BLACKSBURG – Virginia tech track & field has announced the signing of graduate transfer Hayley Horvath, an accomplished pole vaulter and exciting talent out of Towson University.
"Hayley is a great athlete with excellent speed who has already jumped over 14 feet," Assistant Coach Bob Phillips said. "We are extremely fortunate to have her joining the vault group here. She is highly motivated, and it will be fun working with her this fall to refine her technique and get her ready for her first season as a Hokie."
In Horvath's career at Towson, the Princeton, N.J. native has won four conference titles in the CAA and ECAC and made history on numerous occasions for the Tigers. Outdoors in 2021, Horvath was named CAA Field Athlete of the Year and became the first Towson athlete since 2018 – and the only pole vaulter ever – to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Horvath's outdoor personal best (4.27m/14' 0") and indoor personal best (4.21m/13' 9.75") both rank as school records at Towson.
Horvath already has familiarity with the Hokies' pole vaulters, competing against them a fair number of times. The Towson vaulter has competed in Rector Field House at least once the past two years, and in July of 2019 finished second in the pole vault at the USATF U20 Championships, as the Hokies' own Julia Fixsen took third.
Horvath's addition further strengthens the pole-vaulting powerhouse that Coach Phillips has built in Blacksburg over the past few decades. Phillips has coached athletes to more ACC titles in pole vault (38) than any other school in the conference's history, and most recently led Rachel Baxter to the NCAA championship in the event.