Samford senior leaves a legacy of championships and dominance for Track and Field team
It is the end of an era for Samford track and field, as one of the team’s greatest athletes,
Justin Stuckey announced his transfer from Samford and plans to use his two remaining years
of eligibility at another university.
Stuckey, the Helena, Alabama-native, made the announcement via social media on Sunday, April 10.
“I have decided to redshirt this outdoor season and use my remaining two years of eligibility elsewhere,” the statement said. “I will compete unattached with my sights set on U23s and uSATF Championships this summer.”
Stuckey is a track legend for the Bulldogs as both a high jumper and a long jumper, as he obtained numerous accolades over his years with the team and made his impact on a national scale.
Not only did Stuckey make a name for himself in the NCAA, he also brought the Samford Track and Field program to new heights through his work ethic and leadership.
“I am proud of how the program is better now than when I first got here,” Stuckey said. “My teammates and I played a major role in making Samford Track and Field legendary.”
In his freshman season in 2019, Stuckey ended with a bang as he was runner-up in the SoCon High Jump. In 2020, Stuckey was crowned as the SoCon High Jump Champion for the first time. However, before he could make his mark on the outdoor stage, the season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In the 2021 indoor and outdoor seasons, Stuckey lost no slack from the long break due to COVID-19. Stuckey set a personal record in the long jump with a 7.15-meter jump, finishing third at the SoCon Indoor Championships. Furthermore, Stuckey won the SoCon high jump title with a 7’ 1.5” mark to qualify for the NCAA Indoor National Championships.
At the NCAAs, Stuckey set a Samford record with a jump of 7.18 meters, or 7’ 1.75”. But, the Indoors were not the end for Stuckey’s career at Samford. In the outdoor season, he continued to dominate. Stuckey set a new school record in the outdoor men’s high jump and won the individual title.
With his high marks, Stuckey was able to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor National Championships, proving he is a double threat with his indoor and outdoor play.
Finally, one of Stuckey’s most impressive accolades is that he competed at the 2020 Olympic Trials. The Olympics are undoubtedly the sports world’s biggest stage, and the fact that Stuckey was able to compete at the trials is an incredible feat that makes him very unique in the record books of Samford athletes that went before him.
Though Stuckey has accomplished a myriad of accolades as a Bulldog, he has yet to reach his ultimate goals: being a national champion and an Olympic athlete.
“In my collegiate career, becoming a National Champion is at the forefront of my mind,” he said. “I came up short of it at Indoor Nationals. The main goal is still to put myself in position to become a professional athlete and an Olympian.”
Aside from his athletic life, Stuckey was known as an overall leader on campus. He co-hosted StepSing 2022, one of Samford’s most beloved traditions, along with Will Green.
Overall, Justin Stuckey’s track career at Samford was one for the ages, and he will be missed by many, both as an athlete and a charismatic leader on campus. Stuckey has not announced where he will continue his college career, but based on his history, it is all but assured that he will have great success wherever he goes.
“Walking on this journey and making goals as I went along was fun,” Stuckey added. “Reaching those goals brought even greater satisfaction. I have to just thank God for it all.”
Sports Editor
