Personal Bests<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
Indoor
60m, 7.84
Long Jump, 20-3 (6.17)
Triple Jump, 43-0 1/4 (13.11)
Outdoor
Long Jump, 20-4 1/2 (6.21), 20-10w (6.35)A
Triple Jump, 42-3 1/4 (12.88), 43-5 1/4w (13.24)
All-American
2010 Indoor Triple Jump
Big 12 Champion
2010 Indoor Triple Jump
Honors
Team Captain (2008, 2009, 2010)
Chick-fil-A Community Team (Winter: 2008)
Big 12 "Good Works" Team (Spring: 2008)
First-Team Academic All-Big 12 (2008, 2010)
Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 (2009)
Big 12 Fall Commissioner's Honor Roll (2007, 2008, 2009)
Big 12 Spring Commissioner’s Honor Roll (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
NCAA Championships
2010 (O): TJ, 41-4 1/4 (18th)
2010 (I): TJ, 41-10 3/4 (13th/8th American)
2009 (O): LJ, 19-2 1/2 (t-21st); TJ, 40-11 (26th)
2007 (O): LJ, 17-11 (28th)
Big 12 Championships
2010 (O): LJ, 19-9 1/2 (4th); TJ, 40-9 (9th)
2010 (I): LJ, 20-6 1/2 (3rd); TJ, 43-0 1/4 (1st)
2009 (O): LJ, 20-10w (3rd); TJ, 41-9 3/4w (6th)
2009 (I): LJ, 20-2 1/4 (6th); TJ, 41-9 3/4 (7th)
2008 (O): LJ, 18-2 1/2 (18th); TJ 41-2 1/4 (10th)
2008 (I): LJ, 19-4 1/4 (5th); TJ, 40-8 3/4 (9th)
2007 (O): LJ, 19-11 (6th); TJ, 41-11 1/4w (8th)
2007 (I): LJ, 19-5 1/2 (5th)
2009 (Junior)
Leandra McGruder started the 2009 indoor season on a hot streak as she posted back-to-back wins in the triple jump at the Holiday Inn Invitational and adidas Classic... cleared a personal best of 42-2 at the Tyson Invitational... provisionally qualified in the long jump at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational with a then-personal best of 20-2 1/2, and bettered the mark at the Cyclone Last Chance with a winning jump of 20-3... earned All-Big 12 honors in both horizontal jumps at the conference championships with a sixth-place finish in the long jump and seventh-place finish in the triple jump... swept the horizontal jumps at the Jim Click Shootout to open the outdoor season, including a then best of 42-0 1/2 in the triple jump... jumped 42-3 1/4 later in the year at the Nebraska Quad... finished third in the long jump and sixth in the triple jump at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships... earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a fifth-place jump of 43-5 1/4 at the NCAA Midwest Regional... received an at-large bid in the long jump... tied for 21st in the long jump at the national meet and finished 26th in the triple jump.
2008 (Sophomore)
McGruder started the indoor track and field season on the right foot as she swept the long jump and triple jump at the Holiday Inn Invite... jumped 19-2 3/4 at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational to finish third... placed fifth at the Big 12 Indoor Championships for the second straight year in the long jump with a leap of 19-4 1/4... started the outdoor season with a sweep of the long jump and triple jump at the Jim Click Shootout... qualified for the NCAA Midwest Regional, finishing 17th in the triple jump with a leap of 40-9 1/2.
2007 (Freshman)
McGruder finished an outstanding 2007 season as one of seven freshmen on NU’s NCAA roster... qualified for the national meet with a clutch performance in the long jump at the NCAA Midwest Regional... earned fourth place with a jump of 20-4 1/2... placed 16th in the triple jump (40-2 1/4)... earned all-conference honors at the Big 12 outdoor meet, placing sixth in the long jump (19-11) and eighth in the triple jump (41-11 3/4w)... the long jump effort exceeded the regional standard for the first time... hit regional qualifying for the first time in the triple jump at the Kansas Relays (40-6 1/4), when she surpassed 40 feet for the first time outdoors... started a run of success in the long jump with a wind-aided leap of 19-6 3/4w to earn second place at the Nebraska Open.. claimed her second and third career meet titles by sweeping the two events at the Nebraska Wesleyan Invite... placed fifth in the Big 12 indoor long jump (19-5 1/2)... notched her first career win with a 19-9 1/2 long jump during the indoor Conference Challenge... set an then-indoor triple jump best of 40-11 to place fifth during the Frank Sevigne Husker Invite.
Before Nebraska (Jefferson City HS)
McGruder experienced a distinguished prep career in the horizontal jumps at Jefferson City High School in Missouri under coaches Dennis and Roberta Licklider... earned a pair of High School All-America honors at the 2005 Nike Outdoor Nationals, finishing fourth in the triple jump (39-9 3/4) and sixth in the long jump (18-10)... claimed three Missouri Class 4 state championships, including a sweep of the long jump (18-10 1/2) and triple jump (39-9 3/4) crowns as a senior in 2006... also won the triple jump as a junior in 2005 (39-7) and as a freshman in 2003 (38-2 1/4), while finishing runner-up (39-6) as a sophomore... earned a silver medal in the long jump behind Husker teammate Chantae McMillan in both 2004 (18-5 3/4) and 2005 (18-7 1/2w), before defeating McMillan as a senior... led Jefferson City to Class 4 team titles in both 2005 and 2006... placed third in the long jump and fifth in the triple jump in 2006 at the prestigious Golden West Invitational... was a member of the National Honor Society... chose Nebraska over LSU, Indiana and Missouri.
Personal
Daughter of Cosandra Watson... born Aug. 12, 1988... major is psychology.