Anat Ben Nun '09 and Ali Sax '09 knew that this past weekend's Division III National Championships would be the last indoor track meet in which they would compete together. Ben Nun finished sixth in the triple jump, while Sax finished 10th in the same event, earning Brandeis three points, the second-best finish of all University Athletic Association teams behind Emory University. Wartburg College won the women's championship.

Entering the NCAA Championships, Ben Nun confidently said that her goal was to "jump more than I have jumped at Brandeis over the past four years." She was almost able to accomplish her goal.

Ben Nun entered the NCAA Championships seeded ninth, but she leaped ahead of her preliminary group of eight on her second of three preliminary jumps with a season-high 11.77-meter leap to qualify for the finals. Entering the final three jumps, Ben Nun had the fourth-longest jump, but she failed to improve on her second jump in the finals and ultimately finished sixth. Ben Nun was victimized by the strength of this year's competition, as her 11.77-meter jump would have placed her second last year. Nonetheless, Ben Nun was named an All-American for the third time in her career after missing her entire junior season due to a knee injury.

"The girls who jumped over 12 meters definitely deserved it more than I did, but I did my best," Ben Nun said. "It's my best at Brandeis so far, and I wish it would have taken me farther, but I think sixth is good too."

Prior to the meet, Sax said in an interview that she knew exactly what she needed to do going into the NCAA Championships. "I'm not ranked very high up so I'm going to have to improve," she said.

Sax came into her first trip to the NCAA Championships seeded 14th out of 14 jumpers, but she quickly rose up the rankings, rising all the way to 10th place with a leap of 11.46 meters. Sax ended just shy of a chance at the championship, however, finishing .06 meters and one place away from qualifying for the finals.

"I feel really good about how I performed," Sax said. "The competition was tough, to get so close was a bit of a disappointment, but I'm really happy with how I did."

The NCAA Championships also capped Ben Nun's indoor track career, which included three all-America honors, three UAA championships in the triple jump and second- and third- place finishes at the NCAA Championships in her first two seasons.

When asked about her proudest moment during her career, Ben Nun said she would remember the Reggie Poyau Memorial Invitational this season, her first home meet since her knee injury. "[It was great] being able to come back after so many people told me that I wouldn't be able to, and I had so many doubts about being able to compete again."

Ben Nun won the triple jump at the Bowdoin Invitational, Reggie Poyau Memorial, the Tufts Invitational and the UAA Championships.

"She meant a lot [to the program] she has good form, good technique, and she's a good person," coach Mark Reytblat said.

Sax has improved throughout the season, building on a 10.72-meter jump in the triple jump at the Husky Invitational Dec. 6.

"I've been doing a lot more technical training and a lot more sprinting workouts instead of working out," Sax said. "I think I'm a lot stronger this year because I've been sprinting more."

Sax also credited Ben Nun for being a helpful teammate.

"She pushes me, and is also very supportive," Sax said. "It's great having her there because she knows how I feel and knows what to say."

Reytblat said was happy with Sax and Ben Nun.

"Only the top 14 triple jumpers in the country made it, and I'm proud that [Sax and Ben Nun] were in it.