AZUSA, Calif. – The rust is coming off fast for junior Jordan Savidge.

One of California’s top collegiate pole vaulters 2 years ago, Savidge proved that a year away from the sport won’t have a deep or lasting affect on him. The junior transfer from Mt. San Antonio College won the pole vault competition during Azusa Pacific’s “Last Chance Qualifier” Saturday afternoon at Cougar Stadium. Yet it wasn’t his victory that was so impressive but rather the distance of his vault – 16 feet, 8 ¾ inches, the fifth best effort in Azusa Pacific history.

Savidge, who just a week ago cleared 15’ 7” in another meet in Azusa, is quickly getting back to the top of his form that closely resembles the style he exercised when he won the 2007 California state junior college title with a leap of 17 feet.

“Jordan really looked good today,” said Azusa Pacific men’s track & field coach. “He didn’t miss on his first 5 attempts and he had good runs at 17 feet.”

Savidge’s mark is clearly the best in the NAIA this indoor season, nearly 7 inches better than any other competitor.

On the track, All-American Anthony Logan cruised to an NAIA-championship-meet qualifying 47.81 in his first 400 meters of the season. And though its his first attempt of the season, it is also the best time in the NAIA this year, catapulting Logan into the early favorites to win the 400 at the NAIA Indoor Championship Meet in 2 weeks.

Sophomore Abednego Magut, a 2-time NAIA All-American in cross country, competed in his first-ever track & field meet and the idea of running in circles more than 12 times didn’t have any affect on the Kenyan native who qualified for the NAIA indoors by winning the 5000 meters with a 15:12.06.

Fellow Kenyan Aron Rono, the NAIA’s premier distance runner, won the 1000 meters with a 2:24.10 exhibition-like effort in training for the mile and 3000 meters which he will run at the NAIAs.

Sophomore Rocky Richardson is also headed for the NAIAs and it took just 1 800-meter race to punch his ticket, clocking a 1:52.49 today. Distance runner Forrest Lewton, who has been out 3 weeks with an injury, got into the NAIAs just under the wire, running an 8:35.38 in the 3000 meters to add his name to the NAIA meet.

Among the rookies, freshman Cedrique Smith continued to impress by posting the fifth fastest time in the NAIA season with an 8.19 in the 60-meter hurdles.

In the women’s competition, All-American Jacky Kipwambok and NAIA champion Jaime Canterbury sizzled to 17:22.51 and 17:56.45 times, respectively, to qualify for the NAIA 5000 meters, though it is not sure whether either athlete will run that race in Johnson City, Tenn., March 7.

Junior Tiffeny Parker assured her spot in the NAIA pentathlon with a season-best tally of 3,406 points during Friday’s competition.

A handful of Cougars will compete in next Saturday’s (Feb. 28) Rossi Relays at Claremont-McKenna College while the remainder of the team rests and prepares for the NAIA Indoor Championship Meet the following week.