University of Hawai'i freshman high jumper Emily Sheppard had already cleared 5 feet, 8 3/4 inches in meets this season.

But yesterday's performance had dual meaning to her — it helped her claim the Western Athletic Conference title and meet the NCAA qualifying standard.

"It feels pretty good," Sheppard said. "I didn't have a great warm up; I didn't have a lot of confidence going into it."

Sheppard cleared 5-8 3/4 in non-collegiate Sunset meets at Cooke Field, but it couldn't be counted toward the NCAA qualifying standard.

"That was the fifth time she's done it this year," Hawai'i track and field coach Carmyn James said. "She did it four times earlier here in Hawai'i. Unfortunately even though it was NCAA standard, according to the rules, it didn't count because it has to be done against NCAA schools."

Runner-up Joycalyn Loyd of Louisiana Tech cleared 5-6 1/2, and Hawai'i's Mallory Gilbert took bronze by also clearing 5-6 1/2.

Sheppard's feat was surprising considering she has been bothered recently by a sinus infection, stomach flu and a hamstring injury. She also took her last final exam Thursday.

"It was great in terms of not only rising to the occasion at the WAC championship — there's nothing like winning at the big meet — and to do it with the NCAA standard is incredible," James said.

"She hasn't been feeling up to par, but to be able to turn that around and take a negative and turn it into a positive it shows she's a tough competitor."

James said Sheppard also has been working on trying to correct "two technical problems" with her footwork.

But despite the problems, James expects her to go even higher at the NCAA regional meet in two weeks.

"I know she has so much more height in her," James said. "She did it (yesterday) with so much ease."

Gilbert, a junior, placed fifth in the heptathlon on Thursday.

"She almost had the NCAA standard in the heptathlon and she just barely brushed the bar," James said. "She wanted it so much today, but after doing a heptathlon her body was tired."

The Rainbow Wahine are in sixth place with 30 points heading into the final day of competition. Idaho leads the eight-team meet with 47 points, followed by Louisiana Tech with 43 and Utah State with 40.

Hawai'i has scored all its points in two events — 16 in the high jump and 14 in Thursday's heptathlon.

"Three years ago when we were at the WAC championships in El Paso (Texas), our team total after four days was 13 points, so we're way ahead of that," James said.

James said her shot putters didn't do as well as expected yesterday.

Sophomore Meghan Weaver, considered to be a top contender, finished 10th and didn't qualify for today's final. Sophomore Annett Wichmann finished 11th and Nicole Awaa was 16th.

"I was a bit disappointed in the shot put," James said. "Meghan placed second in the event last year, but she didn't make the final so she's pretty crushed.

"We got zero points in the shot put; we were expecting to get a couple there."

James said the Rainbow Wahine hope to score points today with five pole vaulters reaching the final.

Freshman Thalia Amanakis and sophomore Candace Rosenthal will race in today's 400-meter final. Wichmann, the heptathlon champion, will compete in the javelin final.

Sheppard was scheduled to compete in the triple jump today, but she said she will withdraw to save herself for the NCAA regional meet.

In the five-team men's meet, Boise State leads with 70 points with Utah State and Idaho tied for second with 43.

WAC CONFERENCE TRACK AND FIELD RESULTS

MEN

Team scores (after 7 events)

1, Boise State - 70

2, Utah State - 43

tie, Idaho - 43

4, Fresno State - 31

5, Louisiana Tech - 30

FINALS

10,000

Ty Axtman (Boise State) - 31:31.18

Kevin Friesen (Idaho) - 31:38.76

Seth Wold (Utah State) - 32:40.15

Zach Shuler (La Tech) - 32:57.97

Matt Racine (Idaho) - 33:20.62

Clark Bryner (Utah State) - 33:50.57

Brandon Christoffersen (Boise State) - 35:24.45

Ian Chestnut (Idaho) - 36:41.26

3,000 STEEPLECHASE

Vance Twitchell (Utah State) - R 9:06.48

Ty Axtman (Boise State) - 9:11.51

Kinsey Dinnel (La Tech) - 9:19.29

Mike Thompson (Idaho) - 9:24.54

Derek Laughlin (Idaho) - 9:25.70

Brandon Christoffersen (Boise State) - 9:33.13

Tim Marshall (La Tech) - 9:35.21

Mark Welsh (Boise State) - 9:40.51

POLE VAULT

Adam Andresen (Fresno State) - 4.90

Max Hansen (Utah State) - 4.75

Paul Lim (Fresno State) - 4.75

Ryan Rupcich (Fresno State) - 4.60

Palmer Hawkins (Utah State) - 4.45

Kyle Christoffersen (Boise State) - 4.30

Marcus Luckstead (Idaho) - 4.15

Taylor Franzman (Fresno State) - 4.15

LONG JUMP

Keron Francis (Boise State) - 7.38

Matthew Craig (La Tech) - 7.31

Justin Wickard (Utah State) - 7.28

Alex Jones (Fresno State) - 7.18

Chris Jefferson (La Tech) - 7.14

Kevin Pabst (Idaho) - 7.10

Roger White (Boise State) - 6.90

DeAnte Brown (Fresno State) - 6.77

DISCUS

Jason Morgan (La Tech) - R 57.19

Staffan Jonsson (Boise State) - R 57.03

Russ Winger (Idaho) - R 56.23

Eric Matthias (Boise State) - R 50.95

Matt Wauters (Idaho) - 49.71

Dj Haynes (Fresno State) - 48.83

Drew Tavares (Boise State) - 48.70

Sean McDonald (Fresno State) - 48.03

JAVELIN

Keron Francis (Boise State) - R 72.79

Nate Putnam (Boise State) - R 66.95

Scott Viafore (Boise State) - R 65.57

Mattias Jons (Boise State) - 60.87

Eamonn Torgison (Idaho) - 60.12

Logan Moore (Utah State) - 55.68

Chase Taylor (Utah State) - 55.48

Josh Quiambao (Fresno State) - 53.42

PRELIMINARIES

100

Mike Coleman (La Tech) - 10.51

Dj Smith (Utah State) - 10.53

Cedric Young (Utah State) - 10.69

Andrew Summers (Boise State) - 10.69

Alex Jones (Fresno State) - 10.72

Antwaun Sherman (Idaho) - 10.76

Jessie Smith (Fresno State) - 10.80

Thomas Mundrain (Fresno State) - 10.80

200

Antoine Echols (Boise State) - 21.48

Andre Summers (Boise State) - 21.71

Dj Smith (Utah State) - 21.74

Mike Coleman (La Tech) - 21.81

Cedric Young (Utah State) - 21.85

Jessie Smith (Fresno State) - 21.92

Antwaun Sherman (Idaho) - 21.92

Nick Cunningham (Boise State) - 22.13

400

Juan Valdez (Fresno State) - 47.70

Antoine Echols (Boise State) - 47.77

Kenny Moon (Fresno State) - 48.06

Jason Giuffre (Idaho) - 48.20

Dasheek Akwenye (Utah State) - 48.20

Jarrith Jones (La Tech) - 48.21

Josh Guggenheimer (Idaho) - 48.45

Kyle Christoffersen (Boise State) - 48.60

800

Sheldon Williams (La Tech) - 1:52.84

Bryan Rodie (Boise State) - 1:53.12

Aaron Berry (Fresno State) - 1:54.41

Chris Sandifer (La Tech) - 1:55.09

Matt Schmasow (Boise State) - 1:55.09

Driss Yousfi (Idaho) - 1:55.55

Emon Williams (Utah State) - 1:55.71

Yance Fawcett (Utah State) - 1:55.72

110 HURDLES

Nolan Jackson (La Tech) - R 14.06

Sterling Small (Boise State) - R 14.25

Justin Wickard (Utah State) - R 14.27

Val Pierre Dai’Re (Fresno State) - R 14.32

Scott Bell (Utah State) - 14.48

Wendell Woods (La Tech) - 14.50

Jason Jeppsen (Utah State) - 14.59

John Kent (La Tech) - 14.63

400 HURDLES

Ryan Moore (Fresno State) - R 52.10

Sterling Small (Boise State) - 52.69

Scott Bell (Utah State) - 52.70

Josh Guggenheimer (Idaho) - 52.94

Kevin Pabst (Idaho) - 53.32

Nick Karren (Utah State) - 53.67

Brad Martin (Utah State) - 54.53

Val Pierre Dai’Re (Fresno State) - 54.86

WOMEN

Team scores (after 7 events)

1, Idaho - 47

2, Louisiana Tech - 43

3, Utah State - 40

4, Nevada - 37

5, New Mexico State - 32

6, Hawai'i - 30

7, Boise State - 25

8, Fresno State - 19

FINALS

10,000

Dee Olson (Idaho) - 36:39.34

Mandy Macalister (Idaho) - 37:35.94

Grace Thomson (New Mexico State) - 37:46.44

Amy Egan (Utah State) - 38:30.55

Robin Nixon (Boise State) - 39:00.30

Kendall Knowles (Nevada) - 39:05.92

Eva Gut (Idaho) - 39:24.93

Amanda Gramly (Nevada) - 39:34.01

3,000 STEEPLECHASE

Stacie Lifferth (Utah State) - R 10:24.67

Bevin Kennelly (Idaho) - R 10:28.87

Tiffany Strickland (Utah State) - R 10:49.00

Jennifer Twitchell (Utah State) - 11:12.49

Melis Garner (Nevada) - 11:23.33

Jessica Friend (Idaho) - 11:27.72

Beth Sandoval (New Mexico State) - 11:30.44

Marina Santana (Fresno State) - 11:31.61

HIGH JUMP

Emily Sheppard (Hawai'i) - R 1.75

Joycalyn Loyd (La Tech) - 1.69

Mallory Gilbert (Hawai'i) - 1.69

Lacey Hulbert (Utah State) - 1.66

Jessalyn Loyd (La Tech) - 1.66

Kristin Brogdon (Boise State) - 1.66

Amanda Boice (Nevada) - 1.63

Lauren Archie (Fresno State) - 1.58

LONG JUMP

Sandra Anane (New Mexico State) - R 6.20

Eleni Kafourou (Boise State) - R 6.16

Bejide Williams (La Tech) - R 6.11

Donesha Spivey (La Tech) - 5.83

Ciara McMillan (Nevada) - 5.78

Tammy Stowe (Idaho) - 5.75

Winnie Fletcher (Fresno State) - 5.52

Ashley Land (Nevada) - 5.51

SHOT PUT

Shaterika Allen (La Tech) - R 15.66

Erin Streater (New Mexico State) - R 15.02

La’Sha Hill (Fresno State) - R 14.83

Jamie Martino (Nevada) - R 14.66

Nadia Alexander (La Tech) - R 14.58

Inger Appanaitis (Nevada) - 14.23

Aspen Marshall (Fresno State) - 14.18

Mykael Bothum (Idaho) - 14.08

HAMMER THROW

Jen Broncheau (Idaho) - 57.85

Caira Hane (Nevada) - 57.25

Erin Streater (New Mexico State) - 57.10

Eleni Ypsilanti (Boise State) - 56.78

Annika Hjelm (Boise State) - 55.44

Janine Bodo (Nevada) - 55.03

Jamie Farley (Fresno State) - 54.16

Amber Tavares (Boise State) - 51.63

PRELIMINARIES

100

Latonia Wilson (La Tech) - 11.65

Donesha Spivey (La Tech) - 11.88

Tanya Pater (Idaho) - 11.94

Lasadies McClain (La Tech) - 11.97

Bejide Williams (La Tech) - 12.04

Jerita Wilson (Nevada) - 12.07

Whitney Hobbs (La Tech) - 12.10

Christina Lopez (Fresno State) - 12.24

200

Latonia Wilson (La Tech) - R 23.74

Nina Gilbert (La Tech) - 24.04

Donesha Spivey (La Tech) - 24.13

Lasadies McClain (La Tech) - 24.35

Katrina Powell (New Mexico State) - 24.41

Sophia Jackson (La Tech) - 24.44

Jerita Wilson (Nevada) - 24.92

Christina Wilson (Fresno State) - 25.07

400

Jackieann Morain (Boise State) - R 54.42

Nina Gilbert (La Tech) - 55.12

Katrina Powell (New Mexico State) - 55.65

Krystal Cole (La Tech) - 55.95

El Charrita Reynolds (La Tech) - 55.99

Sophia Jackson (La Tech) - 56.76

Shaina Wright (Nevada) - 57.51

Renee Winston (Fresno State) - 57.59

800

Kali Baker (Nevada) - 2:10.68

Jill Steele (Utah State) - 2:10.91

Zinzi Evans (Fresno State) - 2:11.81

Alisha Murdoch (Idaho) - 2:11.95

Kayleen McDowell (Boise State) - 2:11.52

Mary Kamau (Idaho) - 2:12.02

Kristen Guymon (Utah State) - 2:12.51

LaNaya Wattree (Nevada) - 2:15.56

100 HURDLES

Amber Judd (Utah State) - 14.08

Antoinette Cobb (La Tech) - 14.24

Christie Gordon (Idaho) - 14.40

Heather Bergland (Idaho) - 14.42

Analisa Serrano (Nevada) - 14.50

Megan Olivetti (Boise State) - 14.63

Lacey Hulbert (Utah State) - 14.68

Sandra Anane (New Mexico State) - 14.72

400 HURDLES

Miriam Barnes (La Tech) - R 59.83

Polly Smith (Nevada) - 1:01.80

Thalia Amanakis (Hawai'i) - 1:02.46

Amber Judd (Utah State) - 1:03.10

Rosana Medina (Nevada) - 1:03.66

Megan Olivetti (Boise State) - 1:03.99

Candace Rosenthal (Hawai'i) - 1:04.27

Erica McCoy (Fresno State) - 1:04.43

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.