield, Ill. native owns personal bests of 6.27m/20-7 (Long Jump) and 12.84m/42-1.5 (Triple Jump), both of those set outdoors. She also ran 7.59 in the 60 meters at the Hoosier Open during the first week of December.

Bolden is expected to be one of the top contributors in the jumps group this year for the Hoosiers.

Shanna Esters | Jr. | Auburn, Ala.

Entering her third year with the program, Esters has competed eight times for the Hoosiers. She has jumped 5.44m/17-10.25 in the Long Jump and 11.33m/37-2.25 in the Triple Jump.

During the 2022 campaign, she also threw the javelin.

Paola Fernandez-Sola | Gr. | San Juan, Puerto Rico

Following a breakout 2022 season, Fernandez-Sola will enter this year as one of the top jumpers in the entire conference.

She was fifth in the Long Jump at the Big Ten Indoor Championships before moving up to grab the bronze medal at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.

After breaking the outdoor school record with a mark of 6.61m/21-8.25, she went on to compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and earn Second Team All-American honors.

Internationally, she's been the gold medalist at the 2022 Caribbean Games and 2021 Junior Pan Am Games, representing her native Puerto Rico.

Mahogany Jenkins | Jr. | Green Brook, N.J.

Another athlete that enjoyed a breakout performance in 2022, Jenkins provides the Hoosiers a talented, dual-threat jumper.

She's competed at the last four Big Ten Championships in both the Triple Jump and High Jump including a third-place finish in the Triple Jump in 2021.

In a tense jump-off at the 2022 NCAA East Prelims, Jenkins cleared 1.81m/5-11.25 to advance to her first NCAA Outdoor Championship meet.

She is expected to be among the top athletes in both events this season.

Kelly Moran | Fr. | Stillwater, N.Y.

The younger sister of former IU jumper Leah Moran, she joins the Hoosiers for her freshman season. Moran was the 2022 New York State Champion in the Triple Jump and 4x100 and the runner-up in the Long Jump.

In her collegiate debut at the Hoosier Open, she competed in both events.

Taylor Schoonveld | Fr. | Wheatfield, Ill.

A freshman in 2022-23, she opened her collegiate career by clearing 1.66m/5-5.25 in the High Jump at the Hoosier Open.

Eli Crouch | Fr. | Greenwood, Ind.

Another freshman high jumper for the Hoosiers, Crouch cleared 1.92m/6-3.5 at the Hoosier Open in his collegiate debut.

He owns a personal best of 6'9" from high school and was a three-time Circle City Conference Champion and two-time IHSAA State Qualifier.

Robert Blue | Gr. | Harrison, N.Y./Albany

A grad transfer from Albany, Blue joins the Hoosiers with lots of experience at the collegiate level.

He swept the Long Jump and Triple Jump at the 2022 America East Outdoor Championships after also winning the Triple Jump at the indoor conference meet.

He owns personal bests of 7.57m/24-10 (Long Jump) and 16.00m/52-6 (Triple Jump), both set during the outdoor seasons.

Blue will have the chance to make an immediate impact in the Big Ten this season for IU.

Crase Bergman | So. | Columbus, Ind.

A sophomore from Columbus East High School, Bergman has competed five times for the Hoosiers.

He owns a personal best of 6.73m/22-1 in the Long Jump from the 2022 Louisville Invitational.

Kynton Grays | Sr. | Indianapolis, Ind.

A senior from Cardinal Ritter High School, Grays has competed at the last four Big Ten Championships in the Long Jump.

He secured his personal best of 7.34m/24-1 at last year's Indiana Invitational and has competed over 20 times in his collegiate career.

Grayson Rolen | Sr. | Bloomington, Ind.

Rolen was another athlete that enjoyed a strong 2022 season which included a fifth-place finish in the High Jump at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.

He cleared 2.10m/6-10.75 at the NCAA East Prelims, coming up just three spots of a trip to the national meet. Entering this season, he is expected to be among the top competitors in the Big Ten.

Alexander Smith | Fr. | Hilliard, Ohio

One of the most prolific athletes in his class, Smith joins the Hoosiers and will look to make a quick impact in the Long Jump.

He was the 2022 Ohio Division I State runner-up and the 2022 New Balance Indoor National Champion in the event. Smith jumped out to a personal best of 25-3 in the event.

Players Mentioned

Crase Bergman

Robert Blue

Serena Bolden

Eli Crouch

Shanna Esters

Paola Fernandez-Sola

Kynton Grays

Mahogany Jenkins

Kelly Moran

Leah Moran

Grayson Rolen

Taylor Schoonveld

Alex Smith

Indiana University Athletics