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Kafourou wins first women’s National Championship in Boise State

Boise State senior Eleni Kafourou made history, Friday, by winning the women’s long jump at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in College Station, Texas. Kafourou is the first women’s NCAA National Champion, in any sport, in Boise State history.

Her jump of 21-5.25 (6.53m) broke her own school record of 21-01.25 (6.43m), which she set on Feb. 6.

Her win marks just the eighth individual national title in school history.

“I’m really excited,” Kafourou said. “I kind of can’t believe it. I’ve been training really hard. I’ve been trying every day to give all that I have and I don’t think I could ask for more. I tried to be [out practicing hard] every day so that I wouldn’t have an excuse. I think the results speak for themselves.”

Kafourou, a native of Athens, Greece (9th Kykeium of Pireas HS), entered the weekend ranked No. 7 nationally. After advancing to the championship flight with a jump of 21-2.12 (6.46m), Kafourou recorded her title-winning jump in her second to last attempt of the event.

Her fifth jump of the day proved to be just enough to edge out Jeomi Maduka of Cornell, who finished second with a mark of 21-4.00 (6.50m).

“It’s such a great thing, to watch her development as a student-athlete from a freshman to a senior and now an NCAA champion,” Boise State Head Coach Mike Maynard said. “To see history being made, that’s an honor. It couldn’t happen to a better person. No one has worked harder than her.”

Boise State will send nine wrestlers to NCAA Tournament

The Boise State wrestling team received word Wednesday that nine Bronco wrestlers have qualified to compete at the 2009 NCAA National Championships in St. Louis, Mo., March 19-21.

The Broncos earned seven NCAA automatic bids by winning six Pac-10 Conference titles and capturing one runner-up finish at the conference tournament, March 1-2. On Wednesday, the NCAA announced that Boise State will also receive two at-large berths, as nominated by an NCAA selection committee.

COMPILED BY ARBITER STAFF

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