Albany State honors track & field champion Cervantes Jackson

ALBANY — Sophomore Cervantes Jackson has a lot he wants to accomplish in track and field during his next two years at Albany State University. While he knows it will take a tremendous amount of drive and focus, for now he and his support system are going to celebrate what he’s already accomplished.

The Bainbridge native competed in the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships in May, winning the national title in the men’s triple jump, as well as the high jump. Wednesday, the school held a celebration in the auditorium of the Billy C. Black Building to honor of its track star.

The event began with a quick Q&A with Jackson, during which he shared how music helped him get into the zone. Jackson was then presented with a proclamation from the city, as well as his medals and a custom Albany State letterman’s jacket.

Head coach Kenneth Taylor said Jackson is the first person to bring home a title since Ronnie McGirt, who is currently on staff and attended the ceremony, around 2009. Taylor said the accomplishment is a testament to Jackson’s hard work and dedication to his craft.

“Cervantes worked hard with limited time to track because he’s really been focusing on his academic work,” he said. “We only did normal track and field practices, we didn’t do a whole lot of extra. After the regular season was over and school was out, he put in the extra work.”

Taylor added that easing into the harder workouts paid dividends once it came time to compete on the big stage.

“You could tell he had more ups in his legs than any other jumper in any event he was in,” he said.

Jackson became the first Golden Ram in school history to win NCAA titles in two field events and also placed fourth overall in the long jump that weekend. He was named an All-American in all three events.

Jackson said he believes the real work starts now as he not only works to defend his titles, but acquire a few others as well.

“It feels amazing, but the downside is I have to do it again next year,” he said. “It’s a lot of pressure. Next year I have to win long jump and they want me to qualify for the decathlon and then the 4 X 100 and then the hurdles, so I have four more events I’m trying to qualify for.”

He said he’s going to lean on his coaching staff to keep him from becoming complacent.

“The people around me, they have to keep pushing me,” he said. “If I don’t have anyone to keep pushing me, I won’t be as successful.”

Regardless of whether he successfully defends his titles next year, ASU President Arthur Dunning said Jackson’s accomplishments have already made the university proud and set an example for students and faculty alike as they move forward.

“We’re trying in every aspect at Albany State University to take us to a higher level, C.J. is out front on this,” he said. “He’s already positioned himself to be one of the best and the best in the nation at his chosen sport for Division II. I’m so excited about that because it really mirrors where we’re trying to go with this institution.”