ADA, Ohio -- It proved to be quite a birthday for Lawrence University's Madeline Steininger on Friday.
Steininger, a sophomore from New Berlin, Wis., celebrated her 20th birthday by taking fifth place in the high jump at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships. Steininger, who tied with two other jumpers for fifth, earned All-America status with her jump of 5 feet, 3.25 inches. She tied with Amanda Haney of SUNY-Geneseo and Kristen Serikstad of SUNY-Cortland in the competition at Ohio Northern University.
"It feels amazing," Steininger said. "It kind of just hit me now as I'm calling people to tell them the news."
Crystal Blamy of Keene State College won the event with a jump of 5-7.75. She entered the competition with the best jump in the nation this season at 5-9.25
Steininger becomes the first Lawrence track athlete to be an All-American since Kolade Agbaje-Williams did it twice in the long jump in 2003, placing sixth at the NCAA Indoor Championships and eighth at the outdoor championships. She is Lawrence's first female All-American since Diana Ling won the long jump at the 1994 NCAA Indoor Championships.
The former standout at Milwaukee Pius XI High School cleared 5-3.25 on her second attempt and clinched fifth place in the process.
"I handled the pressure pretty well. I went into it thinking any given day anyone can do anything," Steininger said. "I was more nervous than I usually am, but I tried to tell myself it's another meet and I've done this before. It was just a little more intimidating. I tried to calm myself and once I got going, it was just like another competition."
The All-American effort at the NCAA Championships caps a great indoor season for Steininger. She broke the high jump school record in early February and then broke her own record to set the current mark of 5-5. Steininger also was named one of the Outstanding Field Performers at the Midwest Conference Championships after winning the high jump, placing second in the long jump, and taking third in the 55-meter hurdles.