Ithaca College Athletics

Junior Katherine Pitman (Swampscott, Mass./Swampscott) became the second national champion during the 2015-16 season for the Ithaca College Women's Outdoor Track and Field team during the first day of the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships.

Along with classmate Brandy Smith, Pitman was named Ithaca's Co-Athlete of the Week. 

Pitman set the national meet record in the pole vault at Wartburg College on Thursday. She cleared 4.21 meters (13 feet, 9.75 inches) to surpass the previous national meet mark of 4.20 meters set in 2012 by .01 meters (1/2 inch). She also re-established her own school record. Pitman entered the competition with the top mark in the country and fourth-best all-time at 4.18 meters. It was also a Wartburg College stadium record (old mark was 3.72 meters).

Pitman entered the pole vault field at 3.80 meters and was successful on her opening attempt through the first six heights (3.80 meters to 4.10 meters). Pitman skipped 4.05 meters as she was the only competitor left in the field after clearing 4.00 meters. She then passed on 4.15 and 4.20 meters to go for the DIII record. She then put her name atop the DIII record book on her third try at 4.21 meters.

Pitman is now a two-time All-American after placing second in the pole vault during the indoor season.

She becomes Ithaca's 24th student-athlete to win an individual national champion and the first in the pole vault. In all, it is the 34th individual national title at Ithaca.