Cady Barns of the Middlebury women's track and field team placed third in the long jump, while Emily Rubio tallied personal bests in a pair of events during the first day of the heptathlon at the NCAA Championship. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• On her third attempt of the evening, Barns hit the sand at 5.82 meters. That mark moved her up to third place, which she did not relinquish over the final three chances. 
• In Rubio's second event of the day, she earned runner-up honors in the high jump. The first-year cleared the bar at a personal-best height of 1.67m, having previously owned a mark of 1.65m heading into competition.
• Rubio tossed the shot put 10.50m to place ninth. The distance was a personal record, surpassing her mark of 10.32m.
• The Panther closed out the day with an 11th place showing in the 200-meter, clocking in at 26.34. 

NOTES

• Barns was one of four NESCAC athletes in her event and placed first among league peers.
• With her third-place podium finish, Barns earned All-American status for the first time in this event.
• Johns Hopkins' Victoria Kadiri won the long jump for the second-consecutive year, breaking the facility record with a leap of 6.16m.
• Rubio currently sits in 21st place with 2,148 points, while Natalie McAllister of Cornell College leads the field with 3,112 points. 

Rubio returns to action on Friday for the rest of the final three heptathlon events, while Barns competes in the triple jump on Saturday.