The top long jumper in the Big Ten is from Rutgers, but it’s not who you might think.
Emeka Eze was the upset winner of the gold medal Saturday afternoon at the outdoor Big Ten Championships for men’s track and field, carrying the torch for his injured teammate Corey Crawford.
Seeded No. 16 entering the competition hosted by Michigan State, the junior from Sayreville High School jumped a season-best 24 feet, 9 1/4 inches to best Purdue’s Tyler Askew, who covered 24 feet, 7 3/4 inches for second place.
“Winning was definitely not in the back of my mind at all,” Eze said.