Snyder Sets Personal Record in High Jump at GFU Final Qualifier

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

NEWBERG, Ore. -- Erica Snyder (So., Longview, WA/Mark Morris HS) from the Willamette University women's track and field team, set a personal record by clearing 5' 4.25" in the high jump while taking first place at the GFU Final Qualifier on Thursday, May 16 at Stoffer Family Stadium. Snyder improved on her previous best of 5' 3.75" at the OSU High Performance meet on April 27.

Snyder moved into a tie for 42nd on the NCAA Division III national performance list out of hundreds of Division III high jumpers. The top 22 jumpers on the performance list are likely to be selected for the 2024 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Also competing for the Willamette women's team on Thursday were Tenley Grant (Jr., Longview, WA/Kelso HS), Zoe Heino (So., Portland, OR/Mountainside HS), and Kaiona Apio (Sr., Edmonds, WA/Edmonds-Woodway HS).

Grant was second in the hammer throw with a top mark of 148' 2". She has thrown the hammer over 145' at three meets since the beginning of April, including her career best of 158' 8" at the Linfield Jenn Boyman Memorial Invitational on April 6. The throw at Linfield ranks second on Willamette's all-time list.

Heino placed second at George Fox University in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 11:28.76. Branna Schmitt of GFU won the steeplechase in 11:14.18.

Apio earned a top distance of 119' 4" in the javelin. She had two other throws of 115' 11" or higher at GFU.