Anna Willis took third place in the pole vault at the NCAA Track and Field Championships on Thursday evening, setting a personal record in the process and improving her spot on the podium by one step over a year ago.

The South Dakota sophomore and Colorado Springs native – a 2024 graduate of The Classical Academy – was one of four vaulters to clear 4.64 meters (15-foot-2¾).

Willis and Louisville’s Ashley Callahan then failed to clear 4.69. Willis won the tiebreaker over Callahan because she cleared 4.64 on her first attempt.

Washington teammates and twin sisters Amanda and Hana Moll were the final two competitors, both successful at 4.74 meters. Amanda won the championship, clearing 4.84 meters for a meet record on her final attempt. Hana had won the title and set the previous meet record a year ago.

Willis was perfect on her first five attempts of the event before surviving a scare at 4.59. She cleared it on her third try, then improved her previous personal best of 4.63 on her next try at 4.64.

Willis took fourth last year as a freshman. She was third this year in the NCAA Indoor Championships.