Bonnie Draxler Earns Silver at NCAA Outdoor Championships

AUSTIN, Texas – Aztec pole vaulter Bonnie Draxler earned the silver medal at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Austin, Texas Thursday evening. The senior from Wrightstown, Wisc. tied her own school record by clearing 14-09.50 (4.51m). This was the second time this year Draxler has finished as the NCAA runner-up, both times to an Arkansas vaulter.

"Bonnie had an outstanding competition," pole vault coach Rich Fox said. "I am really proud of her accomplishments and the way she competed. Arkansas' Tori Hoggard had to jump a lifetime PR to win. NCAA runner-up is a huge success and I couldn't be prouder of Bonnie."

After passing on the opening height of 13-03.50 (4.05m), Draxler missed her first attempts at 13-09.25 and 14-03.25 before clearing on her second try. In the next two heights, Draxler cleared the bar in her first attempt. She was the only vaulter to get over the 14-09.50 bar on her first try.

However, Arkansas vaulter Tori Hoggard cleared 14-11.50 on her second try while Draxler came close but couldn't clear the bar. It was a new personal best for Hoggard. Her teammate, Alexis Jacobus, topped Draxler earlier this year at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Draxler earned the Aztecs eight points with her runner-up finish, which puts SDSU in a tie for ninth place entering the final day of competitions.

Also competing Thursday evening was the SDSU 4x400m relay ream of Sakura Roberson, Lisa-Anne Barrow, Jalyn Harris and Nyjari McNeil who finished in 3:33.64, good for the 11th best time (out of 24). Their time was just 0.16 second off the mark they set two weeks ago at the NCAA West Prelims.

"The women's 4x4 carried SDSU one step closer toward one of our program goals," head coach Shelia Burrell said after the meet. "This very young team beat a lot of extremely strong teams tonight.  We came in ranked 15th and finished 11th, close to our season best and healthy. I'm looking forward to coming back next year stronger and hungrier."

THE NOTE I
This is the third time an Aztec pole vaulter has finished as the runner-up at the NCAA Outdoor Championships (Shayla Ballentine; 2005 & Stephanie Bagan 2008). Draxler also was the runner-up earlier this year at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships.

THE NOTE II
With their finishes, Draxler and all members of the 4x400m relay team earned All-American honors. With her second place finish, Draxler will be named a first-team all-american, her second first-team honor (2019 indoor) and fourth time being an AA overall. For their 11th place finish the SDSU 4x400m relay team of Sakura Roberson, Lisa-Anne Barrow, Jalyn Harris and Nyjari McNeil earned second-team all-american honors.

UP NEXT
The 2019 SDSU track and field season officially comes to an end. Pole vaulter Bonnie Draxler will be competing at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships July 25-28 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships
Austin, Texas | Mike A. Myers Stadium
Top Finisher & SDSU Results
Pole Vault Finals
1. Victoria Hoggard (Arkansas) – 14-11.50 (4.56m) - PR
2. Bonnie Draxler (SDSU) – 14-09.50 (4.51m) – Tied her own school record

4x400m Relay Semifinals – Top two from each heat plus next two best times advance
1. USC - 3:28.31
11. SDSU (Roberson, Barrow, Harris, McNeil) – 3:33.64