This is a problem of projectile motion. We can write the equation of the height of the ball after t seconds as follows:
Being H the height when the player hits the ball (t=0s) and the initial upward velocity. According to this formula, . We have chosen this equation as the correct because , that is, this is the more logical answer given that the player hits the ball at and when this happens, the ball is 3 feet from the ground.