Laura Pumphrey of East Hampton, Conn., to Participate in NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships

2015 Mar 10

WPI high jumper Laura Pumphrey has earned an invitation to the 2015 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships being held this weekend in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The senior enters the competition with the third best height in Division III at 5-7.75. She held the top spot in the land until current leader, and last year's runner up, Gladys Njoku of Stevens Institute of Technology, cleared 5-10.75 at the Ramapo College Indoor Select on February 8. Pumphrey slipped to third after Molly McGraw of Illinois Welseyan achieved a height of 5-8 at the CCIW Indoor Track & Field Championships just over a week ago.

Pumphrey earned All-America status in her 2013 appearance with an eighth place finish. She went on to tie teammate Julie Eagle for second place at the outdoor championship that May.

"Having made it to her third NCAA championship Laura has not only established herself as one of the most accomplished student-athletes in WPI history but a legitimate challenger for an individual NCAA title," commented Head Track & Field Coach Brian Chabot.

Of the 17 entrants, seven student-athletes - including four All-Americans - are returning for their second consecutive year while Pumphrey and St. Lawrence's Marisa Turner are making their first appearance since 2013.

Chabot added "after a year hiatus from making it to this championship you could see from the very first meet in December Laura was focused on returning to a national level. She has been the most consistent performer nationally in the high jump and that consistency should serve her well this weekend."

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Founded in 1865 in Worcester, Mass., WPI is one of the nation's first engineering and technology universities. Its 14 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts, leading to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. WPI's talented faculty work with students on interdisciplinary research that seeks solutions to important and socially relevant problems in fields as diverse as the life sciences and bioengineering, energy, information security, materials processing, and robotics. Students also have the opportunity to make a difference to communities and organizations around the world through the university's innovative Global Perspective Program. There are more than 40 WPI project centers throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.