By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

GENEVA, Ohio -- Jewell Sparks (Jr., San Francisco, CA/Lick Wilmerding HS) of Willamette University competed in the preliminary heats of the women's 400-meter hurdles at the 2017 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday, May 25 at the Spire Institute. Sparks took sixth place in the second heat with a time of 1:04.27.

All three heats were contested on a wet track with rain falling. The winner of the each heat plus the hurdlers with the next six fastest times advanced to the final, which will be held on Saturday, May 27.

Sparks did not reach the final, but her time on Thursday allowed her to finish 19th in the nation. It was her first trip to the NCAA Championships.

Meredith Porter won the second heat in 1:00.85. The other heat winners were Kelli Hancock and Rebecca Ridderhoff, both from Washington University (Mo.). Hancock won the first heat in 1:00.11, while Ridderhoff placed first in the third heat in 1:00.74. Ridderhoff owns the top time in NCAA Division III this season at 59.38 seconds.