Stepp Clears 5' 3.25" at NCAA Championships to Place 18th in High Jump

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Whitley Stepp (Fy., Silverton, OR/Regis HS) of Willamette University cleared 5' 3.25" in the women's high jump on Thursday, May 25 to place 18th in the nation during the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the Polisseni Track and Field Complex. Stepp was one of 22 athletes who qualified for the NCAA Championships in the women's high jump.

Stepp, who joined the Bearcats this year from nearby Regis High School, showed her perseverance and determination by clearing the first two heights at the NCAA meet on her third and final attempt each time. She was successful at the opening height of 5' 1.25" and then cleared 5' 3.25".

Six competitors, including Stepp, missed all three of their attempts at 5' 5.25". Stepp lost out on jumps to finish 18th. Abigail Peterson had the fewest jumps involved in the tie and placed 13th.

The eventual winner of the women's high jump was Kira Porzio from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (N.Y.), who was one of three jumpers who cleared 5' 7.75". Also successful at 5' 7.75" were Breya Christopher from Wartburg College (Iowa) and Jaidyn Appel from Tufts University (Mass.).

At 5' 7.75", Porzio cleared the bar on her second attempt, while Christopher and Apple each cleared the height on their third attempt. Porzio took first place on jumps, while Christopher was second and Appel was third.

Four jumpers missed at 5' 7.75", but were successful at 5' 6.50". They were Peyton Howell from Ohio Wesleyan University, Hailey Carolan from Cornell College (Iowa), Gabriela Loiz of Augustana College (Ill.), and Gabriella Grattan of Trinity College (Conn.). On jumps, Howell placed fourth, with Carolan in fifth, Loiz in sixth, and Grattan in seventh.

Stepp finished an outstanding season for the Bearcats. She was named Co-Rookie of the Meet at the 2023 Northwest Conference Championships, hosted by Willamette at the Charles Bowles Track. During the NWC Championships, she won the high jump with a career-best mark of 5' 6.25", placed third in the women's triple jump with a personal record of 35' 1", and ran the anchor leg in the 4 x 100-meter relay as the Bearcats placed third in 49.83 seconds. She received All-NWC honors in all three events.