From Washington University Athletics

Washington University in St. Louis senior Anna Etherington, Deer Park, Ill. (Barrington) finished her career in perfect fashion by winning the women's pole vault national championship with a school-record height to highlight the first day of the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships Thursday at Ohio Wesleyan University.

Etherington was perfect throughout the competition, clearing 3.75 meters and 3.85 to solidify her third straight outdoor All-America honor as one of five remaining vaulters. Three more vaulters missed at 3.90, leaving Etherington and MIT sophomore Cimran Virdi as the only remaining competitors. Etherington cleared 3.95 on her first attempt and Virdi, the 2014 Indoor National Champion, matched her with a first-attempt clearance. Etherington and Virdi each cleared 4.00, 4.05 and 4.10 on their first attempts to move to 4.15m, which would be the fourth-highest mark in NCAA Division III history. Etherington kept her slate clean with a clearance on her first attempt, while Virdi missed her three attempts at the height. After clinching the title, Etherington took three attempts at an NCAA Division III meet-record height of 4.24m to finish her career.

After finishing as the national runner-up a year ago, Etherington became the fourth individual national champion in Washington University women's track & field history, joining Emily Richard (indoor 5,000 in 1998; outdoor 5,000 in 1999) and Morgan Leonard-Fleckman (indoor pole vault in 2008). The 4.15m mark bettered Etherington's own school record of 4.11m set a week ago. It also broke the stadium record of 4.14m set in 2011. She finished her career as a six-time All-American in the pole vault, capturing three honors each indoors and outdoors.