DES MOINES, Iowa - A national championship for triple jumper Kenta Bell gave Northwestern State's track and field history a big boost in  the 2010 USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships wrapping up Sunday.

Bell, a member of Team USA in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, won his specialty with a 55-10 1/4 leap. The 33-year-old Kilgore, Texas, native, a 2000 NSU graduate, won by nearly a foot over second-place Christian Taylor (55-0) of Florida.

"I guess you can say I'm feeling good about my victory. It's crazy that it's been seven years since I won my first title back in 2003," he said after winning Friday night.

"As much as I'd like to take all the credit for what happened. that would be selfish and foolish of me. First and foremost I'd like to thank God. Secondly, I'd like to than my wife who has been there every step of the way in her support and patience. I also must thank my coach Dean Hayes, strength and conditioning coach Randy Hadley, Brooks Johnson, all the chiropractors and therapists who have helped out along the way, and my training partners."

Current Lady Demon All-American Trecey Rew, competing in her first USA Championships event, was 12th in the discus Sunday with a 162-0 best mark. Matching her school record 179-0 this year would have moved her up to seventh place.

In the shot put competition Saturday, Rew finished 14th with a 52-2 3/4 throw. If she had equalled her school record 54-9 1/4, she would have finished eighth.