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Isabel Maletich of UChicago Wins Long Jump Title to Highlight Day One of NCAA Outdoor Championships

Isabel Maletich of UChicago Wins Long Jump Title to Highlight Day One of NCAA Outdoor Championships
Posted: May 27, 2021

From University of Chicago Athletics

Before the start of the 2021 outdoor national meet, University of Chicago's Isabel Maletich had already made her mark on the women's track & field program. She owns all four school records in the long jump and triple jump, along with six All-American awards and a bevy of other accolades.

By Thursday evening, Maletich added her name to rarefied company with the second national long jump title of her career at the 2021 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She became the sixth Maroon to claim multiple NCAA championships in the modern era.

Maletich entered the day as the second seed in the women's outdoor long jump. Just one week earlier, the Maroon junior posted a season-best 5.96 meters at a qualifier meet that ensured her status as one of the favorites to win at the NCAAs. She had reached this stage previously in 2019 as a first-year, finishing as the national runner-up in the outdoor long jump by a mere two inches.

She would not be denied on late Thursday afternoon in Greensboro. Maletich's third jump of the day topped the field at 5.88 meters. Her closest competitor finished at 5.78 meters – a margin of 3.75 inches.

Maletich had previously won the NCAA indoor long jump title in 2019. It is the 11th national championship for UChicago track & field since the year 2000.

"Isabel has always been a big-meet performer," said UChicago Head Coach Chris Hall. "She seems to thrive in this type of environment. Even last week, she had to jump well just to qualify. She looked great today and seemed in control from the start. It makes me sad she didn't have the opportunity to compete in last year's national meets due to the COVID pandemic. Isabel is honestly one of the greatest jumpers in the history of Division III and she made the most of that opportunity today. I couldn't be more proud."

The first UChicago woman in action on Thursday was Rachel TerHaar in the pole vault. The junior had qualified for NCAAs thanks to a school-record clearance of 3.72 meters back on April 24. TerHaar bettered that height by her sixth vault of the day, clearing 3.75 meters on her second try. Two attempts later, she was residing atop the leaderboard at 3.80 meters. She kept that lead position until Ithaca College's Meghan Matheny surpassed 3.85 meters on her final attempt. TerHaar finished as the national runner-up to earn the first All-American award of her career.

First-year Maddie Kelly raced in the women's 1,500-meter prelims later in the afternoon. After entering the race as the 17th seed, Kelly crossed the finish line in 14th place with a time of 4:39.77. The top 12 finishers advanced to the event finals.

UChicago Multiple National Titlists

  • Peter Wang (Wrestling) – 177 pounds in 1991 and 1992
  • Rhaina Echols (Women's Cross Country / Track & Field) – Cross Country in 1999; Indoor 5,000 meters in 2000; Outdoor 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters in 2000
  • Kendra Higgins (Women's Tennis) – Doubles in 2009 and 2010
  • Chrissy Hu (Women's Tennis) – Doubles in 2009 and 2010
  • Liz Lawton (Women's Track & Field) – Outdoor 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters in 2010