Virginia freshman Hannah Byrd-Leitner from Moorestown set a lifetime pole vault best Friday in Blacksburg, Va.
Byrd-Leitner won the vault at the Doc Hale Invitational with a 13-3 clearance on her 1st attempt.
Her previous indoor best was a 13-0 when she won the state Group 3 meet at the Bubble last February and her previous PR was 13-2 from the 2024 outdoor Meet of Champions at Pennsauken.
Her mark is 6th-best in Virginia history and No. 2 in school history by a freshman. Sam Romano leared 13-9 ¼ as a freshman and placed 2nd Friday with a 12-11 clearance.
That also moves her up to 6th on the all-time South Jersey alumni list and No. 12 on the all-time New Jersey list.
Her 13-3 is No. 9 in the ACC this year and No. 2 among freshmen. It’s also No. 12 among all NCAA Division 1 freshmen.
Byrd-Leitner passed 11-5 ¼ and then cleared 11-11 ½ and 12-5 ½ on her 1st attempted before needing all three to get over the bar at 12-11. But she cleared 13-3 on her 1st try before taking three jumps at 13-5 ¼.
Byrd-Leitner was a three-time Meet of Champions winner at Moorestown. Her collegiate best before Friday was a 12-9 ½ in Lynchburg in December. She’s cleared 12-5 ¼ or better in all five meets she’s competed in this winter.
All-Time South Jersey Indoor Pole Vault List
14-4 … Kaitlyn Dermen [Millville], July 6, 2024, Basking Ridge
14-0 ¾ … Stephanie Maugham [Shawnee], April 6, 2002, Fresno, Calif.
13-8 … Anna Heim [Moorestown], May 13, 2010, Springfield, Mass.
13-5 … Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], Feb. 9, 2004, New York
13-3 ¾ … Ashley Preston [Delsea], April 17, 2021, Philadelphia
13-3 … Hannah Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], Feb. 6, 2026, Blacksburg, Va.
All-Time New Jersey Indoor Pole Vault List
14-4 … Kaitlyn Dermen [Millville], July 6, 2024, Basking Ridge
14-0 ¾ … Stephanie Maugham [Shawnee], April 6, 2002, Fresno, Calif.
14-0… Hayley Horvath [Notre Dame], May 1, 2021, Harrisonburg, Va.
13-9 ¾ … Emma Keating [Pompton Lakes], April 26, 2025, Philadelphia
13-8 … Anna Heim [Moorestown], May 13, 2010, Springfield, Mass.
13-7 ¾ … Sydney Woods [Demarest], Feb. 1, 2000, Staten Island
13-7 ¼ … Michelle Favre [Saddle Brook], Jan. 26, 2013, Lewisburg, Pa.
13-5 ¾ … Suzy Lacombe [Hunterdon Central], April 25, 2025, Philadelphia
13-5i … Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], Feb. 9, 2004, New York
13-3 ¾ … Ashley Preston [Delsea], April 17, 2021, Philadelphia
13-3 ½ … Natalie Gengel [Princeton], May 2, 2009, Ithaca, N.Y.
133 … Hannah Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], Feb. 6, 2026, Blacksburg, Va.
13-0 ½ … Leah Saifi [Governor Livingston], Feb. 28, 2017, New York
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 