By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Whitley Stepp (So., Silverton, OR/Regis HS) from Willamette University has been chosen to participate in the 2024 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Champonships in the women's high jump. The high jump will be held on Friday, May 24 at Doug Shaw Stadium in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT / 10:30 a.m. PDT.

Stepp is tied for seventh in the nation in the high jump. Her qualifying mark was a personal record of 5' 7" as she won the high jump title at the 2024 Northwest Conference Championships on April 20.

The NCAA selected a total of 22 athletes to compete in each individual event and 16 teams to participate in each relay event. Stepp is the only NWC athlete who will be competing in the high jump.

Grace Alley of Loras College (Iowa) enters the NCAA Championships with the top mark this season in the high jump as she cleared 5' 8.75" at the American Rivers Conference Championships on May 9. Elizabeth Barre from Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) is ranked second at 5' 8" and three jumpers are tied for third. Jaden Gatts from Dubuque University (Iowa), Gabriella Grattan from Trinity College (Conn.), and Sara Hoskins of Loras each cleared 5' 7.75".

It will be Stepp's second appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She qualified for the 2023 Championships, where she placed 18th in the high jump.

Earlier this year, Stepp tied for 11th and placed 18th on jumps at the 2024 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships. She was successfull at 5' 4.25". Alley took first place at the indoor championships in the high jump by clearing 5' 8.50."