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Grunert Heads to NCAA National Meet

| By: WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Leatherneck Vaults at Championships on Wednesday Night

MACOMB, Ill. -- After plenty of hard work and besting records and competitors all season, Western Illinois University pole vaulter Arnie Grunert gets his shot at the best in the nation on Wednesday night, competing at the NCAA Outdoor National Meet in Eugene, Oregon. The pole vault is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Central time. Fans can watch the meet on ESPN+ and view results HERE.

Grunert has re-written the Leatherneck record book this season, most recently clearing 17 feet, 9.25 inches (5.42 meters) at the NCAA Region Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas two weeks ago. His accomplishments make Grunert the first Leatherneck to qualify for a national meet since Ackeen Colley placed 6th in the 800 at the 2021 NCAA Indoor National Championships. Grunert is the first Leatherneck to qualify for the outdoor championships since Jasmine Brown qualified in the triple jump in 2015 and the first Leatherneck male to qualify for the outdoor championships since Jamario Taylor (high jump) and Nathaniel Marshall (hammer throw) in 2014.

"Arnie has had an outstanding outdoor season," WIU pole vault coach Tom Unruh said. "Qualifying for the nationals is a huge accomplishment. He took on the big boys from the West region and jumped to PRs. He isn't done yet, he has his sights set on jumping 5.52 (meters) or higher! He couldn't have done this without Coach Trey, Alena, Rob, Gio, and his pole vault teammates. All were a part of his success this season."

It's been a long road covered in a short time for Grunert, who went from a best of 12-11.25 as a junior in high school to one of the best collegiate pole vaulters in the country. By the time he finished high school, Grunert had improved to a best of 16-8.75 to earn a top 15 ranking in the United States among high schoolers and a top-60 ranking in the world for pole vaulters under 20.

"Arnie has improved so much since high school," Western Illinois University head track and field coach Trey Brokaw said. "He has a bright future in the sport and this first experience at the NCAA Championships is an important step in his continued development. Being at this competition amongst the top 24 pole vaulters in the NCAA is already an impressive accomplishment. Whatever Arnie's results Wednesday, it's icing on the cake of a very spectacular two years so far representing the Leatherneck track and field team and Western Illinois University." 

Grunert has been rolling through the competition all season but has saved his best for last. Starting at the Ohio Valley Conference Meet, when Grunert tied the conference outdoor meet record in winning fashion, the pole vaulter from Mokena, Illinois has put together the best vaults in program history. At the NCAA West Region Meet, he cleared a program-best 17-5.5 on his first effort, then set the new standard with 17-9.25, clinching a berth at the NCAA Championships and a top-seven finish at regions.

"I feel much more consistent and in control of my performances since conference," Grunert said. "Before then, I would have some horrible practices where I tensed up and didn't take a jump up till the very end. Since then, my coaches Tom and Alena have been working on conditioning my mind to push harder when my vault feels awkward rather than let up at the last moment and relax during my run. My 5.42m performance at the NCAA regionals is a testament to the efficacy of this, and I'm confident that I'm capable of topping it again in Eugene. Everything this season has led me to this point and I have a lot of support from my church, family, friends, teammates, and faculty at WIU so I want to make them proud; it's all just a matter of doing what I already know how to do."
 
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