Cornell first-year Hailey Carolan certainly didn’t shy away from the moment at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships Saturday afternoon at Birmingham CrossPlex.
Carolan proved she belonged, and then some, claiming an all-America fourth-place finish in the women’s high jump at Birmingham CrossPlex.
Carolan cleared 5 feet, 5.25 inches on her first attempt and wound up in a four-way tie for fourth in the 20-woman field. All four tied competitors missed at the ensuing height of 5-6.50.
Carolan made history as Cornell’s first-ever female high jumper to gain all-America honors. The impressive showing equaled the Rams’ highest all-America finish since 2017, when Abrah Masterson took runner-up in the indoor 5000.
The Alburnett, Iowa, native entered the national meet ranked ninth with a school-record mark of 5-6.50.
Jaidyn Appel of Tufts repeated as NCAA champion with a height of 5-10, the best mark in Division III this season. UW-La Crosse’s Ainsley Hansen and Wartburg’s Breya Christopher both cleared 5-7.75 and finished second and third, respectively.
Carolan stamped a sensational indoor campaign under first-year head coach Jerry Monner. She captured the high jump crown at the Midwest Conference Championships and earned all-region accolades.
Cornell’s high jump record was 5-3.25 heading into the season. Carolan matched or exceeded that mark in all seven competitions she participated this indoor campaign.