INDIANAPOLIS – The wait finally ended as sophomore Millsaps track & field long jumper
Christopher Butler officially was named a qualifier for the 2021 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, the NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Track & Field Committee revealed Friday evening.
Butler makes history as the first Major for the men's program to qualify for the national meet, joining five total qualifiers on the women's side in school history.
The New Orleans native made the 17-person field in the long jump with a distance of 7.30 meters (23 feet-11.5 inches). The championships will take place Thursday-Saturday, May 27-29 on the Irwin Belk Track at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, N.C. Men's long jump will take place on Thursday, with Prelims beginning at 1 p.m. CT and Finals to follow. Live video will be available on
ncaa.com and live results can be found
here.
Butler's leap of 7.30m, which he set on May 14 at the Carey Last Chance Meet to improve his qualification prospects, is a known-listed Southern Athletic Association record. He has shown steady improvement throughout the season (6.43m on March 26, 6.75m on April 3, 7.07m on April 23).
Butler, who also played defensive back for Millsaps football in the first half of the spring semester, will be ranked 13th entering the NCAA long jump competition. Ties for qualification were broken based off a student-athlete's second-best jump during the season.
For each men's individual event contested, including the decathlon, the top 17 declared student-athletes will be accepted into the competition. For each woman's individual event contested, including the heptathlon, the top 19 declared student-athletes will be accepted into the competition. Additionally, the top 14 declared relay teams will be allowed to compete.
The Biology Major joins
Erica Cook (2011 – 100m, 200m),
Aliyah Gillespie (2018 – 200m) and
Payton Passantino (2018, 2019 – javelin) as the only Millsaps track & field national qualifiers.
MILLSAPS TRACK & FIELD NATIONAL QUALIFIERS
2011 – Erica Cook (Women's Outdoor 100m)*
2011 – Erica Cook (Women's Outdoor 200m)
2018 – Aliyah Gillespie (Women's Outdoor 200m)
2018 – Payton Passantino (Women's Outdoor Javelin)
2019 – Payton Passantino (Women's Outdoor Javelin)
2021 – Christopher Butler (Men's Outdoor Long Jump)
* –
All-American
2021 NCAA MEN'S LONG JUMP QUALIFIERS
| Student-Athlete |
School |
Top Mark |
Conv. |
| Nana Agyemang |
Rowan |
7.54m |
24' 9" |
| Justin Kiefel |
Carnegie Mellon |
7.54m |
24' 9" |
| Ahmir Johnson |
Rowan |
7.48m |
24' 6.5" |
| Egypt Page |
Brockport State |
7.40m |
24' 3.5" |
| Brock Lewis |
Central College |
7.38m |
24' 2.5" |
| Matt Fleming |
Benedictine (Ill.) |
7.36m |
24' 1.75" |
| Sean Majors |
Trinity (Tex.) |
7.35m |
24' 1.5" |
| Samuel Sadowski |
Wisconsin-La Crosse |
7.33m |
24' 0.75" |
| Joshua Rivers |
Wisconsin-Oshkosh |
7.33m |
24' 0.75" |
| Joshua Jeziorski |
Buffalo State |
7.31m |
23' 11.75" |
| Jamyle Brantley |
Wisonsin-Oshkosh |
7.30m |
23' 11.5" |
| Drew Quach |
George Fox |
7.30m |
23' 11.5" |
| Chris Butler |
Millsaps |
7.30m |
23' 11.5" |
| Tyler Boales |
Otterbein |
7.21m |
23' 8" |
| Geni Roberts |
Virginia Wesleyan |
7.20m |
23' 7.5" |
| Keegan Rich |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
7.17m |
23' 6.25" |
| Wisdom Thomas |
Principia |
7.16m |
23' 6" |
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps track and field programs follow the Majors on Twitter and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.
