Watch: Former Park Hill athlete Chris Nilsen claims No. 1 pole vault in NCAA
After a record-setting high school pole vault career, former Park Hill standout Chris Nilsen has carried his prosperity into college.
Nilsen, a freshman at South Dakota, took over the NCAA national pole vault lead Saturday, when he cleared the bar at 18 feet, 4 3/4 inches at the Dakota Realty Alumni Meet in Vermillion, S.D.
Check out this video! USD freshman Chris Nilsen retakes the NCAA lead in men's pole vault with a jump of 18 ft., 4 3/4 in. That is HIGH! pic.twitter.com/W6Wgk2ImHX
— KELOLAND Sports (@KELOSports) February 5, 2017
Nilsen had established the No. 1 spot in the NCAA indoor season a week earlier before Air Force’s Kyle Pater topped the mark. On Saturday, Nilsen claimed the lead back (18 feet, 4 1/2 inches).
Nilsen graduated high school as the American record holder in the pole vault.
Sam McDowell: 816-234-4869, @SamMcDowell11
This story was originally published February 6, 2017 at 12:53 PM with the headline "Watch: Former Park Hill athlete Chris Nilsen claims No. 1 pole vault in NCAA."