Lucas Takes First-Place At the USA Track & Field Junior National Championships

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss' freshman long jumper Marvin Lucas took first-place honors at the 2002 USA Track and Field Junior National Championships held on the campus of Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., with a jump of 24'10.50", finishing first out of 12 competitors.

This year's Junior Nationals will serve as the selection meet for the World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, on July 16-21. With his first-place finish, Lucas has qualified for the team.

"I am extremely proud of Marvin," Track and Field Head Coach Wayne Williams said. "I am happy for him and Southern Miss. I think Coach Greg Stringer has done an outstanding job with Marvin and the rest of jumpers on the Southern Miss team."

Lucas becomes the first athlete to compete in the USA Track and Field Junior National Championships and the first to qualify for the World Junior National Team.