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Beckford's NCAA Performance Takes The Cake, But Don't Expect The Driven Champion To Eat It

Related Topics: James Beckford, Vernon Turner, NCAA

The USF athletic department held a Tuesday celebration for Romaine Beckford, who became one of the program's luminaries last weekend when he captured a high-jump national title at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

What's a big-time celebration without cake? Of course, everyone had some.

Everyone, that is, except Beckford.

"He's a pretty disciplined kid,'' Bulls coach Erik Jenkins said.

Now he's an athlete who will be remembered around USF for all time.

Beckford, 20, soared to 7 feet, 4 1/4 inches, flawlessly executing his jumps at three ascending heights and outdistancing his University of Oklahoma rival, Vernon Turner, in the NCAA indoor event at Albuquerque, New Mexico.