Rutgers freshman and Delsea graduate Nico Morales made his collegiate pole vaulting debut Saturday with a win and a near-PR.
Morales, in his first collegiate meet, won the vault at the Nittany Lion Opener at the Horace Ashenfelter track in State College with a 15-5 3/4 clearance, which is just a quarter of an inch off his indoor PR of 15-6, which he hit twice – at last year’s state Group 3 meet in Toms River and the Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze, his last official competitions.
Morales’ overall PR is a 15-7 at the 2019 Tri-County Conference Championships outdoors on his home track at Delsea.
Morales is No. 2 in South Jersey indoor history behind only his brother Marco, who cleared 16-0 at a SJTCA meet in Toms River in February. Marco is also a freshman at Rutgers but hasn’t competed yet this indoor season.
Morales’ 15-5 3/4 ranks No. 10 in Rutgers indoor history and is the Scarlet Knights’ best mark since Northern Valley Regional graduate Chris Mazzacano cleared 15-10 1/2 four years ago at the Big Ten Championships in Geneva, Ohio.
It’s the top indoor mark by a South Jersey vaulter for Rutgers, supplanting a 15-3 by Matt Mancini of Cinnaminson at the 2010 Big Ten meet at the Armory.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 