Kaitlyn Banas produces first collegiate pole vault victory

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Registering her first collegiate victory in the pole vault, Razorback Kaitlyn Banas won the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate title with a winning height of 13 feet, 7.75 inches (4.16) on Thursday amid windy and cool conditions at the Long Beach State track and field facility.

Banas led an Arkansas 1-2-3-4 sweep in the event, which would total 29 points in a scored meet. A pair of vaulters from BYU finished fourth and fifth.

“This is actually my first collegiate win, so I was really happy,” stated Banas. “It’s a good confidence boost. All of my teammates have had a W under their belt. So, I feel really good going into the pole vault tomorrow at Mt. SAC.

Following Banas, each with a clearance of 13-3.75 (4.06), were the Razorback trio of Mackenzie Hayward, Marin Chamberlin, and Bailee McCorkle. Chamberlin set a career best mark with the clearance.

The 13-3.75 bar eliminated six vaulters from the field and of the six remaining it included four from Arkansas and two from BYU.

“It was pretty cold, but there was a consistent tailwind, so it wasn’t completely bad conditions,” noted Banas. “I kept telling everyone it’s a dual meet with BYU versus Arkansas. When we reached that stage, I knew we had BYU on misses, so it was pretty cool to place first through fourth.”

“I missed competing with everyone because at Texas Relays all of us were kind of separated. So, just to have a band of Razorbacks in the same competition was pretty cool.”

Banas made the first pair of bars on first attempts and needed a second attempt at her winning height of 13-7.75. Heyward, who tied for first place at this meet a year ago, made a trio of bars on first attempts to secure second place.

With the victory in hand, Banas attempted 14-1.25 (4.30), and came very close to making the height on her second of three attempts.

“Last year I went 4.28 (14-0.5) outdoors, so I felt the next benchmark height was 4.30,” said Banas. “My second attempt I was very, very close. Everyone thought I cleared it, but I think I hit it with my arm a little bit. The other two attempts were good, but my second attempt I thought I cleared it.

These four vaulters will compete at Mt. SAC Relays on Friday, split into two different sections. Banas, Hayward, and McCorkle will vault in the Collegiate A division of the pole vault while Chamberlin is in Collegiate B division.

NCAA Indoor champion Amanda Fassold is scheduled to compete in Saturday’s Elite division.

Racing in wet conditions at the Bryan Clay Invitational held at Azusa Pacific, Laura Taborda set a career best of 9:50.86 in the 3,000m steeplechase, placing sixth in the field and moving to No. 6 on the UA all-time list. Gracie Hyde finished 18th overall with a time of 10:09.24.

“I think this is the first time I’ve run a steeplechase in the rain,” said Taborda. “It was a little bit harder, because my face always gets full of water. It felt good, and I’m happy with another PR.

“It was a four second PR since my last race (9:54.59 at Stanford). I’m excited, I think the next time I run the steeple it will be at conference. I’ll have good competition there and I’m excited to fight for the title.”