LEXINGTON, Ky. – On the first day of the NCAA Track & Field East First Round Championships, the High Point University men's team had two pole vaulters qualify. As teammates and roommates, Jason Olivera, Jr. and Ricardo Montes de Oca made the Top 12 and punched their tickets to the National Championships in Eugene, Oregon. This is the first time HPU has had two men's pole vaulters qualify for the Championships in program history.

"Today was a special day," Scott Houston stated. "Having five pole vaulters all in the NCAA East First Round Championships was wonderful. We had no misses for the three that did not make it at 5.20m and we look at averages on a daily basis and they did the best they could. If they clear the next bar they would've been in the mix to make the national meet and we could've had five in."
 
Olivera, Jr. will make his first trip out to Oregon in his career after clearing a new personal best 5.45m. Coming in at the opening bar of 5.05m, Olivera, Jr. missed on his first attempt before clearing through three bars. After clearing 5.05m, he went on to clear 5.20m, 5.35m and a new personal-best 5.45m. On his fourth and final bar, he went up and over the bar before doing a somersault to hit the mat, an insane jump to witness.

"It was a special day for JJ," Houston added. "He had the best day of his life. He had one miss early on and then that motivated him to stay focused and he was zoned in ready to go. His PR jump of 5.45m something special, he wasn't sure he was going to make after he over rotated and he did not even know the bar stayed until he did a somersault. It's amazing and very special, he's worked through the ups and downs and I'm very proud of him."
 
Montes de Oca passed on the first two bars and entered at 5.35m. He cleared on his first attempt with ease, putting him in a good spot to advance. He jumped at 5.45m and missed on his first attempt, forcing him to pass on his next attempt. After waiting out the remainder of the attempts, Montes de Oca's mark made the Top 12 allowing him to punch a ticket to the Championships.

"Ricardo got the job done," Houston stated. "It wasn't anything special and we knew it didn't need to be. We played a passing game when the weather came in because he did exactly what he needed to do to put him in a position to qualify. The goal is nationals and now we want to do it with the rest of the team tomorrow and again on Friday and Saturday. It was a great day today and we're excited to have three guys so far punch their tickets to the National meet with Ricardo, JJ and Cole and we will see how many more we will get this week."
 
Both Olivera, Jr. and Montes de Oca will compete in Eugene, Oregon at Hayward Field on Wednesday, June 7 at 8:35 P.M. ET.
 
Along with Olivera Jr. and Montes de Oca, three other pole vaulters competed including Jackson Tuomey, Grant Gogel and Reid Holloway who all cleared 5.20m. Justin Sluijter competed in the long jump and posted a 7.17m. Caleb Barley threw 17.71m in the shot put and Camerin Williams raced in the 800m.
 
UP NEXT:
High Point will return to Lexington, Kentucky to compete in day two of the NCAA East First Rounds.