PUEBLO, Colo. – Chayton Bynes set an outdoor personal best and broke his own school record but missed the finals by 0.05 meters to finish 10^th in an extraordinary triple jump competition at the Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl. 

After a scratch on his first attempt, Bynes improved to 15.48 meters (50 feet, 9.5 inches) on his second jump and 15.60 meters (51-2.25) on his third. The latter jump broke Bynes's previous outdoor season best, career best and Chadron State school record of 15.54 meters (51-0).

On a day where half the competitors (11 of 22) set personal bests, Bynes was agonizingly close to a top nine spot that would have given him three more jumps in the finals. Bynes can still boast two top 10 national finishes in the triple jump this year, after the redshirt sophomore previously finished fifth in the triple jump at the DII Indoor Championships. 

The Chadron native still earns Second Team All-American honors by finishing in ninth through 12^th place at nationals. Bynes becomes the second CSC athlete to earn second-team honors at this year's meet, joining senior Nicquaine Henry, who finished 11^th in the 400 hurdles on Thursday. 

Ultimately, Bynes's 10^th-place finish matches his seed entering the tournament, as the sophomore's 15.54 mark was tied for 10^th in the nation. Athletes up and down the competition raised the bar in 2025, as Bynes's mark of 15.60 would have been good for seventh at last year's national meet. 

Pittsburg State's Tre Betts defended his 2024 outdoor title with a personal-best leap of 16.46 meters (54 feet even), the fourth-longest jump in Division II history. Washburn's Justin Forde and Wilmington's Dante Dockery tied for second at 16.19 meters (53-1.5), with Forde taking runner-up honors because his second-longest jump was farther. 

Overall, 16 of 22 competitors cleared 50 feet, with five jumping 52 feet or more. 

Division II nationals will conclude on Saturday. The Eagles have one more competitor – freshman sensation Trace Hanchett, the school record holder in the javelin. Hanchett will enter as the No. 15 seed out of 22 competitors with his season-best mark of 66.93 meters (219 feet, 7 inches). 

The javelin competition is due to begin at 2:45 p.m. (MT). Hanchett will compete in the first of two flights.