First-year student Elysse Cumberland, who was initially the 10th seed, wins individual NCAA title
Elysse Cumberland on her winning triple jump. Photo: Adrian Kraus / Stockton Photography
Elysse Cumberland, A28, scored big at the 2025 NCAA Division III Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships, winning the national triple jump title on March 15 in Rochester, New York.
She started the day strong with a jump of 11.88m, which landed her in fourth place through round one. Her second jump was almost half a meter more at 12.34m, taking over first place, but she failed to top it in her third through fifth attempts.
In the meanwhile, Washington University’s Ebunoluwa Opata reached 12.39m on her fourth attempt.
On her final attempt, though, Cumberland landed a massive 12.60m jump, shattering the previous Tufts record held by 2022 NCAA Division III indoor triple jump champion Lia Rotti, vaulting the rookie into first place.
Elysse Cumberland, center, with her NCAA trophy. Photo: Adrian Kraus / Stockton Photography
Initially the 10th seed, Cumberland now led by a comfortable margin over Obata, who still had one attempt remaining. In that final attempt, Obata came up a centimeter short at 12.59m, which officially cemented Cumberland as the 2025 NCAA Division III indoor triple jump champion.
Cumberland’s national championship individual track and field win is the first for Tufts since Jaidyn Appel won in the high jump in the 2023 NCAA Division III Indoor Women’s Track and Field Championships.
Cumberland will now shift gears for the outdoor season, which begins next weekend at the Emory Spring Break Classic in Georgia.
Jordan Andrew, E25, also competed in the triple jump at the NCAA championships, starting strong with 11.87m on her first attempt, and then recording a personal record-breaking jump of 12.03m.
