FULLERTON, Calif. -- The OC Register's Mirin Fader took some time to chat and profile freshman jumper Naiah Boardingham about her record-breaking performance at the Lumberjack Team Challenge. 

Read a short except from the article below. 

By Mirin Fader | Read the Full Story

The long jump, Naiah Boardingham's bread and butter, was about to start. The Cal State Fullerton rookie paced back and forth; last month's Lumberjack Team Challenge, hosted by Northern Arizona, was her first-ever indoor collegiate meet.

She whispered to herself between breaths: Do what you do. You've been doing track for years now, you have no reason to get nervous. Go out and do what you've been doing this whole time.

Savoring the moment, she jumped, and the adrenaline still swirled in her body as she huddled with her teammates afterward. Titans assistant Cortney Stafford, who coaches jumps and combined events, came over: "It looks like we have a new school record now!" Stafford said, turning to Boardingham, whose mark of 18 feet, 8.5 inches set a program indoor record previously held by Montiqua Sargent, who jumped 18-4 in 2002.

Boardingham, who finished fourth overall, beamed, not expecting to break the record. "It felt so cool," she said. Most impressive, she jumped with a short approach – taking 10 to 12 strides – compared with her competitors' 16 to 18 strides.

"We're just getting started," said Stafford. "Her potential, her coachability, is just far beyond."

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