Washington pole vaulter Amanda Moll wins title with new NCAA record
Article excerpt
Amanda Moll of Washington cleared 4.78 meters to win the NCAA outdoor pole vault championship, breaking her own sister Hana's previous record by just one centimeter. The two siblings dominated the event, with Amanda claiming the title and Hana finishing as runner-up. The Huskies pole vaulter's record-setting performance capped a dominant season for one of college track's most accomplished families.
2026 had been Hana Moll's year. The Washington Huskies' junior pole vaulter had only lost once all year, to 2024 Paris Olympic champion Nina Kennedy at a World Athletics meet in March, coming into Thursday's NCAA Outdoor Championships final.
Hana's run had partially been because her twin sister, Amanda, who set the NCAA record in the event six times last year, sat out the indoor season with an injury and spent the spring ramping back up into competition form. In the meantime, Hana broke her outdoor collegiate record with a clearance of 4.83m to win the Big Ten Championship.
National Champion. AGAIN.
Amanda breaks the NCAA Outdoor Record previously set by her sister Hana as the Moll sisters continue building their pole vault dynasty with a 1-2 finish at the @NCAA Outdoor Championships!!#GoHuskies x @UWTrackpic.twitter.com/NGHa55jvWM
, Washington Athletics (@UWAthletics) June 12, 2026
In Eugene, Oregon, on Thursday, after the meet, Amanda told ESPN's John Anderson how to tell the twins apart: Amanda wears gold jewelry, while Hana wears silver.
That interview came just before Amanda wore gold and Hana wore silver medals atop the NCAA podium after Amanda re-broke Hana's outdoor clearance record with a 4.84m bar that won her a second NCAA Championship, while Hana settled for second.
Neither sister jumped much - they passed the first bar before Amanda entered at 4.24m with a first attempt clearance. Hana joined the competition at 4.39m, clearing on her first attempt, while Amanda needed two tries. They then both passed at 4.49m and traded results at 4.54m - Amanda cleared on her first try, Hana on her second. Another pass at 4.59m preceded first-attempt clearances from both sisters. They then both passed 4.69m, a bar South Dakota's Anna Willis and Louisville's Ashley Callahan were unable to clear, which clinched a 1-2 finish for the twins.
Amanda went over 4.74m on her first attempt, with Hana following on her second jump. The bar was then raised just above Hana's outdoor NCAA record to 4.84m, where Amanda was able to find a clearance on her final attempt and edge out her sister, who bailed out of her last attempt after planting her pole slightly late.
Amanda attempted two jumps at 4.92m, which would have been a personal best, but retired without taking a third attempt.
Another Moll in the record books 🤩@NCAATrackField x @UWTrackpic.twitter.com/7Mgijpp9dD
, NCAA (@NCAA) June 12, 2026
Senior Sara Borton, who won a jump-off for a place at NCAA Outdoors, cleared 4.39m and a lifetime best of 4.49m on her third attempt to finish in a tie for ninth. Freshman Veronica Vacca joined Borton as a second-team All-American with a 15th-place finish at 4.39m.
With the second-place finish, Hana is now the Huskies' career leader in points scored at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Her 24 points are 3 more than Aretha Hill compiled in the discus from 1995-98.
It was a less fruitful first two days for the twins' teammates, however. 1,500m school record holder Chloe Foerster ended her Washington career with a 10th-place finish in her heat in 4:13.02. Javelin thrower Saydi Orange was two places short of the final, throwing 170-2 to finish 11th, the best finish by a Husky woman since 2011. Big Ten 10,000m champion Chloe Thomas fell off the pace midway through the final and finished in 33:05.34, good for 20th place.
Injuries plagued the first day of competition on Wednesday, as decathlete Teko Cates and 400m runner Alex Rhodes both DNFed. Pole vaulter James Rhoads finished 9th at 5.60m, and 10,000m runner Evan Jenkins was 14th in 28:30.16 in the two men's finals contested on Wednesday. Isaac Briggs was 8th in his heat of the 3,000m steeplechase, and sophomore Martin Barco finished 7th in his heat of the 1,500m in 3:40.29. Only senior Reuben Reina, who was 6th in the second heat of the 1,500m in 3:36.91, advanced to the final rounds to be contested on Friday.
That time was a career best for Reina and marked Washington head coach Andy Powell's 17th year with a men's 1,500m finalist of the last 18.
Reina and heptathlete Sofia Cosculluela will compete on Friday, with Cosculluela joined by Julia David-Smith and Thomas in the 5,000m on Saturday. Reina is Washington's last opportunity to score points on the men's side. The women are currently in first place due to their 18 points from the Moll twins and will be searching for a second straight top-10 finish.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: UW pole vaulter Amanda Moll wins title with new NCAA record