Sandi Morris Joins Louisville Track & Field Staff as Program Volunteer
January 02, 2025 | Track & Field
The United States record holder in the women’s pole vault will join the Cardinals staff for the 2024-25 season while continuing to train for professional competition.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sandi Morris, the United States record holder in the women's pole vault and two-time world champion, will join the University of Louisville track & field coaching staff as a program volunteer for the 2025 season, as announced by Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Joe Franklin.
Over the course of her professional career competing for both Nike (2015-2020) and Puma (2021-present), Morris has established herself as one of the greatest female pole vaulters in history, setting the current United States outdoor record of 5.00m (16-4.75) in 2016 that also ranks her third all-time in the event.
"I'm elated to join the Louisville track & field program as a volunteer coach and continue my own training in preparations for this year's upcoming world championships and beyond," said Morris. "I am thankful for this opportunity and plan to lead by example. I hope to have a positive impact on the program and am thankful to Joe Franklin for welcoming me with open arms."
Along with volunteering on the Cardinals' coaching staff, Morris will continue training for her professional career under assistant coach Brooke Rasnick along with Puma teammate and Louisville alumna Gabriela Leon, who also serves as a program volunteer.
"I have already had so many positive experiences with Coach Rasnick, and I love the environment of success she cultivates amongst her athletes. I look forward to bringing more of that to the program and cannot wait to train alongside Gabi Leon. I think it's a wonderful fit, and we are going to push the bar higher each day!"
Morris qualified for both the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the women's pole vault, earning the silver medal in Rio, and has also won a pair of world titles in the event, claiming the top spot at both the 2018 and 2022 World Indoor Championships.
Over the course of her time in the professional ranks, Morris has finished on the podium six times at the World Athletics Championships while capturing a total of eight national titles.
During the most recent 2024 season, Morris finished fourth in the women's pole vault at the United States Olympic Team Trials to cap a campaign that saw her finish as the runner-up in the event at the US Indoor Championships and fifth at the World Indoor Championships.
Morris also finished as the American runner-up at the 2023 US Outdoor Championships after a 2022 season that saw her capture a pair of national titles as well as her second world championship at the World Indoor Championships.
Before finishing third at the 2021 United States Olympic Team Trials to punch her ticket to the Tokyo Olympics, Morris capped a historic run where she won at least one national title each year from 2016 to 2020, sweeping the indoor and outdoor titles in 2017.
Morris began her professional career in 2015 after five years at the NCAA level, spending her first two years of college at the University of North Carolina before transferring to the University of Arkansas for her final three years of eligibility.
A four-time All-American and four-time SEC champion, Morris won the 2015 NCAA indoor title in the women's pole vault while finishing as the national outdoor runner-up in the event later that year.
The native of Greenville, S.C. graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism.
For the latest information on Louisville Cross Country/Track & Field, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team's Instagram and Twitter account at @louisvilletfxc or on Facebook at facebook.com/LouisvilleTFXC.
Over the course of her professional career competing for both Nike (2015-2020) and Puma (2021-present), Morris has established herself as one of the greatest female pole vaulters in history, setting the current United States outdoor record of 5.00m (16-4.75) in 2016 that also ranks her third all-time in the event.
"I'm elated to join the Louisville track & field program as a volunteer coach and continue my own training in preparations for this year's upcoming world championships and beyond," said Morris. "I am thankful for this opportunity and plan to lead by example. I hope to have a positive impact on the program and am thankful to Joe Franklin for welcoming me with open arms."
Along with volunteering on the Cardinals' coaching staff, Morris will continue training for her professional career under assistant coach Brooke Rasnick along with Puma teammate and Louisville alumna Gabriela Leon, who also serves as a program volunteer.
"I have already had so many positive experiences with Coach Rasnick, and I love the environment of success she cultivates amongst her athletes. I look forward to bringing more of that to the program and cannot wait to train alongside Gabi Leon. I think it's a wonderful fit, and we are going to push the bar higher each day!"
Morris qualified for both the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the women's pole vault, earning the silver medal in Rio, and has also won a pair of world titles in the event, claiming the top spot at both the 2018 and 2022 World Indoor Championships.
Over the course of her time in the professional ranks, Morris has finished on the podium six times at the World Athletics Championships while capturing a total of eight national titles.
During the most recent 2024 season, Morris finished fourth in the women's pole vault at the United States Olympic Team Trials to cap a campaign that saw her finish as the runner-up in the event at the US Indoor Championships and fifth at the World Indoor Championships.
Morris also finished as the American runner-up at the 2023 US Outdoor Championships after a 2022 season that saw her capture a pair of national titles as well as her second world championship at the World Indoor Championships.
Before finishing third at the 2021 United States Olympic Team Trials to punch her ticket to the Tokyo Olympics, Morris capped a historic run where she won at least one national title each year from 2016 to 2020, sweeping the indoor and outdoor titles in 2017.
Morris began her professional career in 2015 after five years at the NCAA level, spending her first two years of college at the University of North Carolina before transferring to the University of Arkansas for her final three years of eligibility.
A four-time All-American and four-time SEC champion, Morris won the 2015 NCAA indoor title in the women's pole vault while finishing as the national outdoor runner-up in the event later that year.
The native of Greenville, S.C. graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism.
For the latest information on Louisville Cross Country/Track & Field, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team's Instagram and Twitter account at @louisvilletfxc or on Facebook at facebook.com/LouisvilleTFXC.
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