King qualifies for U.S. Olympic Trials with 15-1 (4.60m) clearance at SUNY Brockport, surpassing Division 2 absolute record of 14-9 (4.50m) established in 2014 by Grand Valley State’s Leland and becoming only ninth female in collegiate pole vault history with 15-foot indoor mark

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Brynn King had already achieved the NCAA Division 2 indoor pole vault record this season, in addition to improving on it multiple times.

Now, the fifth-year student-athlete at Roberts Wesleyan is simply the queen of the runway.

King became the first female pole vaulter in Division 2 history to achieve a 15-foot clearance and only the ninth women’s collegiate competitor all-time to accomplish the feat indoors with her 15-1 (4.60m) performance Saturday at the Golden Eagle Winter Welcome Back event at SUNY Brockport in New York.

King, who is coached by Jenn Suhr and Chris Brhel, surpassed the 2014 standard of 14-9 (4.50m) achieved by former Grand Valley State standout Kristen (Hixson) Leland with her first-attempt clearance Saturday of 14-10 (4.52m).

King, a Duke transfer, needed three attempts to successfully clear 15-1, a height she had already achieved over a bar in practice, but had yet to execute in an official meet.

King became the first collegiate female pole vaulter since Virginia Tech’s Rachel Baxter in 2022 to produce a 15-foot indoor clearance. She is tied with former Texas standout Kaitlin Petrillose and Duke graduate Megan Clark as the No. 7 all-time NCAA women’s indoor competitor.

Despite fatigue from the competition, King still decided to take three attempts at 15-6.25 (4.73m), the Olympic standard in order to qualify to vault this summer in Paris.

King did secure a berth to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., with her 15-1 clearance, which ranks her No. 3 this year among American female competitors and equal to No. 8 in the world.

King continued her streak of improvement in all five meets this season, clearing 14-5.50 (4.41m) on Dec. 1, 14-6 (4.42m) on Dec. 8, 14-7.25 (4.45m) on Jan. 6 and 14-7.50 (4.46m) on Jan. 12, prior to elevating her personal-best clearance twice in Saturday’s competition.