Gardner Caps Brilliant Career at NCAA Championships
June 05, 2019 11:49 AM | Track & Field
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Redshirt senior Madelin Gardner of the West Virginia University track and field team travels to the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships, at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas, on Thursday, June 6.
In the final meet of her collegiate career, Gardner is set to compete in the women's pole vault competition, which is slated to begin at 8:30 p.m. ET. Fans can follow the meet with help from the event's live results, presented by NCAA.com. Additionally, the ESPN family of networks will provide live coverage of the four-day national meet, including a live stream of the pole vault at ESPN3.com.
"I can think of no better place for Maddy to end her highly successful career here than the NCAA Championships," WVU coach Sean Cleary said. "While we're hoping for a storybook ending for her in Austin, this week is also a bit of a celebration for all she has accomplished over the years. Maddy is certainly aware of the expectations at this stage, and she has become quite familiar with many of her competitors. We're just looking for one final memorable performance from her to cherish."
The Williamstown, West Virginia, native is competing in her fourth career NCAA Championships meet, including her second outdoors. Gardner qualified for the event at the NCAA East Preliminary Round, on May 24, in Jacksonville, Florida, tying for first place in the pole vault with a mark of 4.17 meters (13 feet, 8.25 inches). Gardner needed just one attempt to clear the bar and punch her ticket to Austin.
Gardner, who is the first Mountaineer to qualify for back-to-back NCAA Outdoor Championships since Amy Cashin in 2017-18, is one of 15 Mountaineers to earn at least three career All-America honors. She's looking to become the seventh athlete in program history to garner at least four All-America accolades.
At her NCAA Outdoor Championships debut in Eugene, Oregon, last season, Gardner was named a First Team All-American after finishing eighth in the pole vault, earning a spot on the podium with a mark of 4.30 meters (14 feet, 1.25 inches).
Gardner also earned a pair of Second Team All-America honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2018 and 2019. She finished ninth at both meets.
Last week, Gardner was named the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Region Women's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Gardner earned a career-best and school-record jump of 4.47 meters (14 feet, 8 inches) in the pole vault at the Virginia Challenge, on April 20, in Charlottesville, Virginia, ranking No. 1 in the region and No. 6 nationally this outdoor season.
Gardner has posted seven wins in nine starts this outdoor season. She also recorded jumps of 4.15 meters or better seven times this spring. Her season-best jump of 4.47 meters was the highest regular-season mark in the Big 12 since 2014.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUXCTF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
In the final meet of her collegiate career, Gardner is set to compete in the women's pole vault competition, which is slated to begin at 8:30 p.m. ET. Fans can follow the meet with help from the event's live results, presented by NCAA.com. Additionally, the ESPN family of networks will provide live coverage of the four-day national meet, including a live stream of the pole vault at ESPN3.com.
"I can think of no better place for Maddy to end her highly successful career here than the NCAA Championships," WVU coach Sean Cleary said. "While we're hoping for a storybook ending for her in Austin, this week is also a bit of a celebration for all she has accomplished over the years. Maddy is certainly aware of the expectations at this stage, and she has become quite familiar with many of her competitors. We're just looking for one final memorable performance from her to cherish."
The Williamstown, West Virginia, native is competing in her fourth career NCAA Championships meet, including her second outdoors. Gardner qualified for the event at the NCAA East Preliminary Round, on May 24, in Jacksonville, Florida, tying for first place in the pole vault with a mark of 4.17 meters (13 feet, 8.25 inches). Gardner needed just one attempt to clear the bar and punch her ticket to Austin.
Gardner, who is the first Mountaineer to qualify for back-to-back NCAA Outdoor Championships since Amy Cashin in 2017-18, is one of 15 Mountaineers to earn at least three career All-America honors. She's looking to become the seventh athlete in program history to garner at least four All-America accolades.
At her NCAA Outdoor Championships debut in Eugene, Oregon, last season, Gardner was named a First Team All-American after finishing eighth in the pole vault, earning a spot on the podium with a mark of 4.30 meters (14 feet, 1.25 inches).
Gardner also earned a pair of Second Team All-America honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2018 and 2019. She finished ninth at both meets.
Last week, Gardner was named the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Region Women's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Gardner earned a career-best and school-record jump of 4.47 meters (14 feet, 8 inches) in the pole vault at the Virginia Challenge, on April 20, in Charlottesville, Virginia, ranking No. 1 in the region and No. 6 nationally this outdoor season.
Gardner has posted seven wins in nine starts this outdoor season. She also recorded jumps of 4.15 meters or better seven times this spring. Her season-best jump of 4.47 meters was the highest regular-season mark in the Big 12 since 2014.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUXCTF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
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