Delsea graduate Nico Morales began his junior year with an indoor pole vault PR and the No. 5 mark in Rutgers history.
Morales cleared 16-6 Friday at the Rutgers Holiday Classic at the Armory, where he placed 2nd to Rutgers freshman Brian O’Sullivan, who cleared 17-1 ¾ in his first collegiate meet. O’Sullivan won the Meet of Champions last spring at 16-6 ½, his previous PR.
If the results are accurate, Morales only took two jumps – clearing 16-2 on his first attempt and 16-6 on his first attempt, then shutting down. The bar moved up to 16-10, but Morales did not take any attempts there.
Morales’ previous indoor best was a 16-0 ¾ at the 2002 Battle in Beantown at Boston University. He didn’t compete indoors last year, so this was his first indoor meet since the 2022 Big Ten Championships at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.
Morales has a lifetime best of 16-9 ½ from the Penn Relays at Franklin Field this past April.
At Delsea, Morales cleared 15-6 indoors and 15-7 outdoors. Twin brother Marco cleared 16-0 indoors and 15-6 outdoors. He competed for Rutgers in two meets in the spring of 2021 before retiring from track.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 