Clute Named Big Ten Women’s Field Athlete of the Championships
5/16/2017 2:36:00 PM | Track and Field
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Just four days after her dominating victory in the pole vault at the Big Ten Championships, Sydney Clute has collected Big Ten Women's Field Athlete of the Championship honors.
"We are extremely proud of Sydney for the way she competed in the recent Big Ten championships, winning yet another Big Ten title in the pole vault, but we are even more proud of the all-round person she is with demonstrated excellence in many areas of her total IU experience," said head coach Ron Helmer. "I can only hope many of our athletes will aspire to similar accomplishments as Sydney has set a great example for all."
On Friday afternoon, Clute passed on the first two heights of the meet. She entered the competition at 4.03m (13-2.5), a height that only four vaulters would conquer, and easily cleared on her first attempt. She passed at the next height before clearing 4.13m (13-6.25) on her initial try. At this point there were just two vaulters left in the competition. She cleared one more bar before the gold medal was hers. She then moved the bar up to 4.43m (14-6.25) and cleared on her second attempt, topping her Big Ten Championships meet record from a season ago.
Clute has etched her name in the history books and has established herself as one of the best pole vaulters that the Big Ten Conference has ever seen. She now owns three Big Ten Championships in the event, all of them coming in the last three Championships she has competed in. She holds the Big Ten and school record in the pole vault with a clearance of 4.55m (14-11) earlier this year in Tempe.
Sydney becomes the first Hoosier on the women's team since Faith Sherrill in 2011 to take home Big Ten Field Athlete of the Championships. Sherrill also took home the honors in 2010. Amy Legacki (1991) and Rachelle Boone (2003) are the only other IU athletes to claim Big Ten Athlete of the Championships.
The Hoosiers have collected several postseason individual honors this season in cross country and track and field. Ben Veatch was unanimously selected as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year for cross country, Kyle Mau claimed Big Ten Freshman of the Year for indoor track and Treyton Harris was named Big Ten Field Athlete of the Championships for the indoor season.
Indiana also named two athletes as the Big Ten Sportsmanship Honorees. Jordan Huntoon was the men's team recipient and Khayla Dawson was nominated from the women's team.
Clute, and a large group of Indiana track athletes, will be heading to Lexington, Ky. next weekend for the NCAA East Regional. Sydney heads into the meet as the top qualifier. She will look to continue her record-breaking senior campaign with a trip to Eugene, Ore. for the NCAA Championships in June.
#GoIU
"We are extremely proud of Sydney for the way she competed in the recent Big Ten championships, winning yet another Big Ten title in the pole vault, but we are even more proud of the all-round person she is with demonstrated excellence in many areas of her total IU experience," said head coach Ron Helmer. "I can only hope many of our athletes will aspire to similar accomplishments as Sydney has set a great example for all."
On Friday afternoon, Clute passed on the first two heights of the meet. She entered the competition at 4.03m (13-2.5), a height that only four vaulters would conquer, and easily cleared on her first attempt. She passed at the next height before clearing 4.13m (13-6.25) on her initial try. At this point there were just two vaulters left in the competition. She cleared one more bar before the gold medal was hers. She then moved the bar up to 4.43m (14-6.25) and cleared on her second attempt, topping her Big Ten Championships meet record from a season ago.
Clute has etched her name in the history books and has established herself as one of the best pole vaulters that the Big Ten Conference has ever seen. She now owns three Big Ten Championships in the event, all of them coming in the last three Championships she has competed in. She holds the Big Ten and school record in the pole vault with a clearance of 4.55m (14-11) earlier this year in Tempe.
Sydney becomes the first Hoosier on the women's team since Faith Sherrill in 2011 to take home Big Ten Field Athlete of the Championships. Sherrill also took home the honors in 2010. Amy Legacki (1991) and Rachelle Boone (2003) are the only other IU athletes to claim Big Ten Athlete of the Championships.
The Hoosiers have collected several postseason individual honors this season in cross country and track and field. Ben Veatch was unanimously selected as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year for cross country, Kyle Mau claimed Big Ten Freshman of the Year for indoor track and Treyton Harris was named Big Ten Field Athlete of the Championships for the indoor season.
Indiana also named two athletes as the Big Ten Sportsmanship Honorees. Jordan Huntoon was the men's team recipient and Khayla Dawson was nominated from the women's team.
Clute, and a large group of Indiana track athletes, will be heading to Lexington, Ky. next weekend for the NCAA East Regional. Sydney heads into the meet as the top qualifier. She will look to continue her record-breaking senior campaign with a trip to Eugene, Ore. for the NCAA Championships in June.
#GoIU
Players Mentioned
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Middle Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
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