TERRE HAUTE, Indiana - Elyria’s Julius Higginbotham took ninth place for Heidelberg University in the long jump at the Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships held in March at the Rose Hulman Institute in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Higginbotham earned a spot in the finals with a jump of 22-9 3/4 on his first jump. In his three jumps in the finals, Higginbotham tied his qualifying mark to secure his final placing, which just missed the All-American podium.

Higginbotham closes out his indoor season as the school record holder in the 55-meter dash (6.39) and was tabbed the Bud Yoest Field Athlete of the Meet and the Don Frail Sprinter of the Meet at the Ohio Athletic Conference Championships, after winning the 55-meter dash and the long jump, while standing second in the triple jump.

Higginbotham helped Heidelberg finish in second place in the OAC - taking top honors in the long jump (22-9) at the OAC Championships hosted by Wilmington College. He was also on the 4x100-meter relay team that earned runner-up honors and all-conference recognition after placing second with a time of 41.86.

Heidelberg took third place at the All-Ohio Championships hosted by Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. Higginbotham took home the championship in the long jump with a leap of 22-7. He also was fifth in the 100-meter dash (10.97) and took fourth in the 4x100-meter relay (42.72).

Higginbotham also plays on the ‘Berg’s football team that went 4-6 last season. He was sixth on the team with 57 tackles last year. As a sophomore, he made six starts and made 37 tackles, including a career-high 10 against Oberlin. As a freshman, he played in nine games and made seven tackles.

swalker@MorningJournal.com