FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Hawai'i high jumper Amber Kaufman captured the program's first medal at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships since 1984 after winning the bronze medal Friday in the high jump finals at the University of Arkansas' John McDonnell Field.

 

Kaufman cleared 6-1.25 (1.86m) before bowing out with the bar set at 6-3.5 (1.92m). Texas' Destinee Hooker captured her fourth NCAA title with a jump of 6-4.75 (1.95m) over Arizona's Elizabeth Patterson (6-2.25/1.89m).

 

Meanwhile multi-event athlete Annett Wichmann placed seventh in the heptathlon, eclipsing her personal best by five points with a total of 5,675. The Jena, Germany native concluded her illustrious career by competing in her seventh NCAA Championship and earning her fourth All-American award.

 

Emily Sheppard finished her standout career at UH, placing 10^th in the high jump after clearing 5-10.75 (1.80m).

 

Kaufman, UH's first medalist at an NCAA Championship since Gwen Loud won the long jump in 1984, missed her first attempt at 5-8.5 (1.74m) before five straight makes including heights of 5-9.75 (1.77m), 5-10.75 (1.80m), 6-0 (1.83m), and 6-1.25 (1.86m). She narrowly cleared 6-2.25 (1.89m) on her third and final attempt at that height but nicked the bar by her heels on her way down.

 

Wichmann, who was eighth after the first day of the heptathlon, jumped 18-0.25 (5.49m) in the long jump, which dropped her to the middle of the pack among the 24 remaining competitors. She rebounded with a huge throw in the javelin of 152-11 (46.60m), just off her personal best and vaulting her back to eighth with one event remaining.

 

A clerical error forced Wichmann to run in the first heat of the 800-meter run, which should have been reserved for athletes ranked 13^th or worse. However, she still managed to cross the finish line in 2:24.74, the 10^th-best time and moving her up one spot in the final tally.

 

Oregon's Brianne Theisen rallied to win the event with 6,086 points, ahead of Minnesota's Liz Roehrig (5,892) and Michigan's Bettie Wade (5,876).

 

Sheppard cleared the first three heights of 5-8.5 (1.74m), 5-9.75 (1.77m), and 5-10.75 (1.80m) before stumbling at 6-0 (1.83m). Still the Vancouver, British Columbia native has a pair of Top 10 finishes in her two NCAA Championship appearances.

 

The NCAA Championship concludes the outdoor track and field season and the 2008-09 athletic season for UH.