AUSTIN, Texas—For the first time since 2010, the University of Hawai’i track and field celebrated an All-America honor as sophomore Lilian Turban placed fourth overall in the high jump event of the NCAA Championships at Mike A Meyers Stadium and Soccer Complex on Saturday.
Turban exceeded her personal best of 1.85m (6’0 ¾) from the Big West Championships, jumping 1.87m (6’1 ½) on her third try, placing her in the top four with a chance to become the national champion. Charity Griffith of Ball State took home the title, as she was the only jumper of the final four to reach 1.90m (6’2 ¾).
“Lilian is such a rare combination of talent and work ethic, and she always brings her best when the spotlight is on,” said head track and field coach Madeleine Carleton. “She has persevered through many challenges to defeat a lot of really good jumpers and achieve this all-American honor.”
The last Rainbow Wahine to claim All-American status was Amber Kauffman in the high jump when she won the national title. Turban joins a rare list at UH as she is only the sixth student-athlete in program history to reach All-America status. Others who reached one of the highest honors in collegiate ranks are Gwen Loud (1983), Cheryl Smith (2001), Annett Wichmann (2008 & 2009), Emily Shephard (2008), and Kaufman (2008, 2009, & 2010).
Saturday’s championships concluded the 2023 outdoor season for the ‘Bows. A year they finished in the top three of the Big West Conference standings for the second consecutive season, including four individual champions. Turban was one of three athletes to make the NCAA Championships First Round and was the only one of the three to make the championship round.
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