NCAA

Campbell Takes Second, Borton Joins On Podium

Campbell Takes Second, Borton Joins On Podium


AUSTIN, Texas – The Pac-12 co-Champions in the pole vault came through on the biggest stage once again tonight. Nastassja Campbell took NCAA runner-up honors tonight and Sara Borton tied for a sixth-place finish, as the UW women’s team opened up action at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Campbell and Borton finished top-six at the indoor championships in March and scored even more for the team today.
 
Along with the huge showing in the pole vault, the women had Sophie O’Sullivan and Kayley DeLay move through to the finals in the 1,500-meters and steeplechase, respectively. Friday will swing back to men’s finals, with the exception of Ida Eikeng starting the women’s heptathlon, then Saturday the women will close things out.

 
Campbell, a native of New Caney, Texas, was hoping to win her first NCAA title in her home state. She admitted to being more nervous than any meet going in, but settled down once she started jumping. Still, she missed her first two attempts at her opening height of 13-7 ¼ before clearing on her last try to survive the early scare. From there she had a second-attempt make at 14-1 ¼ and cleared 14-5 ¼ on her first jump.
 
Campbell needed another third attempt clearance to keep her title chase alive, jumping at 14-7 ¼, and she again came through to stay in second behind Virginia Tech’s Julia Fixsen, who cleared that 14-7 ¼ bar on her first attempt. Going to 14-9, Campbell had close attempts but couldn’t get the one more bar she needed. Fixsen also went out at that height, but had not missed until that bar, so she finished as the champion, but Campbell stood second on the podium, her fourth time scoring at nationals but the first time outdoors.
 
Borton had second-attempt makes at her first three bars, the key one being at the 14-1 ¼ height that assured her of a top-eight finish. The sophomore transfer from Tennessee was fifth at indoor nationals, and tonight she tied for sixth outdoors, as she couldn’t quite get over the 14-5 ¼ bar.

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