NATIONAL CHAMPION!! Di Nicolantonio Claims Division III Pole Vault Crown!

5/23/2024 10:00:00 PM | By: Jeff Jezewski

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - National Champion. Just six other individuals in the history of Catholic Athletics can claim to accomplish what junior pole vaulter Christian Di Nicolantonio did on Thursday night.

With a jump of 5.19 meters on Day One of the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Di Nicolantonio has claimed Catholic's first individual national championship since 1991 and the fifth in Catholic track & field history.

Locked into a back-and-forth battle with Millikin freshman, and 2024 Indoor National Champion, Kyle Hensley, Di Nicolantonio prevailed via tiebreaker as he converted at 5.14 meters while Hensley passed at the mark before converting at 5.19 meters.

In a lengthy competition in grueling heat and humidity, the junior converted seven jumps on the night, jumping into the mix at 4.84 meters.

Di Nicolantonio completed his first two jumps at 4.84 and 4.94 meters. At 4.99, Di Nicolantonio missed on the first but came through on jump number two before clearing 5.04 on his first try.

The next height of 5.09 meters saw just four competitors left in the field. After passing on his last jump at 5.04 meters, Centre's Logan Isaacs couldn't clear the mark, dropping the field to three. Hensley converted on his second jump at 5.09 and Di Nicolantonio needed a third try, but eventually cleared the mark to continue on. Peter Lichtenberger of Washington University passed on his third try to move up to 5.14, but didn't clear the bar on his jump leaving Di Nicolantonio and Hensley to battle it out.

Both athletes cleared on the first try to push it to 5.24 meters. Both athletes missed all three tries leaving Di Nicolantonio the Division III champion after the tiebreaker!

The mark of 5.19 is a new personal best in outdoor season for Di Nicolantonio. The mark is both a program and Landmark Conference record and he is now one of 26 individuals in Division III history to complete a vault of 5.19 meters or more.

For Di Nicolantonio, the 2024 Outdoor Championships marked his fifth appearance in six possible seasons at the NCAA Division III Championships. Now a two-time All-American and national champion, Di Nicolantonio has placed in the top 10 in four of his five attempts at the championships.

The Alexandria, Va. product joins Tom Caffrey (1991 - 1500) and Mark Robinson (1974/1975 - 800) to become the third national champion in men's program history. Carolyn Hughes (1982 - 800) makes it four Catholic track & field athletes to be named champion in program history.

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