Anna Etherington, Women’s DMR Earn All-America Honors at NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships
SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Grinnell, Iowa, March 9, 2012 – Washington University in St. Louis sophomore Anna Etherington cleared a career-best height to finish fourth in the women’s pole vault, and the women’s distance medley relay team crushed the previous school record on its way to a runner-up finish to earn All-America honors on the first day of the 2012 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships on Friday at Grinnell College.
With the two All-America finishes on Friday, the Washington University scored 13 points to sit in third place in the women’s team standings. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh led the team standings with 20 points, and Wartburg College sat in second with 16.
In one of the first events of the meet, Etherington cleared a career-best height of 3.85 meters on her second attempt to earn All-America honors in fourth place in the women’s pole vault. Etherington was tied for fifth after clearing 3.75m, but moved into fourth as one of five athletes to clear 3.85m, which was just one centimeter shy of the Washington U. school record in the event.
The Washington U. women’s distance medley relay closed out Friday’s action by running the fourth-fastest time in Division III history to finish as the runner-up in the event with a school-record time of 11:41.55. The time bettered the previous school record of 11:46.38 from earlier this year. Senior Erica Jackey built a big lead for Washington U. on the opening leg of the relay. Sophomores Shannon Howell and Elizabeth Worley worked hard to maintain the lead but defending champion Middlebury College closed the gap and took the lead heading into the final leg. Senior Elizabeth Phillips raced stride for stride with Middlebury senior Margo Cramer but Cramer was able to pull away on the final lap for the victory in 11:37.35.
Senior Tyler Jackson also set a school record during Friday’s action, clocking a time of 8.07 seconds in the men’s 60-meter hurdle prelims, which was .07 of a second faster than his own school record. Jackson’s time tied him for second in the prelims, earning him a spot in the event final scheduled for 3:55 p.m. on Saturday.
Phillips and Jackey both advanced to Saturday’s final in the women’s mile by finishing in the top three of their preliminary heats. The women’s mile final is scheduled for 3:40 p.m. on Saturday. Sophomore Jasmine Williams just missed All-America honors in the women’s high jump on Friday, despite clearing the same height as the third- through seventh-place finishers. Williams cleared a height of 1.65m, but finished in 10th place on misses.
The 2012 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships conclude on Saturday at Grinnell. In addition to Jackson, Phillips and Jackey racing in their respective event finals, freshman Lucy Cheadle will also be in action on Saturday. Cheadle is set to compete in the women’s 5,000 at 5:35 p.m.