LA CROSSE, Wis. - Gustavus first-year Ava Loftness set not only the school record but the MIAC record in the triple jump on Saturday en route to first team All-American honors. Loftness had her best mark of 12.18 meters on her first jump, which held and brought her to a sixth place finish at the Championships. 

First-year Ava Loftness (Prior Lake, Minn.) started her NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships the best way she could, setting a school record in her first jump. Loftness jumped 12.18 (39-11.5) meters, which broke Madi Kes' record of 11.88 meters (38-11.75) set in 2024 at the Augustana College Final Qualifier. In addition to the Gustavus record, the jump set the MIAC all-time record in the women's triple jump of 12.15 (39-10.5), set in 2017 by Emma Peterson of Concordia. The mark would hold as her best after a scratch and 11.75 meter leap, grabbing second in her heat, only behind Chloe Hein of Centre. 

Loftness' jump qualified her for the nine-woman finals, where she finished sixth overall. While she did not improve her mark from her first jump, Loftness would've set the school record three more times with jumps of 11.93, 11.91, and 12.10 after a previous personal best of 11.87 meters coming into the championships. Seeded 11th in the first flight of the triple jump, Loftness outperformed her seeding and earned her first All-American honor, joining the first team. 

Today concluded the Gustavus track & field season, who can boast two All-American honors, senior Molly Liston (Richfield, Minn.) as a second team member in the 10,000-meter and Loftness as a first team member in the triple jump.