BLACKSBURG – With exciting new and returning talent, Assistant Coach Bob Phillips and the pole vault squad are looking forward to a promising season both indoors and out. In addition to signees Michal Tocker, Erin Kelleher, and Jacob Spotswood, who were announced earlier this year, the Hokies signed two very high-level vaulters to the team over the summer. University of Georgia transfer Julia Fixsen and top high school vaulter Conner McClure give Tech's vault group even more talent and depth.
Heading the recruiting class on the women's side, Julia Fixsen makes her way onto the Hokies' roster as a transfer from the University of Georgia. The SEC champion indoors in 2021 and the runner up in 2020, Fixsen posted a PR of 14' 7.5" (4.46m) to take the third spot in Georgia history. Out of high school in 2019, the Shoreview, Minn. native was ranked the number one vaulter in the nation, earning countless honors at the state, regional, and national level.
Fixsen competed internationally with Rachel Baxter for the United States at the U20 World Championships in 2018 and joins Baxter as another high-profile Hokie vaulter. Fixsen will major in studio art as she begins her career as a junior for the Hokies.
"We are very excited to have Julia joining the team," Assistant Coach Bob Phillips said. "She is already a national level competitor with the physical and mental attributes to jump even higher. An injury slowed her progress some last year, so it will be great to see her back at full strength this year."
On the men's side, freshman Conner McClure joins the Hokies as one of the most exciting prospects in the country. McClure claimed the high school national title in pole vault this year at the Adidas Indoor Nationals. During his outdoor campaign, McClure set a new Division 1 Ohio High School Athletic Association record of 17' 3" (5.26m) before going on to finish fourth at Nike's Outdoor Nationals.
Connor McClure just vaulted 17'3" at the Bulldog Twilight Invitational and jbroke the Division I OHSAA State Record of 17'2". He is attempting 17'8". pic.twitter.com/uuJhSOcJf5
— Green Bulldogs (@Green_Bulldogs) April 24, 2021
The Uniontown, Ohio native comes from an athletic family, as his father, Mark, is the head track and field coach at Malone University, and his mother, Bonnie, won the 1987 high school state championship at 800 meters. McClure plans to major in property management or hospitality and tourism management as he begins his promising career as a Hokie this year.
"Conner was one of the top high school vaulters in the country last year jumping over seventeen feet," Coach Phillips said. "But when one looks at the things that measure a vaulter's potential it is clear that he is capable of much more. He will have to work hard to get there, but he has it in him."
Rachel Baxter returns for a fifth season with the Hokies. The perennial vaulting powerhouse became the first woman to win three consecutive indoor ACC titles in pole vault this past year.
"It is great to have Rachel returning for another year to work on a graduate degree and provide leadership to the group," Coach Phillips said. "She has an incredible amount of championship experience at conference, national, and world levels."
Returners such as Baxter, Harrison Rice, and Jacob Rice will look to continue their conference and national success, as promising new athletes bolster the pole vault ranks. Entering his 37th year at the helm of Tech's pole vault group, Coach Phillips has a wealth of talent to train as this season looks to be a successful one for the Hokie vaulters.