American Leader In The High Jump This Year
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss junior Ricky Robertson has been named the South Region Field Athlete of the Year, it was announced Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The region awards were voted on by the nation’s track & field coaches.
Robertson is a five-time All-American and five-time SEC champion in the high jump. This year, the Hernando, Miss., native is the collegiate- and American-leader in the high jump and is tied for the second-best jump in the world, having cleared a school record 7-7.25 (2.32m) at the Florida Relays. That jump is the best mark in the NCAA since 2008 and ranks him among the top 10 high jumpers in NCAA history. He also ranks eighth in the NCAA in the triple jump and placed in the top four at the SEC Championships in both events.
Robertson will compete in both the high jump and triple jump at this week’s NCAA Championships in Des Moines, Iowa (June 6-9). NCAA.com and ESPN3.com will carry live coverage starting Wednesday. ESPNU will air live coverage on Saturday, June 9, starting at 11 a.m. CT.
The last Rebel to pick up a region athlete of the year award was the great Brittney Reese in 2008. She went on to be named the national women’s field athlete of the year that season.