Junior Chris Nilsen went back-to-back by again winning the pole vault at the NCAA Division I Championships in Austin, Texas on Wednesday.
Nilsen took the event at 19-1 ½ last year, breaking a 22-year-old NCAA championships record, according to the Argus Leader. This year, he broke his own meet record by clearing 19-6 ¼. Nilsen, who came into the event with the second-best mark in the field, was able to hold off
LSU freshman Mondo Duplantis, who posted the second-best height in NCAA history at 19-5 ¾ earlier in the season. Duplantis finished at 19- ¼.
Currently, Nilsen is one of eight men on the watch list for the 2019 Bowerman award, which annually recognizes the most outstanding male and female collegiate track athletes in America.
Not only has Nilsen become a two-time national champion by only his junior season, but he became a five-time All-American as well this year. Nilsen also took home first place for pole vault at the Summit League Championships this year.
