Sam Kendricks. Photo by Joshua McCoy
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After his record-breaking performance at the Texas Relays last weekend, Ole Miss sophomore pole vaulter Sam Kendricks has been named the Southeastern Conference Men’s Field Athlete of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday.
Kendricks cleared a school-record height of 19-0.75 to win a world-class pole vault competition in Austin.
His vault is the best in the world so far this year and is the best vault by an NCAA athlete since 1998. That performance moves Kendricks to No. 5 on the all-time collegiate list.
Kendricks was also recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association as an honorable mention National Athlete of the Week on Monday.
The Oxford, Miss., native shattered his previous school outdoor record of 18-0.5 by more than a foot.
Aside from SEC and NCAA Championships, Kendricks has now won six consecutive regular-season college pole vault competitions dating back to a fourth-place finish at Drake Relays last April. He has 12 career collegiate victories under his belt.