NDSU’s Carlson breaks own record

Whitney Carlson’s illustrious track and field career may not be over after all.

Carlson broke her own North Dakota State University record in the long jump at the US Championships in Eugene, Ore., on Sunday.

Her mark of 21 feet, 3 and 1/2 inches will almost certainly be good enough to earn her a trip to the Olympic Trials next year, which will be held June 22-July 1, also in Eugene. She hit the record mark on her third and final attempt of the meet, some of which was aired live over the weekend on NBC.

Carlson, the Buchanan native, who won 19 individual championships as part of the Carrington High School team — second-most in state history — plans to continue her training at the University of Nebraska, where she will be attending dental school this coming fall.

Carlson, who was named the Summit League’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year, also placed 11th in the heptathlon at the US Championships with 5,302 points, which included winning the long jump (20-5 3/4).

Carlson was also nominated for the NCAA Women of the Year Award. Only 30 women across all sports in the NCAA are nominated for the award.

Carlson finished her career at NDSU with six school records, and she swept the Summit Indoor and Outdoor Athlete of the Year awards in her final season.

She earned first-team All-American honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships by placing fifth in the heptathlon with 5,556 points.

In all, Carlson finishes her career holding NDSU school records in the outdoor long jump (21-3 1/2), indoor long jump (20-7 3/4), outdoor 100 hurdles (13.64), outdoor 400 hurdles (58.12), heptathlon (5,556 points) and pentathlon (3,954).

Tags: sports, track, bison, carlson