CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Seeded fifth, junior Laci Davis (Prospect) broke her own Eastern Connecticut State University program record with a winning mark in the triple jump Thursday at the MIT Final Qualifier at the Henry G. Steinbrenner Stadium.

Davis reached the winning mark of 38-9 (11.81m) in her fourth of six jumps to best a field of 12 with the 22nd-farthest jump this year in Division III. Davis entered the competition by sharing the 26th-best mark in Division III which she established by winning the New England Division III championship 12 days ago at Springfield College

Davis took the lead in the competition with her third jump of 38-4 (11.68m) over top-seeded Elysse Cumberland, a sophomore from Tufts University, who, as a freshman last year, was a second-team All-America in the triple jump and first-team All-America with a fourth-place finish in the long jump at the NCAA nationals.

It marked Davis' fourth No. 1 finish in the triple jump this year, following individual championships at Virginia Wesleyan University March 21, the Little East Conference Championships April 25, and the New England Championships.
In the high jump Thursday, sophomore Givanni Perry (Hartford) did not clear a height while freshman Izzy Northrop (Uncasville) was 12th in a field of 13 at 4-11 ½ (1.51m). Perry entered the competition ranked in a seven-way tie for 22nd in Division III with a height of 5-5 ¾ (1.67m) set at Virginia Wesleyan.

Among other Eastern competitors at the meet included sophomore Anaka Eaton (Coventry) and freshman Naziah Johnson (Norwalk). Eaton, who broke the 40-year-old program record by winning the hammer at the LEC Championships April 25 with a mark of 166-9 (50.82m), was 13th in a field of 16 with a throw of 136-6 (41.60m). Johnson, the program's 100 meter record-holder was 11th in the triple jump at 30-5 ½ (9.28m).

Perry, along with freshman Casondra Caldwell (Bridgeport), were entered in the long jump but did not participate. As a freshman last year, Perry qualified for last year's NCAA outdoor championships in the long jump and entered Thursday ranked in a tie for 18th nationally (the top 20 qualify for the nationals) in the event with a mark of 18-11 ¾ (5.78m), set at Southern Connecticut just over a month ago. Alayah Campbell, a freshman from Amherst College, won the event at MIT Thursday at 17-6 (5.33m).

The top 22-ranked individuals in each event qualify for the NCAA Division III national championships beginning next Thursday at the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse's Roger Harring Stadium.

Following the MIT competition (the last day of qualifying), Perry was ranked in a tie for 22^nd nationally in the long jump and tied for 23^rd in the high jump, while Davis was ranked 25^th in the triple jump. All three marks were the best this year in the Little East Conference. Davis ranks second in the Mideast in her event and Perry fifth in the NCAA Mideast Region in both of her events.

The official qualifying list for the NCAA Championships will be announced Friday evening.