SUFFICE IT TO SAY, when Arvesta Troupe was staring down the high jump bar for his first attempt at 7-5¼ (2.27), it was more than a little surprising that he was the only athlete still jumping.
Yes, the Ole Miss junior was a strong podium contender, rated #3 on the T&FN formchart after his 3rd-place finish at the NCAA Indoor, his PR 7-5 (2.26) runner-up at SECs and a pretty consistent ’25 with 5 other meets between 7-2¼ (2.19) and 7-3¼ (2.22). But this field included the likes of Georgia’s soph collegiate leader and SEC champ Riyon Rankin, Nebraska’s senior NCAA indoor champ Tyus Wilson and 6 others who had cleared the height of the previous bar at some point in their careers.
But Rankin (nursing a nagging knee injury) was done at 7-½ (2.15), as was Harvard soph Tito Alofe. Wilson, after needing three tries at 7-2½ (2.20), went out at 7-3¾ (2.23).
Troupe was one of three co-leaders with perfect slates through 7-2½ (2.20) and cleared 7-3¾ (2.23) cleanly on his second try. Having jumped fifth in the order, he then watched as the six remaining jumpers missed a combined 6 times. The last time an NCAA outdoor had taken place without at least two jumpers clearing a bar higher than 7-2½ (2.20) was ’97.
So it happened that after Illinois senior Kamyren Garrett missed his final attempt at 7-3¾ (2.23), Troupe had the victory in hand and minutes later had the apron to himself with a PR bar in his sights. Though he brushed it with his legs, the crosspiece held and the former walk-on leapt off the mat with arms raised in celebration.
The Texas State duo of senior Kason O’Riley and junior Aiden Hayes tied for the runner-up spot based on fewest misses.
Troupe did not come close on three tries at 7-6½ (2.30), but he had a new PR, the first-ever NCAA high jump title for a Rebel and now two bars he had cleared that no one else could do. All that after having been the last non-qualifier out of the East Region last year.
Only Ricky Robertson, with three All-American finishes 2010–12, had scored for Ole Miss in the NCAA outdoor before Troupe. Olympian Savanté Stringfellow in ’01 (LJ) was the last man from the school to win any kind of a jumps title.
Troupe said he had prepared himself ahead of time for the pressure of being the last jumper alive.
“I feel like coming in, I wasn’t a favorite, you know,” the happy yet calm champion said afterward. “I was just battling and came out on top. Basically, I was excited to compete.”
Troupe added, “A lot is going through my head. There’s God’s plan, you know, Now that I’ve got that first one now, the plan is to keep building.”
MEN’S HIGH JUMP RESULTS
(June 13)
1. *Arvesta Troupe (Ms) 7-5¼ (2.27) PR;
=2. *Aiden Hayes (TxSt) 7-2½ (2.20);
=2. Kason O’Riley (TxSt) 7-2½ (2.20);
4. Kamyren Garrett (Il) 7-2½ (2.20);
5. **Nathanil Figgers (SC) 7-2½ (2.20);
=6. **Kyren Washington (Ok) 7-2½ (2.20);
=6. Tyus Wilson (Nb) 7-2½ (2.20);
8. tie, Eddie Kurjak (Ga), Kuda Chadenga’ (LSU-Zim) & *Kampton Kam’ (Penn-Sing) 7-½ (2.15); 11. ***Desire Tonye Nyemeck (Nb) 7-½; 12. *Elias Gerald (USC) 7-½; 13. tie, **Bode Gilkerson (Pur) & **Antrea Mita’ (Hous-Gre) 7-½; 15. Donald Hatfield Jackson (SEMo) 7-½; 16. tie, Miles Grant (SacSt), *Kennedy Sauder (Mia), Channing Ferguson (SC) & **Riyon Rankin (Ga) 6-10¾ (2.10); 20. tie, **Tito Alofe (Harv), **Osawese Agbonkonkon (Tx) & ***Enaji Muhammad (Ct) 6-10¾; 23. Roman Smith (Sn) 6-10¾;… nh—***Scottie Vines (Ar).
| 6-10¾ | 7-½ | 7-2½ | 7-3¾ | 7-5¼ | 7-6½ | |
| Agbonkonkon | xo | xxx | — | — | — | — |
| Figgers | xxo | o | xo | xxx | — | — |
| Alofe | xo | xxx | — | — | — | — |
| Wilson | o | o | xxo | xxx | — | — |
| Kurjak | o | o | xxx | — | — | — |
| Kam | o | o | xxx | — | — | — |
| Muhammad | xo | xxx | — | — | — | — |
| Mita | o | xxo | xxx | — | — | — |
| O’Riley | o | o | o | xxx | — | — |
| Rankin | o | xxx | — | — | — | — |
| Gerald | xo | xo | xxx | — | — | — |
| Gilkerson | o | xxo | xxx | — | — | — |
| Sauder | o | xxx | — | — | — | — |
| Ferguson | o | xxx | — | — | — | — |
| Washington | o | o | xxo | xxx | — | — |
| Hayes | o | o | o | xxx | — | — |
| Nyemeck | xo | o | xxx | — | — | — |
| Vines | xxx | — | — | — | — | — |
| Troupe | o | o | o | xo | o | xxx |
| Hatfield Jackson | xxo | xxo | xxx | — | — | — |
| Smith | xxo | xxx | — | — | — | — |
| Garrett | o | o | xo | xxx | — | — |
| Grant | o | xxx | — | — | — | — |
| Chadenga | o | o | xxx | — | — | — |
| 2.10 | 2.15 | 2.20 | 2.23 | 2.27 | 2.30 |
