UH’s Balentine finishes 15th, out of NCAA

University of Hawaii high jumper Samantha Balentine just missed qualifying for the NCAA Championships.

Balentine, a senior from Lodi, Calif., failed to clear 5 feet, 83⁄4 inches during the second day of the West Preliminary Round at Texas’ Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas, on Friday.

Had she cleared that height, Balentine would have placed in the top 12 and qualified for the outdoor championships next month in Eugene, Ore.

Balentine, who entered the meet ranked third in the West Region and 10th nationally, cleared 5-7 to tie for 15th out of 45 competitors. She cleared her first attempts at 5-5 and 5-7, but missed all three at 5-83⁄4.

A lengthy weather delay pushed the start of the high jump back nearly three hours.

Hawaii’s Amanda Alvarez will compete in the triple jump today.