Reigning U.S. national champions to be joined at street vault in Omaha by NCAA outdoor winners Hoggard and Nilsen, along with Division 1 indoor women’s champ Jacobus and girls national high school record holder Cunliffe

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Following victories at the recent USATF Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, six-time men’s outdoor national champion Sam Kendricks and three-time women’s outdoor winner Sandi Morris will headline the Capitol District Pole Vault, a street vault event scheduled for 6 p.m. CDT Thursday in Omaha, Neb.

Kendricks set the American record Saturday with his clearance of 19 feet, 10.50 inches (6.06m) at Drake Stadium, elevating him to the world’s No. 2 all-time outdoor performer. He also set another record for most consecutive U.S. outdoor championships, surpassing Cornelius “Dutch” Warmerdam (1940-44) and Bob Richards (1948-52).

Morris, who recently overcame a disc injury in her back, cleared a season-best 15-11 (4.85m) to prevail in the women’s final Sunday.

Morris will be joined in the women’s elite competition by fourth-place nationals finisher Emily Grove of South Dakota, along with reigning NCAA Division 1 indoor and outdoor champions Lexi Jacobus and Tori Hoggard of Arkansas, San Diego State graduate Kortney Ross and national high school and American U-20 record holder Chloe Cunliffe.

Grove cleared a personal-best 15-3 (4.65m) in Des Moines, with Cunliffe, Hoggard, Jacobus and Ross all missing at the opening height of 14-5.25 (4.40m).

Cunliffe, a West Seattle WA graduate who represents Seattle Speed Track Club and Northwest Pole Vault Club, has cleared 14-8 (4.47m) outdoors and 14-9 (4.50m) indoors this year. This will mark the second appearance for the New Balance Nationals Outdoor champion at a street vault event this year competing against collegiate and professional athletes, along with July 6 at the Liberty Bridge Jump Off, hosted by Morris in Greenville, S.C.

In addition to Kendricks, the men’s elite competition includes U.S. nationals runner-up Cole Walsh, two-time NCAA Division 1 outdoor champion Chris Nilsen of South Dakota, 2018 U.S. indoor winner Scott Houston, 2017 NCAA outdoor champ Matthew Ludwig of Akron, along with Southeastern Louisiana graduate Devin King and former Samford standout Tray Oates, who won the North American Pole Vaulting Association Championships street vault July 19 in Clovis, Calif.

Walsh cleared 18-10.75 (5.76m) to join Kendricks and Morris in qualifying for the IAAF World Championships in September and October in Doha, Qatar.

Houston placed fifth Saturday with a clearance of 18-6.75 (5.66m), Nilsen, Oates and King all tied for seventh at 17-11 (5.46m), with Ludwig missing three attempts at the opening height.

Kendricks and Morris are looking to both win street or mall vault competitions at the same event for the third straight year in a third different state. They won in 2017 at the Capital Square Vault in Des Moines, ahead of the Drake Relays, in addition to both prevailing last year at the Liberty Bridge Jump Off.

There will also be a high school competition at 11 a.m. PDT, featuring Lianne Kistler of Ballard WA and Northwest Pole Vault Club, the sophomore class girls national record holder at 14-1 (4.29m).

Also scheduled to participate is junior Dalton Shepler of Butler Senior, the Ohio Division 1 boys state champion and sixth-place finisher at New Balance Nationals Outdoor, who has cleared 16-10 (5.13m).