17 May 2023 Harding qualifies five women for nationals

Posted at 7:16 PMh in Sports by

SEARCY — For the third consecutive season, Harding had five women receive invitations to compete at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The 2023 meet will take place May 25-27 in Pueblo, Colo.

The top eight finishers in each event at national earn First Team All-America honors, with places 9-12 earning Second Team honors.

Below are Harding’s qualifiers for outdoor nationals: 

Anna Kay Clark, JR, Hoover, Alabama 

Clark qualified ninth in the javelin (45.90m or 150-7) … it will be her second outdoor nationals appearance … earned All-America honors with a fifth-place finish in 2021 (46.67m or 153-1).

Clark is the only Harding female to earn All-America outdoors in a throwing event.

She is Harding’s record holder in the javelin with a toss of 47.02m or 154-3 at Arkansas State in 2022.

Mariah Miller, JR, Cisco, Texas 

Miller qualified 18th in the triple jump (12.29m or 40-4) … it will be her first trip to outdoor nationals.

Miller and Vehner will be Harding’s first female competitors ever in the triple jump at outdoor nationals.

She is Harding’s record holder in the triple jump at 12.29m or 40-4 at the 2023 GAC Championship.

Lisa Retailleau, JR, La Verrie, France

Retailleau qualified 14th in the 400-meter hurdles … it will be her first appearance at outdoor nationals.

It will be the third straight year Harding has had a representative in the 400-meter hurdles at outdoor nationals … Anne-Noelle Clerima qualified in 2021 and 2022, placing 13th in 2021 and 15th in 2022.

Ranks second on Harding’s career performers list in the 400-meter hurdles, trailing only Clerima (1:00.11), Harding’s school record holder.

Karyna Vehner, FR, Khartsyzsk, Ukraine

Vehner qualified 19th in the triple jump (12.27m or 40-3.25) … it will be her first trip to outdoor nationals.

Miller and Vehner will be Harding’s first female competitors ever in the triple jump at outdoor nationals.

Vehner ranks second on Harding’s career performers list in the outdoor triple jump with a PR of 12.27m or 40-3.25 at Rhodes in 2023.

Sierra White, JR, Aledo, Texas 

White qualified 11th in the pole vault (4.02m or 13-2.25) … it will be her second appearance at outdoor nationals, placing 16th (3.80m or 12-5.50) in 2022 … two-time indoor pole vault All-American, placing fifth (4.05m, 13-3.50) in 2023 and seventh (3.95m, 12-11.50) in 2022.

Harding has never had a female All-American in the outdoor pole vault.

White is Harding’s record holder in the outdoor pole vault with a height of 4.10m/13-5.25 at Harding in 2022.