(ST. NORBERT COMMUNICATIONS) ROCHESTER, N.Y. – St. Norbert College senior Aiden Anderson had a career day at the right time, claiming the national championship in the pole vault at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championship at Nazareth College’s Golisano Training Center.
Anderson, a Germantown native, was the lone contestant in the 20-athlete field to clear a height of 16 feet, 10 3/4 inches (5.15 meters). Anderson was one of three competitors to attempt the height, clearing on his second try. Chapman University’s Jesse McMillan and Washington University at St. Louis’ Peter Lichtenberger both struck out on their three attempts to clinch the national title for Anderson, his first.
“I want to credit my relationship with God and making a commitment on and off the track to maximize my ability to compete at the highest level,” Anderson said.
Anderson eclipsed his old St. Norbert record by 8 centimeters (3 1/4 inches), using a larger pole that he had never previously used to clear his last two heights.
“The goal coming in was to get on the podium (top eight) and Aiden told me once he locked that in he wanted to do whatever he needed to win it all,” St. Norbert head coach Don Augustine said. “Ultimately that meant getting uncomfortable on a new pole and clearing a bar he’s never made before.”
Anderson cleared his first five heights on the first try, only needing a second attempt at 16-10 3/4. His national championship is the fifth for St. Norbert men’s track and field and only the second at indoor competition, joining Colin McKean’s 800-meter title in 2004. Anderson is the first Green Knight male to win a national championship in a field event.
Augustine cited St. Norbert assistant coaches Taylor Pasterski and Patrick Georgia for their work with Anderson’s preparation.
Not to be lost in Anderson’s championship was a solid first day of the heptathlon by St. Norbert junior Ezra Schermacher, who sits in sixth place. Schermacher has 2,847 points and is 23 points out of third place with three events remaining on Saturday.
Schermacher opened the day with a time of 7.35 seconds in the 60-meter dash to earn 762 points. He followed up with a big leap of 22-5 3/4 (6.84 meters) on his final try in the long jump to total 776 points, good for fourth in the event. Schermacher scored 515 points in the shot put with a heave of 34-4 3/4. He finished up the day with a huge high jump, scoring 794 points after clearing 6-6 1/4 (1.99 meters), finishing second in the event.
The heptathlon will conclude starting at 9 a.m. EDT Saturday, starting with the 60-meter hurdles. The pole vault and 1,000-meter run will round out the seven-event competition.
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