Rutgers vaulter Ryan Merlino from Oakcrest PRs for 3rd straight meet, now #4 in Rutgers history!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Another meet, another PR for Ryan Merlino.

Merlino, an Oakcrest graduate and Rutgers sophomore, PR’d for the 3rd consecutive meet this weekend, clearing 17-8 ½ at the IC4A Championships at his home facility in Piscataway.

Merlino set a PR of 16-8 ½ on March 28 in Orlando, then cleared 17-7 ¼ on April 4 at Princeton, where he actually PR’d four times, and then recorded another lifetime best Saturday, where he placed 3rd behind teammates Kevin and Brian O’Sullivan from Hillksborough, who cleared a school-record 18-4 ½ and 18-0 ½.

Merlino is now No. 4 in Rutgers history behind the two O’Sullivans and Delsea’s Nico Morales, who cleared 17-9 last April at the Rutgers Relays.

He’s also No. 2 in South Jersey history, behind only Morales, and No. 7 in New Jersey history but only two inches outside the No. 4 spot.

Merlino took a jump at 16-4 ¾ and cleared on his 1st attempt, then passed at 16-8 ¾ before clearing 17-0 ½, 17-4 ½ and 17-8 ½, each on his 2nd attempt. He finished with three tries at 18-0 ½.

Merlino is now No. 59 among U.S. men and No. 25 in NCAA Division 1. He’s No. 6 in the Big Ten Conference, behind vaulters from Washington, Nebraska and Indiana and the O’Sullivan brothers.

All-Time New Jersey Alumni Pole Vault List
18-10 ¼ … Bradley Jelmert [Watchung Hills], Jan. 24, 2026, Albuquerque
18-6 ½ … Kevin O’Sullivan [Hillsborough], Feb. 13, 2026, Fayetteville, Ark.
18-5 ½ … Brian O’Sullivan [Hillsborough], Feb. 28, 2026, Indianapolis, Ind.
17-10 ½ … Craig Hunter [Robbinsville], June 8, 2016, Eugene, Ore.
17-9 … Nico Morales [Delsea], April 19, 2025, Piscataway
17-9 … Kevin McGuire [Lawrenceville], May 26, 1993, Fairfax, Va.
17-8 ½ … Steve Keating [Pompton Lakes], June 12, 1993, Los Gatos, Calif.
17-8 ½ … Ryan Merlino [Oakcrest], April 19, 2026, Piscataway
17-6 ½ … Adam Sarafian [Ocean Township], Jan. 28, 2006, Reno, Nev.
17-4 ½ … Ed Keefe [St. John Vianney], Feb. 17, 2002, Syracuse
17-3 ½ … Noah Kriesman [Cherry Hill East], Columbia, S.C., 2024
17-2 ½ … Christian Mazza [Toms River East], Feb. 23, 2003, Syracuse
17-0 ¾ … Chris Wykoff [Toms River East], May 25, 2013, Greensboro, N.C.
17-0 … Bill Lange [Bridgewater East], 1980, Hanover, N.H.

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