👟 Bradford, Simms Earn First Team All-America Honors on First Day of NCAA Championships

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. Kansas track & field’s Zach Bradford and Clayton Simms earned first team All-America honors in the men’s pole vault on day one of the NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama on Friday.

Bradford, a junior from Bloomington, Ill., earned his fourth-career NCAA indoor All-American honor by clearing 5.55m (18-2.5 ft.) to place seventh. Freshman Clayton Simms of Watson, La., placed eighth overall by jumping a personal best 5.50m (18-0.5 ft.). Simm’s clearance made him the No. 8 performer in KU indoor history.

Both Bradford and Simms began their days at the opening height of 5.35m (17-6.5 ft.), which Simms cleared on his first attempt. Bradford missed on his first two jumps, but up with a clutch third attempt to stay alive.

At the next bar of 5.45m (17-10.5 ft.), Bradford bounced back with a clearance on his first attempt, while Simms made it over on his second attempt, tying a personal best.

At 5.50m (18-0.5 ft.), Simms once again cleared on his second attempt, marking a personal best. Bradford took three attempts at the height before clearing.

With the bar set at 5.55m (18-2.5 ft.), Bradford made it over on his first attempt, while Simms missed on all three of his attempts. Bradford would go on to attempt 5.60m (18-4.5 ft.), which he came up unsuccessful.

The Jayhawk men round out the NCAA Championships with 3 points. Kansas junior Rylee Anderson will compete in the women’s high jump final on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. CT.