Clayton Simms

Position Pole Vault

Class Freshman

High School Live Oak

Hometown Watson, La.

bio News

2023 OUTDOOR (So.)
Started off the outdoor season with a 5.31m (17-5 ft.) pole vault and finished 13th at the Texas Relays … Won at the LSU Invitational for vaulting 5.46m (17-11 ft.) … Achieved a personal best at the Kansas Relays for clearing 5.65m (18-6.5 ft.), this ties him for fourth in the nation in the pole vault … Won at the John McDonnell Invitational for clearing 5.50m (18-0.5 ft.) … Won at the Rock Chalk Classic and cleared 5.43m (17-9.75 ft.) … took fourth place at the 2023 Outdoor Big 12 Championships with a 5.26m clearance … placed fifth in the West Region with a 5.40m clearance in Sacramento, punching his ticket to his fourth-consecutive National Championships meet … took fifth place at the 2023 Outdoor National Championships with a best vault of 5.60m … earned First-Team All American honors for the fourth time in his career.

2023 INDOOR (So.)
Won the pole vault event at the Bob Timmons Classic clearing 5.30m (17-4.5 ft.) … Vaulted 5.45m (17-10.5 ft.) at the Ku-KSU-WSU Triangular and placed first … Won while clearing 5.50m (18-0.5 ft.) at the Washburn Rust Buster … Achieved a personal best clearing 5.62m (18-5.25 ft.) at the Jayhawk Classic, this puts him fifth in the nation … Won at the Husker Invitational for vaulting 5.55m (18-2.5 ft.) … Finished second at the Tyson Invitational for vaulting 5.57m (18-3.25 ft.) … Placed second at the Big 12 Indoor Championships for vaulting 5.53m (18-1.75 ft.) … Qualified for the 2023 Indoor National Championships, coming in at No. 7 heading into the meet … Surpassed his initial ranking by claiming 5th place overall, receiving First Team All-America honors for the third time in his career.

2022 OUTDOOR (Fr.)
Placed fifth at the Texas Relays in the pole vault, clearing 5.35m (17-6.5 ft.) … Vaulted 5.22m (17-1.5 ft.) at the Sun Angel Classic, placing fifth … Placed as the runner-up at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, clearing 5.41m (17-9 ft.) … Advanced to the NCAA West Preliminary, where he qualified for the NCAA Championships by clearing 5.29m (17-4.25 ft.) … At the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, he cleared a season best 5.50m (18-0.5 ft.), earning First Team All-America honors by placing seventh.

2022 INDOOR (Fr.)
Made his KU debut at the Bob Timmons Challenge, clearing 4.91m (16-1.25 ft.) in the pole vault, placing third … Placed second at the KU-KSU-WSU Triangular by clearing 5.07m (16-7.5 ft.) … Placed second at the Washburn Rust Buster, clearing 5.45m (17-10.5 ft.) … Cleared 5.28m (17-3.75 ft.) at the Jayhawk Classic, placing second … Placed second at the Husker Invitational with a jump of 5.36m (17-7 ft.) … Cleared 5.37m (17-7.25 ft.) at the Tiger Paw Invite, finishing second … Also placed second at the Arkansas qualifier by clearing 5.25m (17-2.75 ft.) … Cleared 5.37m (17-7.25 ft.) at the Big 12 Indoor Championship, finishing as the runner-up … Advanced to the NCAA Indoor Championship in Birmingham, where he jumped a season best 5.50m (18-10.5 ft.) to earn First Team All-America honors, placing eighth.

Track & Field 👟 Men's and Women's Track Named Top 25 Teams by USTFCCCA

On Monday, the USTFCCCA released their final rankings for the 2022-23 indoor track and field season, and both Kansas men and women finished in the Top 25.

Track & Field 👟 Six Jayhawks Qualify for NCAA Indoor Track and Field National Championships

Six Jayhawks are set to compete at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field National Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico on March 10-11, including Rylee Anderson, Clayton Simms, Devin Loudermilk, Jaden Patterson, Patrick Larrison and Michael Joseph.

Track & Field 👟 Simms Earns First Team All-America Honors on Day One of NCAA Championships

Kansas track and field opened day one of the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon on Wednesday, which was highlighted by a pair of All-America honors by the Jayhawks.

Track & Field 📸 Jayhawks Earn All-American Status at NCAA Indoors

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

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

Track & Field 👟 Jayhawks Set for NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham

Kansas track & field will be represented by three Jayhawks at the NCAA Indoor Championships at the Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Alabama March 11-12, as junior Zach Bradford (pole vault), freshman Clayton Simms (pole vault) and junior Rylee Anderson (high jump) compete amongst the top athletes in the country.

Track & Field 👟 Trio of Jayhawks Qualify for NCAA Indoor Championships

The NCAA Division I men’s and women’s track & field and cross country committee announced the 2022 NCAA Indoor track & field championship participants on Tuesday, which includes three Jayhawks who will compete in the Championship meet March 11-12 in Birmingham, Ala.