Washington's Kristina Owsinski soars to school record and fourth place finish in pole vault at NCAAs...

EUGENE--University of Washington junior Kristina Owsinski (left/photo by Paul Merca) set a new school record in finishing fourth in the finals of the women's pole vault at the NCAA track and field championships at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon.

The Prairie HS grad cleared a height of 14-5.25 (4.40m) to erase the school record of 14-4.5 (4.38m) set by Logan Miller in 2012.

Owsinski had first attempt clearances at her first three heights, then missed on her first attempt at 14-3.25 (4.35m).  She then had a first attempt make at 14-5.25 (4.40m) before bowing out with three misses at 14-7.25 (4.45m).

Demi Payne of Stephen F. Austin won with an NCAA meet record 15-5 (4.70m).

“Ultimately I wanted to come here and score a point for my team, and get a PR in, and I did both of those things today,” Owsinski said. “It’s crazy, I’ve been chasing this record for a while, and I was chasing 14-feet for a while as well. So to finally have it all come together at this meet that means so much made it even better. So I’m really excited but I’m also excited to move on from here and do bigger things and hopefully break my own school record.”

In other finals involving Washington affiliated athletes, Washington State's Pac-12 champion Alissa Brooks-Johnson finished 18th in the heptathlon with a final score of 5572 points.  She long jumped 17-feet 6 1/4 inches (5.34m) although struggling after a jarring landing, and then threw the javelin 135-9 (41.39m). She won her section of the 800m run with a lifetime-best time of 2 minutes 12.60 seconds, the fastest time of the 22 remaining competitors. Akela Jones from Kansas State won the event with 6,371 points.

In the long jump finals, Garfield HS grad Baileh Simms of Portland State finished 15th with a best of 20-3 (6.17m).

On the track, Pasco’s Marisa Howard of Boise State advanced to Saturday’s finals in the 3000 steeplechase, running 9:54.25, while Shelby Mills of Gonzaga failed to advance, finishing 11th in her heat in 10:39.23.

Senior Gianna Woodruff of Washington finished third in her heat of the 400 hurdles in 57.49, but did not advance to the finals.  Liz Harper of Washington State was in the same heat, but finished sixth in 58.93.  Alissa Brooks-Johnson gave it a go in heat 3 90 minutes after the heptathlon, but was last in her heat in 61.10.

In the women’s 800, Washington’s Baylee Mires was seventh in her heat of the 800, running 2:05.33, the second fastest time of her career.

Friday, Tacoma native Marcus Chambers of Oregon competes in the finals of the men’s 400 meters.  Isaac Yorks of Washington, along with Squalicum HS grad David Elliott of Boise State are in the finals of the mens’ 1500.

Complete results from day 2 of the NCAA championships are available here.

In Oslo, Vancouver native Kara Winger finished sixth in the javelin at the Exxon/Mobil Bislett Games with a best toss of 202-2 (61.64m), as Marharyta Dorozhon of Israel won with a best of 211-9 (64.56m).

Complete results of the Exxon/Mobil Bislett Games are available here.