Gray Looks to Make History at NCAA Outdoor Championships

EUGENE, Ore. - App State junior Matthew Gray, the No. 1 pole vaulter in the NCAA, will look to add to his historic outdoor season Wednesday night when he competes for a national championship at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. 

The men's pole vault competition is scheduled to begin at 8:35 p.m. ET from Oregon's historic Hayward Field. Live streaming of the pole vault is available on ESPN+, while ESPN will carry an overall coverage of the meet starting at 8 p.m. ET.  

Gray is aiming to capture the first individual national championship by an App State male athlete and the first by any Mountaineer since Mary Jayne Harrelson in 2001 (women's 1500 meters).   

The 2026 Sun Belt Champion has had a dominant outdoor season, highlighted by a record-breaking clearance of 5.84m/19-2 at the Sun Belt Outdoor Championships. This has helped him achieve:  

• #15 pole vaulter in the world in 2026 

• #5 U.S. pole vaulter in 2026 

• #11 pole vaulter in NCAA history 

• Sun Belt Male Field Performer of the Year  

• Broke his own school record four separate times 

• Broke three meet records, including at the Sun Belt Championships  

• Broke three facility records  

• First-team All-Sun Belt honors  

• First App State male athlete to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships since 2015 

• Tied for the best clearance at NCAA East First Round 

Gray highlighted an outstanding outdoor season for the App State men's and women's track and field teams, which broke numerous records while achieving: 

• Highest team finishes at the outdoor track and field conference meet since joining the Sun Belt (Men's - 2nd place, Women's - 3rd place) 

• Three outdoor conference champions - Ethan Lipham (steeplechase), Derek Waite (1500m), Matthew Gray (pole vault) 

• Sun Belt Men's Field Performer of the Year Matthew Gray 

• Sun Belt Women's Freshman of the Year Ashlynn Wimberly 

• Seven NCAA East First Round qualifiers 

• A program-record 17 All-Sun Belt selections  

• Multiple school records (Noah Martinson 3000 meters, Thomas Wlazlowski 5000 meters, Matthew Gray pole vault, Nicole Wells, Damyja Alejandro-Ortiz, Daye Talley, Jayla Adams 4x400 meters, Harlee Fonville discus)