Hillman 15th at NCAA Regionals in Discus, Just Misses National Championship Berth

Friday, May 27

Jacksonville, Fla.

12:00 PM

University of Delaware

NCAA East Regionals - Day 2

Delaware's Hillman, McGroarty Headed to NCAA Women's Track & Field Regionals this Week

Hillman 15th at NCAA Regionals in Discus, Just Misses National Championship Berth

5/27/2016 3:54:00 PM | Track & Field - Outdoor

By: Delaware Athletics

• Complete Results

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- On Friday afternoon, a mere 14 inches was all that separated University of Delaware sophomore Sarah Hillman from a trip to the NCAA Women's Outdoor Track & Field National Championships.

A standout performer for the Blue Hens all season long, Hillman (Polytech/Dover, Del.) set a new school record in the discus and finished 15th overall at the NCAA East Regionals at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium.

Hillman's best toss of 170-feet, 3-inches shattered her own previous school record (165-2) by over five feet, but her 15th place finish was just three places shy of qualifying for the NCAA national championships June 8-11 at the University of Oregon where the top 12 finishers from both the East and West Regionals will compete.

The 12th and final qualifier on Friday was Auburn's Rachel Dincoff, whose best throw traveled 171-5, just 14 inches further than Hillman's best toss. Kellion Knibb won the competition with a toss of 196-2 while Katelyn Daniels of Michigan State was second with a throw of 195-3.

Hillman's 15th place finish was the second highest ever by a Delaware athlete at the regionals and the best since Kelli McDonald placed seventh in the pole vault in 2009.

The first UD weight thrower ever to qualify for the regionals, Hillman was trying to become only the second UD women's track & field athlete to advance to the national championships and join UD Athletics Hall of Fame member Candy Cashell, who competed in the high jump in both 1985 and 1986.

Hillman capped an outstanding 2016 outdoor season in which she earned All-East honors in the discus and shot put and set a school record in the discus. She won seven individual meet titles earlier this season, including first place finishes in the discus at Navy, Princeton, and the Delaware Classic. She also was the lone Blue Hen to compete at the Penn Relays where she finished seventh in the discus.

Friday's competition closed out the 2015-16 athletics season for the University of Delaware.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129