SIOUX FALLS, S.D. ­— Anna Willis wrapped up a historic sophomore season at South Dakota with a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships last week and has been named the Summit League Women's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year by the conference office Wednesday afternoon.
 
Willis was the highest placing Summit League athlete, men's or women's, at the NCAA Championships with a third-place finish in the women's pole vault. Her clearance at 15-2 ¾ (4.64m) was a new outdoor school record and she was one of two athletes to have a clean sheet through the first five heights of the competition.
 
Willis had strong performances all season long, placing inside the top three at each meet. She broke the outdoor school record at the Drake Relays with a Drake Relays record of 15-2 ¼ (4.63m) for her lone competition win of the season. She was the Summit League runner-up and cleared 15-0 three times during the season.
 
This is South Dakota's seventh Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year on the women's side. The previous six awards were won by three athletes, all in back-to-back seasons. Bethany (Buell) Firsick won in 2012 and 2013, Emily Grove in 2016 and 2017, and Gen Hirata in 2023 and 2024. Willis helps complete a sweep of the Women's Field Athlete of the Year honors as teammate Marleen Mülla won the indoor honor in March.

There is one more competition on Willis' calendar this summer, as she will be in New York for the United States Championships in July.

   
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