From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

It was a very impressive – and very busy – season debut for Stockton sophomore Elaina Styer from Ocean City.

Competing at the Fastrack Season Opener at Ocean Breeze, Styer tied her own school record in the 60-meter hurdles, PR’d in the long jump, placed 2^nd in the high jump and ran a leg on the 4^th-place 1,600-meter relay team.

Styer, from Estell Manor, placed 4^th in the hurdles in 9.03, which tied her PR and school record that she set at Tufts in Medford, Mass., this past March.

Her 18-0 ½ long jump was a PR by nearly a foot. She jumped 17-1 ¼ as part of her pentathlon win at the NJAC Championships this past February at the Ott Center. That’s also only 3 ¾ inches off the school record of 18-4 ¼ set by Jassina Surles of Williamstown in March 2016 at the ECAC Division 3 Championships, also at Ocean Breeze. Styer had two other jumps over 17 – a 17-1 ½ on her 1^st attempt that actually set a PR and a 17-0 ¼ on her 2^nd attempt before the 18-footer on her 3^rd.

Styer cleared 5-1 on her 2^nd attempt in the high jump before missing three tries at 5-3. She cleared 5-5 ¼ as part of her NJAC pentathlon win.

Styer teamed up with senior Emma Conroy of Matawan, senior Emma Petrolia from New Milford and sophomore Marlie DiPalma from Pope John XXIII in Sparta to run 4:03.01 in the 4-by-4.

On the first NCAA Division 3 rankings, Styer is 11^th in the long jump and 15^th in the hurdles, and Stockton is 13^th in the 4-by-4.