Stockton University senior Kaitlyn Dermen, a graduate of Millville High, earned All-America honors Thursday when she placed fourth in the pole vault at the NCAA Division 3 Championships in La Crosse, Wisc.
Dermen entered the meet seeded ninth.
The top eight finishers in each event earn All-America honors. Derman placed ninth at nationals last spring and was 12th at indoor nationals this past winter, so after two near-misses she’s now an All-America.
Derman entered at the opening height of 11-5 3/4 and cleared on her second attempt. She cleared 11-11 3/4 on her first attempt and 12-3 1/2 on her second.
By clearing 12-3 1/2 on her second try instead of her third, she placed fourth instead of fifth or sixth.
I would love to know how many track All-Americas Stockton has had, but Stockton doesn’t have a list or any history of Stockton track available on its athletics web site.
But Derman is at least the third Stockton pole vaulter to earn All-America honors. Kim Marino, a graduate of Middletown North, won the NCAA indoor and outdoor Division 3 titles in 2003 and was a five-time All-America, and Chelsea Vaughan of Southern Regional tied for third in 2016.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 