Courtesy of RobertsRedhawks.com
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Roberts Wesleyan University pole vault standout Brynn King has made history again.
King, a graduate student from The Woodlands, Texas, signed a major NIL (name, image, likeness) deal with adidas that she announced on Saturday morning, becoming the first college pole vaulter (male or female) to land an agreement with a major shoe company.
King burst onto the international stage in 2024, becoming the first student-athlete from Roberts to win an NCAA championship. She capped off her first season as a Redhawk by setting a personal record of 4.73 meters (15-feet, 6 1/4 inches) on June 30 at the U.S. Olympic Trials at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field to catapult from eighth to third in the standings and earn a spot on Team USA for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“Making the Paris Olympics was a dream come true and now I am able to represent adidas as I continue to pursue my goals and chase dreams,” King said. “I have a great support system with my family, teammates and university that help me behind the scenes. My coaches have helped make all these dreams a reality and I am more motivated than ever.”
King is coached by 2004 Roberts alum and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jenn Suhr and her husband, Rick, a volunteer assistant coach with the track and field team specializing in pole vault. Jenn Suhr, who returned to Roberts as an assistant track and field coach and pole vault coordinator, is a three-time Olympian and won 17 U.S. national championships. She was represented by adidas throughout her 17-year career.
“Being the first vaulter to secure an NIL agreement with a major shoe company is another big moment for Roberts and for Brynn,” Jenn Suhr said. “Having adidas recognize her achievements and support her is one side of the equation. The other is adidas believing that Roberts Wesleyan University and her coaches can provide the training and support that she needs to continue to excel.
“Rick has coached for a long time and has had numerous athletes that he has coached go to universities on full scholarships, He has had athletes land contracts before, but Brynn is the first athlete that he has coached to receive an NIL deal. All of these firsts are pretty special and show that elite performances can be recognized anywhere.”
King, Suhr’s first recruit, transferred to Roberts from Duke University in June 2023 and put together one of the finest seasons in NCAA pole vault history during her first year as a Redhawk.
King broke the NCAA Division II indoor record eight times en route to winning the national championship with a record-breaking jump of 4.65 meters (15′ 3″) on March 8 in Pittsburg, Kansas. She is the only women’s vaulter in NCAA Division II history to clear 15 feet and owns nine of the 10 best vaults in NCAA DII history.
King’s numerous honors included being recognized as the 2024 East Coast Conference (ECC) Indoor Track & Field Women’s Athlete of the Year. She was also honored at the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division II East Region Women’s Field Athlete of the Year and USTFCCCA DII Women’s National Field Athlete of the Year.
King’s outdoor season was equally impressive as she started out by clearing 4.60 meters (15-1) at the Redhawk Invitational on March 14, setting a DII record just six days after she won the indoor national championship.
King followed that up with another record-breaking performance at the Texas Relays on March 30, setting a personal, meet and NCAA Division II record by clearing 4.68 meters (15-4 1/4) in her home state.
She also broke a 13-year-old meet record (4.51 meters, 14-9 1/2) by winning the Kansas Relays on April 19. King then shattered the ECC Championship record by four feet (15-1) on May 2. King was named the ECC Outdoor Track and Field Female Athlete of the Year on May 17 and took first place in the 2024 adidas Atlanta City Games on May 18 with an effort of 4.54 meters (14-10 3/4).
King concluded her first year at Roberts by winning her second NCAA Division II championship in record-breaking fashion at Emporia State University on May 23. After missing on her first two attempts, King rebounded to set meet and facility records while clearing 4.60 meters (15-1). She is first student-athlete from the ECC to win multiple individual NCAA titles.
King was named First-Team All-America by the USTFCCCA on May 28 and East Region Division II Field Athlete of the Year on June 3.
King concluded her historic season by making the U.S. Olympic team and representing her country in Paris.King’s 2024-25 season is off to a strong start with wins at the East Coast Pole Vault Convention Friday in Akron, Ohio, the Hayes Lancaster Open at the University of Akron on Dec. 6 and the Susquehanna University Early Season Invite and Multi on Dec. 13. She was named East Coast Conference Women’s Field Athlete of the Week and National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Field Athlete of the Week after her performance in Akron and the USTFCCCA Division II Women’s Athlete of the Week for her efforts at Susquehanna.
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