Thursday, June 9
Eugene, OR
All Day
University of Louisville
vs
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Gabriela Leon Wins Women's Pole Vault Title at NCAA Championships
June 09, 2022 | Track & Field
EUGENE, Ore. – University of Louisville track and field athlete Gabriela Leon became the first women's outdoor national champion in program history with a pole vault height of 4.60m (15-1) on day two of the 2022 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Oregon's Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
"I am speechless, this is a dream come true!" said Leon. "Having all the hard work and dedication pay off means the world to me. I am not the only one who deserves the applause. I want to thank God for being by my side through this process and giving me strength to show the world what he can do when you work hard and let him do the rest. I also want to thank Coach (Brooke) Rasnick, staff, teammates, fans, trainers, and family."
Leon, who also earned first-team All-American honors, became the fourth ever collegiate women's pole vaulter with three clearances of 4.60m (15-1) and the only this season with three marks over 4.57m (15-0). Earlier this season, the redshirt senior set the women's outdoor pole vault school record of 4.61m (15-1.5) which finished first in the ACC and second nationally. It also ranks as the second-best all-time ACC women's outdoor pole vault mark and eighth-best all-time outdoor performer mark in collegiate history. Leon also won her second straight ACC women's outdoor pole vault title and was named ACC Women's Field Performer of the Week three times in 2022.
"Tonight's women's pole vault competition was the perfect capstone to Gabriela Leon's collegiate career," added head coach Dale Cowper. "She has accomplished so much during the last five years and now we have the privilege of calling her a National Champion. This does not happen without the guidance of Coach Rasnick and the tireless effort of our support staff. I am truly thankful for everyone that helps our student-athletes compete at the highest level."
In other action on Thursday, Aliyah Welter recorded a mark of 4.05m (13-3.5) to finish 18th and earn honorable mention All-American honors in the women's pole vault. She concludes her season with her second straight NCAA Outdoor Championship appearance. Welter set a new personal-best height of 4.36m (14-3.5) at the Clark Wood Invitational, which ranks as the second-best outdoor performer mark in program history. The redshirt junior also recorded a top-three finish in five of nine meets, her first collegiate win at the Tiger Classic, and secured her top finish at an ACC Outdoor Championships with a third-place and first-team height of 4.19m (13-9) this outdoor season.
Synclair Savage finished with honorable mention All-American honors in the women's long jump. In her first season with Louisville, she won the women's long jump title and earned first-team honors with a wind-aided best of 6.65m (21-10) at the ACC Outdoor Championships. Savage also set the women's outdoor long jump school record with a personal-best mark of 6.44m (21-1.5) at the Indiana Invitational this season.
Katie Martin clocked a time of 58.06 seconds to place 15th and clinch second-team All-American honors in the women's 400-meter hurdles. The time is the third-fastest Martin has posted in her career. The redshirt junior also set the women's 400-meter hurdles school record with a time of 57.57 seconds in a second-place and first-team honors finish at the ACC Outdoor Championships in her first season with Louisville.
Trey Allen will be first to compete on Friday in the men's high jump at 8:30 p.m. ET, while Adar Sheere closes out the national meet for the Cardinals in the men's discus throw at 8:35 p.m. ET.
For the latest on Louisville cross country/track and field, visit GoCards.com, follow the team's Instagram at @UofLTrackXC, Twitter account at @UofLTrackXC, or on Facebook at facebook.com/UofLTrackXC.
"I am speechless, this is a dream come true!" said Leon. "Having all the hard work and dedication pay off means the world to me. I am not the only one who deserves the applause. I want to thank God for being by my side through this process and giving me strength to show the world what he can do when you work hard and let him do the rest. I also want to thank Coach (Brooke) Rasnick, staff, teammates, fans, trainers, and family."
Leon, who also earned first-team All-American honors, became the fourth ever collegiate women's pole vaulter with three clearances of 4.60m (15-1) and the only this season with three marks over 4.57m (15-0). Earlier this season, the redshirt senior set the women's outdoor pole vault school record of 4.61m (15-1.5) which finished first in the ACC and second nationally. It also ranks as the second-best all-time ACC women's outdoor pole vault mark and eighth-best all-time outdoor performer mark in collegiate history. Leon also won her second straight ACC women's outdoor pole vault title and was named ACC Women's Field Performer of the Week three times in 2022.
"Tonight's women's pole vault competition was the perfect capstone to Gabriela Leon's collegiate career," added head coach Dale Cowper. "She has accomplished so much during the last five years and now we have the privilege of calling her a National Champion. This does not happen without the guidance of Coach Rasnick and the tireless effort of our support staff. I am truly thankful for everyone that helps our student-athletes compete at the highest level."
In other action on Thursday, Aliyah Welter recorded a mark of 4.05m (13-3.5) to finish 18th and earn honorable mention All-American honors in the women's pole vault. She concludes her season with her second straight NCAA Outdoor Championship appearance. Welter set a new personal-best height of 4.36m (14-3.5) at the Clark Wood Invitational, which ranks as the second-best outdoor performer mark in program history. The redshirt junior also recorded a top-three finish in five of nine meets, her first collegiate win at the Tiger Classic, and secured her top finish at an ACC Outdoor Championships with a third-place and first-team height of 4.19m (13-9) this outdoor season.
Synclair Savage finished with honorable mention All-American honors in the women's long jump. In her first season with Louisville, she won the women's long jump title and earned first-team honors with a wind-aided best of 6.65m (21-10) at the ACC Outdoor Championships. Savage also set the women's outdoor long jump school record with a personal-best mark of 6.44m (21-1.5) at the Indiana Invitational this season.
Katie Martin clocked a time of 58.06 seconds to place 15th and clinch second-team All-American honors in the women's 400-meter hurdles. The time is the third-fastest Martin has posted in her career. The redshirt junior also set the women's 400-meter hurdles school record with a time of 57.57 seconds in a second-place and first-team honors finish at the ACC Outdoor Championships in her first season with Louisville.
Trey Allen will be first to compete on Friday in the men's high jump at 8:30 p.m. ET, while Adar Sheere closes out the national meet for the Cardinals in the men's discus throw at 8:35 p.m. ET.
For the latest on Louisville cross country/track and field, visit GoCards.com, follow the team's Instagram at @UofLTrackXC, Twitter account at @UofLTrackXC, or on Facebook at facebook.com/UofLTrackXC.
Players Mentioned
Jumps
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault/Jumps
/ Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Track & Field
Jumps/Sprints
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
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