Vaulting to the Top

By Patrick Bohn, June 8, 2023
IC wins national championships in men’s and women’s pole vault.
Matheny and Mikula

Meghan Matheny '23 and Dom Mikula  '23 became the 54th and 55th National Champions in school history.

(Photos by Jen Reagan)

Meghan Matheny '23 and Dom Mikula  '23 became the 54th and 55th National Champions in school history.

(Photos by Jen Reagan)

Ithaca College’s spring sports season ended on a high note as Meghan Matheny and Dom Mikula went up and over the competition in the pole vault at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships, winning the 54th and 55th individual national championships in school history while cementing their places in the pantheon of IC student-athletes.

Mikula had been on the precipice of victory for years. A seven-time All-American, he had finished as national runner-up at both the 2023 Indoor Championships and the 2021 Outdoor Championships.

But there was no heartbreak this time.

The Trumansburg native cleared 5.05 meters to bring home the first-ever outdoor national championship in the history of the men’s track and field program. He also became IC’s 35th athlete to win a national championship. His championship-winning vault can be seen below.

Matheny secured her legacy as one of the greatest student-athletes in Ithaca College history when she took home her third national championship, becoming just the seventh Bomber to accomplish that feat. She finishes her career on South Hill as a six-time All American.

Matheny cleared 4.10 meters to complete her trifecta of national titles, including the 2021 Outdoor and 2022 Indoor titles.

The duo’s performances led the way for impressive team finishes at the championships. The women’s team finished tied for 11th overall, while the men’s team finished tied for 18th.