LAFAYETTE — Jeremy Nelson had one goal this season: return to the national championship stage in Eugene, Oregon. The UL jumper not only made it back, but he made history in the process.
Nelson clinched Second Team All-American honors in the triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, leaping 50-8.75/15.46 to finish 15th overall. He became the first Ragin' Cajun to earn All-American recognition in the event since 2004.
“So I was the last jumper in the flight,” Nelson recalled. “It was round three, and I saw the board showing the top 16. I realized I was in — and I said, ‘Dang, I’m All-American.’”
The two-time Sun Belt champion from Monroe, Louisiana, capped off a breakout year where he also helped the Cajuns win their first indoor conference title since 1996. His performance on the national stage reaffirmed his belief that UL belongs in elite track and field conversations.
“Before I left, I said I wanted to put UL on the map,” Nelson said. “I wanted to represent the culture we have here. We may be a smaller program, but we deserve to be here.”
Although he had hoped for a higher finish, the moment only strengthened his resolve to continue pushing toward a national title.
“It’s not far off. It’s not impossible,” Nelson said. “I just need to put in more work, be a little more patient. It wasn’t my time yet — but it’s in the legs. I just have to produce on the day.”
With his All-American goal accomplished, Nelson plans to take a week off before launching into his next chapter — the pursuit of First Team honors and a national championship.
“I feel like now I have it in my head — I can do anything I set out for,” he said.
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