RESULTS

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Meghan Matheny, a senior on the Ithaca College women's track & field team, secured her third career national title in the pole vault during the second day of competition at the NCAA Division III Championships at St. John Fisher University on Friday, May 26.

Matheny earns the 55th all-time individual national title in Ithaca College history and is just the seventh Bomber to win three or more national championships in their respective sport. She also becomes a six-time All-American, running the women's track & field program total to 152.

Matheny entered the competition at the initial height of 3.50 meters (11' 5.75") and missed on her first attempt, but cleared the bar on the second try. She then breezed through the next four standards at 3.65 meters (11' 11.75"), 3.80 meters (12' 5"), 3.85 meters (12' 7.5") and 3.90 meters (12' 9.50") on her first attempt. By 3.90 meters, she had already clinched a spot on the podium, it just came down to placement and points from there.

As the bar moved up to 3.95 meters (12' 11.5"), only six entries remained. Two scratched out and another passed to the next height. Matheny vaulted over the bar on her second attempt to stay alive in the competition.

Now at 4.00 meters (13' 1.5"), there were four people left. Matheny cleared on her first try, as did Brooke Simon from Claremont-Mudd Scripps. Emma Rudolph of Westminster advanced after her second try and Grace Holland of Wisconsin-Whitewater passed to the next height after one miss.

The bar was now set at 4.05 meters (13' 3.5") and Matheny was the only athlete remaining who had surpassed that height all season. Simon and Holland were unable to clear, but Rudolph vaulted over the bar on her third try and already held the advantage due to total attempts, putting all the pressure on Matheny – who was also heading into her final attempt. A miss ended the championship run, but a clearance continued the competition.

Matheny glided over the bar on that final run to push the bar into unknown territory for both vaulters – 4.10 meters (13' 5.25"). The now three-time national champion wasted no time and went up and over on her first attempt to secure the national championship as Rudolph missed and elected to pass to 4.15 meters (13' 7.25").

Rudolph's final two tries were unsuccessful at 4.15 and Matheny locked up her national title.