EMPORIA, Kan. – Brynn King broke the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championship pole vault record in 4.60m (15' 1") en route to claiming the 2024 national title at Emporia State's Welch Stadium, also breaking the facility record, on Thursday evening. She becomes the first student-athlete in East Coast Conference history to claim multiple national individual titles, after also winning the NCAA indoor pole vault title back on March 8.
The mark stands as a new championship record by ten centimeters, surpassing Kristen Hixon's previous record that stood since 2014.
After missing on her first two attempts at 4.35m (14' 3 1/4"), King passed on her third try in order to buy time and focus on her next jump at 4.40m (14' 5 1/4").
As she has done all season, the Roberts Wesleyan University junior delivered.
King switched to a longer pole and that change catapulted her to the title.
"I scared myself a little bit on that first bar," said King, who set meet and facility records of 4.60m (15' 1") while outdueling runner-up Kyla Davis of Pittsburg State for the title.
"I knew that if I just turned that pole over that I could make that bar, so I was just focusing on moving that pole into the pit. I was nervous, but at the same time I knew that I could make that bar."
"It was a dogfight and Brynn had to come through and get to that mental state that she hasn't been in in other meets and that was huge," Roberts pole vault coordinator and 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Jenn Suhr.
The championship capped a perfect season for King as she finished unbeaten against college competition. Those victories include a record-setting performance of 4.65m (15' 3") while winning the DII Indoor Track & Field Championship on March 8. The Woodlands, Texas native is the only student-athlete from Roberts to win an NCAA championship.
"Standing on the podium in a Roberts uniform is exciting," King said. "There are a lot of people supporting me at Roberts and I feel like that is kind of my time to recognize all of that support and let people know that I am representing for y'all."
King, who set NCAA Division II outdoor record of 4.68m (15' 4 1/4") while winning the 96th annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays at the University of Texas on March 30, took control of the meet after she and Davis both cleared 4.40m (14' 5 1/4")..
King climbed into the lead with makes at both 4.45m (14' 7 1/4") and 4.50m (14' 9"). King secured the title when Davis failed on her only attempt at 4.55m (14' 11"). King eclipsed the 10-year-old meet mark of 14' 9", set by Kristen Hixson of Grand Valley, with a make at 4.60m (15' 1").
King then raised the bar to 4.74m (15' 6 1/2") in an attempt to set the all-time NCAA women's pole vault record of 4.73m (15' 6 1/4"), set by the University of Washington's Olivia Gruver on March 29, 2019, but was unsuccessful.
"It was a fun meet, but it was stressful," said King, who was named the 2024 ECC Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year last week. "It was a good learning experience, me having to battle it out for the win."
King has qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon on June 28-30. She will return to Rochester, where she will accept the Jerry Flynn Award as the Rochester Press-Radio Club's College Athlete of the Year on June 11, to train.
Recap courtesy of Roberts Wesleyan University Sports Information