Mason Meinershagen Making History: Breaking School Pole Vaulting Record
It was a silent stadium with all eyes on one. Looking down at the ground and listening to the claps of the crowd.
Clap… Clap… Clap.. Clap..Clap.Clap.
The crowd claps, getting louder and louder. With each step to the beat of each clap, giving it everything she's got, Mason Meinershagen goes for the school record in Pole Vault, scoring an official 4.45 meters, breaking the old record of 4.47 meters.
Meinershagen said “I had a feeling I was going to have a good meet, I knew I was going to PR have a good day. I tried to keep loose and kept my music playing to distract myself.”
Meinershagen, a sophomore at the University of Kansas is in her second season with the Jayhawks. Within her first two years at the University Mason has broken records and earned her spots on several podiums throughout the year. A second-team all-American who holds the KU pole vaulting record and has earned her way to the top getting the opportunity to run at the Olympic trials last spring.
Meinershagen originally from St.Louis has grown up in Missouri her whole life. She grew up an athlete participating in gymnastics and soccer early in her athletic career. In 7th grade, she landed on a flyer for a pole vaulting camp. Interested in the sport she joined the camp, starting her pole vaulting career.
Throughout high school, she focused only on pole vaulting, dedicating her time and finding her true love for the sport.
When it came time to pick schools Mason knew she wanted to consider the University of Kansas. Knowing there were not many teams who had a pole vault community the way KU did.
“Getting recruited at KU stood out to me because of the pole vault community and the love of the squad,” said Meinershagen
She was also very impressed by what the KU pole vault coaching staff had to offer. Tom Hays, the Pole Vault coach who has led KU to a national championship, had 8 Big 12 champion athletes, 5 first-team all-Americans, and 10 second-team all-Americans. These numbers are what have impressed many athletes joining the KU program.
Audrey Meyer, a KU Track athlete said “The KU program pushes athletes to be the best they can be and does settle for mediocrity.”
Joining the KU program has pushed Meinershagen to go above and beyond earning her first school record at the Mizzou meet this past December. This meet meant a lot to her knowing that all her family who are all from Missouri got to see her perform.
“Most of my friends go to Mizzou and my parents, brother, and grandparents were all there. It was such a cool moment to do it on my home turf with KU during the KU vs Mizzou rivalry meet.”
Not only was it at Mizzou but it was also the only event happening during her run. In pole vaulting, it is rarely the only event occurring during a track meet. The energy of the crowd was something she had never felt before.
“Everyone started to clap, it was all eyes on me. The clapping gave me energy I have never felt before and everyone who cheered me on helped me.”
Beyond the Mizzou record break, Meinershagen went on to compete at the Big 12 meet this past Saturday. Earning silver in the pole vault and breaking her school record of 4.45m (twice). Not only did she succeed in her pole vault record break but earned herself a new PR of 1.84m in the high jump and placed 6th overall.
Before the Big 12 meet Mason said "I hopefully make it on the podium, my dream is to be a Big 12 champion and I'm gonna do my best and go out there and reach my goal.”
With unmatched dedication, From participating in the Olympic trials and getting to compete with athletes she has looked up to her whole life, to earning podium spots, and records.
The best has yet to come for Meinershagan with two more years and a strong work ethic and drive to be the best Mason Meinershagan has a bright future ahead.