JOHNSON CITY, Tenn.— Westmont’s Becky Collier earned All-American honors by placing third in the women’s pentathlon at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships. Third place is the highest finish in Collier’s career at a national championship multi-event competition.
Collier, who earlier this week was named the NAIA West Region Women’s Field Athlete of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), has now tallied nine All-American titles. Determined by All-American honors, she is the second most decorated athlete in Westmont history. Elysia Hodges Mitchell, who graduated last May, earned All-American honors 10 times in her career and twice won a national championship.
Collier posted a solid time of 9.50 in the 60 meter hurdles, finishing with the seventh best mark. In the high jump, Collier cleared 1.68 meters (5-6). While finishing first in the event, Collier had hoped to jump higher.
“As an experienced athlete, Becky turned a tough day into a success,” said Westmont head coach Russell Smelley. “The high jump area was not a great situation. You start off on Astroturf and then transition to rectangular rubber. It creates a funny geometric pattern and feels like it moves a little. It creates an odd situation.”
Collier finished 11th in the shot put (9.50 meters, 17-0.5) – which Smelley referred to as her ‘bugaboo’ – but rebounded with a respectable fourth place finish in the long jump, posting a mark of 5.19 meters (17-05).
Entering the final event in fourth place, Collier’s fifth place finish in the 800 meters (2:27.13) proved to be enough to move her into third place.
Collier will attempt to collect her 10th All-American title on Saturday when she competes in the women’s high jump.