ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Brynn King, a standout athlete at Roberts Wesleyan University, just secured her third NCAA Division II national championship in pole vaulting. King’s achievements have not only filled the trophy cases at Roberts but also rewritten the NCAA Division II record books.

“This was definitely an emotional week,” King said. “I don’t typically show a lot of emotions, but for me, this has been a hard indoor season. I was sick almost the entire time, so just kind of being able to come out and finally feel healthy and be able to put up some jumps that I’ve kind of been waiting for all season at nationals when it matters most, was really exciting for me.”

King, who recently competed in the Paris Olympics, holds 16 of the top 18 marks in Division II pole vaulting history. “I think almost every record the school had has been broken,” King said. Her recent championship win saw her breaking her own record yet again. “To be able to break it at a championship meet, when there’s a crowd, when there’s a lot of people around, I think that that’s really special to do it there,” she added.

Two years ago, King transferred from Division I Duke University to Division II Roberts Wesleyan. Her decision raised eyebrows, with some questioning her motives. “When I first kind of announced my decision, I did take a lot of kind of backlash,” King shared. However, she emphasized the importance of finding the right environment to excel. “It’s times, it’s heights. So I think what division you go to actually doesn’t matter too much,” she said.

Mark McCown, Roberts Wesleyan’s head coach, expressed his admiration for King’s achievements. “If you’d ask me, when she came here last September, would she be a national champion? I’d say OK that’s a reasonable goal…Of course, she’s exceeded that incredibly,” McCown said.

King credits her success to the support of her coaches and the Red Hawk community. Her journey from Division I to Division II has proven that talent and determination can shine through any division, making her one of the best pole vaulters in the country.

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