BOSTON, Mass. – Linfield College women's pole vaulter Olivia McDaniel cleared 12 feet, 11½ inches to win the 2019 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field National Championship Friday at the Reggie Lewis Center on the campus of University of Massachusetts. 
 
The senior from Scappoose, Ore., was the final competitor to start the competition, passing on early heights before entering the fray at 3.75 meters (12-3½). She cleared her initial height with her first attempt. 
 
Once the bar was raised to the next height of 3.80m (12-5½), only eight of the 20 entrants remained. McDaniel again put pressure on the remaining competitors by clearing the bar once more with her first attempt.
 
Heidi Nassos of Washington University (Mo.), the eventual runner-up, briefly held the lead after clearing 3.85m (12-7½). At that point, only three competitors remained and McDaniel cleared 3.90m (12-9½) on her second attempt to retake the lead. 
 
McDaniel then secured the title when she cleared a personal best of 3.95m (12-11½) on her first attempt, besting her previous high-water mark of 3.91m.  Neither McDaniel nor Nassos were able to clear the next height, giving the title to McDaniel based on fewer misses.
 
"I'm not only proud of what she accomplished here at the national meet but with everything in her life," said Olson of his senior nursing major.
 
McDaniel is a two-time Northwest Conference champion, a USTFCCCA Academic Scholar-Athlete and a certified nurse, noted Olson.
 
She became the seventh Wildcat to win an individual indoor or outdoor title in track & field and the fourth in the pole vault, the most recent being Catherine Street who won NCAA indoor and outdoor titles in 2012.
 
"Olivia earned this title and the Linfield track & field family could not be happier for her. She's just an outstanding person."
 
Next
The remainder of the Linfield track & field team is set to compete Saturday at the Pacific Invitational in Forest Grove.  The meet gets underway at 10 a.m.