Vashti Cunningham moves up to US #3 all-time in girls high jump (6-3)

May 18, 2014

Photo by Margot Kelly

Vashti Cunningham, the sophomore high jump standout from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, moved the bar one inch higher than her previous best and US leading clearance to finally clear over a height of 6'3" at her regional championship meet this past weekend. The performance elevates her to become US #3 all-time in the event behind only Amy Acuff (Calallen, Corpus Christi, Texa) from 1993 and Toni Young (Del City, Oklahoma) from 2009 as the only two have cleared a greater height in the nation's history for the high school girls high jump (both share the national record at 6'4".

Being only a tenth grader and possessing great athletic genes with her father being former NFL star quarterback Randall Cunningham, there is no question that Vashti Cunningham has a real chance of challening, tying, or even breaking that outdoor national record of 6'4" this year or prior to high school graduation in over two years. After clearing 6'0.25" as a freshmen last year and winning the Nevada state title as well as the AAU Junior Olympic Games age group national title last spring and summer, Cunningham has continued to progress into the current season with major wins earlier in the season in California between her previous best of 6'2" from the Arcadia Invitational and a 6'1" win at the Mt. SAC Relays.

US High School Girls High Jump All-Time List

(Maintained by Jack Shepard for Track & Field News - Full List Here)

HIGH JUMP
6-4	Amy Acuff (Calallen, Corpus Christi, Texas)	1993
	Toni Young (Del City, Oklahoma)	2009
6-3i	*Lisa Bernhagen (Wood River, Hailey, Idaho)	1983
	*Acuff	1992
	Vashti Cunningham (Bishop Gorman, Nevada)	2014
6-2¾	*Bernhagen	1983
	Latrese Johnson (Clovis, California)	1985
	Erin Aldrich (Lake Highlands, Dallas, Texas)	1996
6-2¼	Kym Carter (East, Wichita, Kansas)	1982
	*Bernhagen	1983
	Wendy Brown (Woodside, California)	1984
	Bernhagen	1984
	*Angie Bradburn (Norwell, Ossian, Indiana)	1985
	Julie Broughton (Woodland, California)	1989
	**Acuff	1991
	**Acuff	1991
	**Acuff	1991
	Aldrich	1996
	Aldrich	1996
	**Gabby Williams (Reed, Sparks, Nevada)	2012
19 performances by 10 performers

Next up for Cunningham will be the Nevada State Track & Field Championships, which will be held on May 23rd and 24th at Carson High School in Carson, Nevada. Here is to hoping that Cunningham plans to extend her season beyond her state meet and compete for several national titles in post-season competitions and chase after that 6'4" national record.

Related Links:

Nevada NIAA Southern D1 Regionals

Meet Results

Girls Highlights

100 Meter Hurdles - Tiana Bonds (Centennial High) 14.03; Amari Norris (Silverado High School) 14.57 SB; Charleen Jordan (Coronado High School) 14.60 SB; Tiana Bonds (Centennial High) 13.81; Amari Norris (Silverado High School) 14.91;
100 Meter Dash - Drea Austin (Foothill High School) 12.05; Drea Austin (Foothill High School) 12.13;
1,600 Meter Run - Sydney Badger (Centennial High) 5:04.99; Marissa Suan (Palo Verde High School) 5:13.47 SB; Sydney Badger (Centennial High) 4:57.45; Sara Dort (Coronado High School) 5:05.28 SB;
300 Meter Hurdles - Tiana Bonds (Centennial High) 42.07; Charleen Jordan (Coronado High School) 44.33 SB; La'kaya Yarber (Canyon Springs) 45.28 SB; Jessica Fields (Palo Verde High School) 46.10 SB;Tiana Bonds (Centennial High) 42.03; Charleen Jordan (Coronado High School) 45.35;
400 Meter Dash - Tyler Rowlette (Centennial High) 56.92 SB; Drea Austin (Foothill High School) 57.41 SB; Sydney Land (Sierra Vista High School) 57.71 SB; Jasmine Jordan (Bishop Gorman High School) 57.84 SB;
4x800 Meter Relay - Centennial High 9:43.05;
800 Meter Run - Sara Dort (Coronado High School) 2:19.80; Sydney Badger (Centennial High) 2:16.56;
Discus - Ashley Pierce (Shadow Ridge High School) 126-1; Ashlie Blake (Liberty High School) 157-9; Monet Salazar (Silverado High School) 128-11;
High Jump - Vashti Cunningham (Bishop Gorman High School) 6-3 SB;
Long Jump - Vashti Cunningham (Bishop Gorman High School) 17-9 SB;
Pole Vault - Rachel Buck (Green Valley High School) 10-6;
Shot Put - Ashlie Blake (Liberty High School) 50-0.5; Miracle Blalark (Rancho High School) 37-2.25;
Triple Jump - Jocelyn Jordan (Arbor View High School) 37-9.5;

Boys Highlights

100 Meter Dash - Jayveon Taylor (Bonanza High School) 10.64 SB; Ian Mack (Green Valley High School) 10.71; Ivy Dobson (Arbor View High School) 10.68 SB; Ivy Dobson (Arbor View High School) 10.78;
1,600 Meter Run - Dajour Braxton (Centennial High) 4:16.59 SB; Cole Jones (Arbor View High School) 4:17.30 SB; Dajour Braxton (Centennial High) 4:21.37; George Espino (Centennial High) 4:22.72;
200 Meter Dash - Ivy Dobson (Arbor View High School) 21.01 SB; Ian Mack (Green Valley High School) 21.69 SB; Justin Lewis (Cimarron-Memorial) 21.63 SB; Demarcus Walker (Canyon Springs) 21.87;Ryan Crame (Silverado High School) 21.88 SB; Corey Berner (Centennial High) 21.91; Ivy Dobson (Arbor View High School) 21.32; Demarcus Walker (Canyon Springs) 21.67 SB; Ian Mack (Green Valley High School) 21.95;
300 Meter Hurdles - Demarcus Walker (Canyon Springs) 38.33 SB; Kyle Kelley (Bishop Gorman High School) 38.44 SB; Dorian Williams (Arbor View High School) 39.17 SB; Cody Alfar (Shadow Ridge High School) 39.26 SB; Demarcus Walker (Canyon Springs) 38.87; Kyle Kelley (Bishop Gorman High School) 39.44;
400 Meter Dash - Ivy Dobson (Arbor View High School) 48.00 SB; Ian Mack (Green Valley High School) 48.01 SB; Brandon Harley (Centennial High) 48.30 SB; A'mari Howland (Canyon Springs) 48.61 SB;Austin Nobis (Bishop Gorman High School) 48.37 SB; Ronald Sayles (Shadow Ridge High School) 48.68 SB; Ivy Dobson (Arbor View High School) 48.74; Ian Mack (Green Valley High School) 49.44; Austin Nobis (Bishop Gorman High School) 48.82; Brandon Harley (Centennial High) 49.37;
4x100 Meter Relay - Bonanza High School 42.00; Centennial High 42.06; Centennial High 42.21 (prelims);
4x200 Meter Relay - Arbor View High School 1:28.90; Centennial High 1:28.92; Centennial High 1:27.87 (prelims); Arbor View High School 1:29.96 (prelims);
4x400 Meter Relay - Centennial High 3:21.96; Centennial High 3:19.71 (prelims);
4x800 Meter Relay - Centennial High 8:06.62;
800 Meter Run - Nicholas Oberdin (Shadow Ridge High School) 1:54.47 SB; Martin Ponce' (Liberty High School) 1:56.08 SB; George Espino (Centennial High) 1:55.07 SB; Dawit Tesfa (Valley High School) 1:58.00 SB; Dajour Braxton (Centennial High) 1:55.12; Dajour Braxton (Centennial High) 1:54.00 SB; Martin Ponce' (Liberty High School) 1:56.51; George Espino (Centennial High) 1:57.25; Nicholas Oberdin(Shadow Ridge High School) 1:55.11;
Discus - Gary Abdella (Desert Oasis High School) 164-8 SB; Reno Tuufuli (Liberty High School) 183-4; Jackson Perry (Bishop Gorman High School) 152-3 SB; Brady Williams (Green Valley High School) 158-6 SB; Tyrell Crosby (Green Valley High School) 157-9 SB; Dylan Weasa (Foothill High School) 157-3;
High Jump - Dominic Smallwood (Silverado High School) 6-7.5 SB; Randall Cunningham (Bishop Gorman High School) 7-1; Anyah Nutter (Centennial High) 6-8 SB;
Long Jump - Dominic Smallwood (Silverado High School) 23-11.5 SB;
Pole Vault - Andrew Hladek (Liberty High School) 14-3; Austin Tilley (Basic High School) 14-0;
Shot Put - Reno Tuufuli (Liberty High School) 60-4.5; Brady Williams (Green Valley High School) 51-8.75;
Triple Jump - Kyle Kelley (Bishop Gorman High School) 46-8.5 SB; Dominic Smallwood (Silverado High School) 50-1 SB; Davariz Swanson (Arbor View High School) 45-4.5 SB; Jordan Austin (Canyon Springs) 46-10.5 SB; Jerryon Sueing (Canyon Springs) 46-1 SB; Alex Hicks (Green Valley High School) 45-11 SB;