South Dakota’s Bethany Buell Wins NCAA Pole Vault Championship
South Dakota's Bethany finished the NCAA Pole Vault Championships where she began at the top.
The junior won USD's first-ever individual title in Division I track with a winning jump of 14 feet 7 1/4 inches. That leap tied the meet record.
Buell was the top qualifier coming in, after finishing third in the outdoor championships as sophomore.
She passed on the opening height at 12' 9 3/4" before clearing 13'3 1/2", 13'7 1/4, 13'9 1/4", and 13'11 1/4" without a miss. After passing at 14'1 1/4", she missed her first attempt at 14'3 1/4", before clearing that height on her second attempt.
She then cleared 14'5 1/4" on her first attempt, before missing twice at 14'7 1/4". Her third and final attempt was successful, tying the meet record, and clinching the national championship.
Buell did make three unsuccessful attempts at 14'9", in an attempt to break the meet record.
Her Coyote teammate Emily Grove finished seventh, after clearing 14'1 1/4.
Also Friday, USD junior Cody Snyder of Lake Andes, finished 21st in the men's discus, with a toss of 176'. Snyder was the first Coyote male athlete to compete in the NCAA Division I meet.