Women's Track & Field | 3/11/2017 6:02:00 PM

Birmingham, Ala.----Wingate University sophomore student-athlete Vanisha Wilshire (Louisburg, N.C.) finished second in the women's high jump in the NCAA Division II indoor national championship meet at the Birmingham CrossPlex Saturday evening. She established a new school record with her 1.73 mark (complete NCAA indoor track results).
 
Wilshire earns her first team All-American status for the first time in her career. She was a second team All-American at the 2016 NCAA Division II outdoor national championship meet. Southwest Baptist University senior Natalie O'Keefe (Granite City, Ill.) won the women's high jump with her leap of 1.76 meters. Seventeen student-athletes competed in the indoor women's high jump Saturday.
 
"Today was another huge day for our program," Wingate head track and field coach Travis LeFlore says. "Vanisha battled an injury for the past three weeks, but we came with the mindset that she's one of the top jumpers in the country and if she competed…it would be a great day."
 
"She showed up and competed in a huge way," LeFlore says. "I can't put together words for how proud I am of her…as well as our entire team. Earning national runner-up is a huge accomplishment for Vanisha. I think it will motivate her and her teammates going into outdoor season."
 
Wilshire matched O'Keefe jump-for-jump in the early going. The Wingate sophomore cleared 1.62 meters and 1.67 meters on her first try. After one miss at 1.70 meters, Wilshire matched her previous school record on the next attempt. She kept the momentum going, clearing 1.73 meters on the first try. Wilshire had three valiant tries at 1.76 meters, but she could not clear the bar. O'Keefe cleared 1.76 meters on her first try to take the NCAA gold medal.
 
For the first time in school history, both Wingate finished in the top 25 on the NCAA Division II indoor national championship team leader board. The Bulldog men tied for 23rd place, while the Wingate women tied for 24th. Tiffin (LeFlore's alma mater) won the men's competition, while Adams State (Colo.) earned the women's team title.