BUFFALO, NY – Makhia Laster (Buffalo, NY/Tapestry Charter) of the Buffalo State outdoor track and field team has officially qualified for the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships next week. Laster will compete in what has become her signature event in the long jump. The meet will be hosted in Geneva, OH at the SPIRE Institute from May 22-24 with the women's long jump taking place on Thursday, May 22.
 
Laster earns a spot at her fourth straight national meet between indoor and outdoor. She finished third in the event at NCAA Championships last season while earning First Team All-America status. In addition, she earned Second Team All-America status in each of the last two indoor seasons between the long jump and 60-meter dash. Laster holds the school record in the long jump for both indoor (5.80 meters) and outdoor (5.99 meters) and has won each of the last four SUNYAC titles in the event. Currently sitting ninth in the country in the event, Laster aims to make one last mark on her legacy at Buffalo State.

Laster quickly emerged as one of the top track athletes to compete at Buffalo State in program history. Entering NCAA Championships, Laster earned six SUNYAC Championships, 17 All-SUNYAC honors, 10 USTFCCCA All-Region honors, four All-America honors, and earned the Buffalo State Ruth Houston Award for Female Most Outstanding Career. She set her season-best mark of 5.97 meters last week at AARTFC Regionals.