Western Illinois University Athletics

The 2024-2025 academic year marks Tom Unruh's fourth year as an assistant coach overseeing the men’s and women’s pole vault at Western Illinois University. 

In 2024, Unruh guided sophomore Arnie Grunert to a conference championship in the pole vault. Grunert's winning jump of 5.24 (17' 2.25) also broke the Ohio Valley Conference record. His personal best that season of 5.42 (17' 9.25") broke the WIU school record and qualified him to the NCAA National Championships.

On the women's side, Unruh guided pole vaulters dominated the WIU record books in 2024. The quartet of Emma Ponx, Paulina Lucer, Colleen Johnson, and Dana Surwillo all jumped heights that placed them top-10 in school history. Indoors, Ponx led the way with a personal best of 3.75 (12' 3.5") and a 5th place finish at the Ohio Valley Conference Championships. 

Outdoors, Ponx jumped the second highest vault in WIU program history; 3.80 (12' 5"). Following closely behind, freshman Paulina Lucer jumped 3.75 (12' 3.5") for the third best mark in program history, freshman Colleen Johnson jumped 3.72 (12' 2.5") for the fourth best mark in program history, and freshman Dana Surwillo jumped 3.62 (11' 10.5"), leading the group with a fourth place finish at the Ohio Valley Conference Championships. 

Prior to Western Illinois University, Unruh had a successful 35 year teaching and coaching career at Erie-Prophetstown High School. He retired from high school teaching and coaching in 2019. With 19 IHSA state qualifiers and 35 IESA state qualifiers, Unruh knows how to develop pole vaulters at all levels. He coached 8 Illinois state champions including the current class 1A state record holder in the pole vault, Kyle Kruthoff. Unruh was inducted to the ITCCCA Hall of Fame and was selected as the 2019 Coach-of-the-Year for the state of Illinois.

Unruh and his wife, Jan, reside near Avon, Illinois.