Pole vault specialist Jessica Hemmingway’s record-setting season and collegiate career came to an end on Friday, June 10, placing 12th in the NCAA Nationals in Des Moines, Iowa.
Hemmingway was the only participant from both Eastern Michigan’s men’s and women’s track and field teams to make it to the finals as the rest fell in the East Preliminaries.
Hemmingway placed 12th after failing to clear a height of 13-05.25. She did clear her first two heights, 12-09.5 and 13-01.5, in her first attempt.
The senior co-captain has shown steady improvement in each of her four years as an Eagle, reaching a new personal best and performing better at each Mid-American Conference Championship every year.
Hemingway has earned multiple All-MAC and Academic All-MAC selections over her career, and qualified for the 2011 USA National Outdoor Track and Field Championships with her impressive showings this
season.
The Wixom, Michigan native has garnered 12 wins in the pole vault since the beginning of the 2010 indoor season and even took to the track to help, participating in the 4×200-meter relay race, to earn an additional first-place finish.
The 2011 season was the best of Hemmingway’s collegiate career. She won the MAC gold for the first time in her career as well as earning two MAC Athlete of the Week honors after setting school records.
Hemingway advanced to the nationals after tying for the best overall height in the East Preliminaries on May 26 in Indianapolis, Ind..
Her height of 13-01.50 at the event was tied for 11th-best overall between the East and West Regional Prelims. The best height cleared was 15-11.50 by Arkansas’ Tina Sutej.
Hemingway’s career-best pole vault is just under 14 feet, a mark she accomplished earlier this season
in April at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif.
Her performance secured her a spot to compete at the USA National Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., June 23-26.
As Hemmingway prepares to the leave EMU, she will take with her both the indoor and outdoor pole vault records, after breaking each this season. She also helped the Eagles earn their first MAC Championship
since 2000.
