By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)

CANTON, N.Y. -- Chris Perry made history for Bridgewater State University on Saturday afternoon at the NCAA Division 3 Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

The senior delivered the school its first national championship in any sport by winning the triple jump in the final performance of his collegiate career.

Perry, a transfer from UMass-Dartmouth, broke his own school record with a leap of 50 feet, 11 inches on his third attempt at the NCAAs.

Perry's previous mark had been 48-9.5.

The winning triple jump defeated defending national champion Jamie Ruginski of Southern Maine, who was second with a leap of 50-7.

"He's a really dynamic talent,'' said Bears coach T.J. Smith, "and he had the best day of his life.''

Perry joined BSU junior Conor Murtagh in earning All-America honors at the national meet. Murtagh placed seventh in the 110-meter hurdles (14.17 seconds).

The Bears finished 22nd at the NCAAs, compiling 12 points.

Perry was an All-America in the long jump during the 2012 indoor season at UMass-Dartmouth.

He spent just one year at BSU and earned All-America recognition this past March at the indoor championships, finishing second in the triple jump and third in the long jump.

During the indoor NCAA meet two months ago, Perry had the lead in the triple jump (48-4, but he was overtaken on the final attempt by Ruginski (49-0.25).

On Saturday, Ruginski was in position to follow the same script, but Perry's school-record performance held up and he returned to Massachusetts a national champion.

"It was unbelievable,'' said Smith. "The opportunity was there for the same thing to happen today as it did in the indoors meet.

"But then Chris went into his final jump knowing he was already a national champion.''

BSU has had successful indoor and outdoor seasons, and now it's all capped with Perry sitting atop the triple jump as the best in the nation.

"It's incredible,'' said Smith. "Our jumps coach, Mike Hulme, does a great job.

"I think this is going to help with recruiting, and it'll show the kids on the team that if you do what is asked of you, this is how you can succeed.''

Murtagh became an All-America for the third time in his track career.

The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference men's soccer player of the year finished eighth at the outdoors meet last spring and was fourth in the 60-meter hurdles during this past winter.

"It's fantastic,'' said Smith, who praised the efforts of assistant coach Ed Delgado. "We had a very good showing.''