Guy Jumps Season Best To Finish Fourth in Pole Vault at NCAA Championships
AUSTIN, Texas – Redshirt senior Bridget Guy (Greensburg, Pa.) finished fourth in the pole vault to open competition for the Virginia women’s track and field team at the NCAA Championships at Mike A. Myer Stadium on Thursday (June 6).
Guy recorded a season-best jump in the pole vault, clearing 4.45m (14’7.25″) on her second attempt to place fourth in the event and earn first-team All-America honors. The honor is the third for Guy, who tied for fourth at the 2018 outdoor championships and finished fifth at the 2019 indoor championships.
“The atmosphere today was as tense as I’ve ever felt it for a national championship,” assistant coach Mario Wilson said. “It took the women until there were eight left before it seemed like people were relaxing a little, which is very uncommon. Usually, it does not happen that late and I am just glad that Bridget was able to buckle down and really persevere because the tension was so thick. She literally found a way to stay alive. Every bar, she refocused. She had an attitude like she wanted to win it tonight.
“It was awesome when she made 4.45 (meters). I think if that bar was 4.51 (meters) she would have made it then, but she had one really good attempt at 4.51, which is the U.S. standard (for the USATF Outdoor Championships) which she has been chasing. It’s her goal to be at that next level. I feel like since she had a really good attempt at a meet like this, it’s just going to give her tremendous confidence for her future.”
In the 400m hurdles, junior Andrenette Knight (Morant Bay, Jamaica) captured second-team All-America honors and recorded a 12th-place finish in the semifinal race. Additionally, her time of 57.66 was the third fastest in heat three. The national honor was the third for Knight who is a three-time All-American in the 400m hurdles.
After the first day of competition, the Cavaliers are in 15th place with five points. Arkansas leads the field with 15 points, while Arizona State and Washington are tied for second with 12 points.
The Virginia men’s track and field team will conclude its time at the NCAA Track and Field Championships on Friday with competition beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET. The women will return to action on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET.