Slippery Rock's McQuaide leads locals into D-II track and field nationals

After placing fifth last year at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships, pole vaulter Courtney McQuaide will get another shot to raise the bar.

A redshirt senior from Slippery Rock and a former outdoor national champion in her event, McQuaide is one of 16 athletes from the PSAC headed to nationals set for March 8-9 at Pittsburg State University in Kansas.

The Greensburg Salem graduate was an All-American last season during the indoor and outdoors seasons. This appearance will be her sixth at the national level.

Her season-best mark of 3.95 meters (12 feet, 11.5 inches) is the eighth-best vault in the nation this season.

Other former WPIAL athletes bound for nationals out of the PSAC include Cal (Pa.) senior Jae’Len Means (Gateway) in the 200-meter dash, and IUP junior Christian Jones (Laurel Highlands) in the high jump.

Here is the complete list of national qualifiers from the PSAC:

Women

Bloomsburg

Kirsten O’Malley, Sr., triple jump

Edinboro

Stefanie Parsons, So., mile run

Millersville

Sunflower Greene, Sr., shot put, weight throw

Shippensburg

Abby Wagner, R-Sr., triple jump

Zarria Williams, Jr., long jump

Slippery Rock

Maddy Marshall Jr., pole vault

Courtney McQuaide, R-Sr. (Greensburg Salem), pole vault

West Chester

Caroline Lewis, So., long jump, pentathlon

Men

Cal U

Jae’Len Means, Sr. (Gateway), 200-meter dash

IUP

Andre Carr, Fr., 60-meter dash

Derek Horton, Sr., pole vault

Christian Jones, Jr. (Laurel Highlands), high jump

Seton Hill

Dontay Jacobs, Sr., 400-meter run

Shippensburg

Charles Bowman, R-Jr., 60-meter hurdles

Shamar Jenkins, R-Fr., triple jump

West Chester

Ralph Casper, So., shot put