Results  |  Photo Gallery (Photos courtesy of Tim Flynn, Colorado School of Mines)

EMPORIA, Kan. – Drew Layton earned All-America honors in the pole vault and Joshua Gose took 18th in the shot put to close the Slippery Rock University track & field team's weekend at the NCAA Division II National Championships Saturday from Emporia State University in Kansas.
 
Layton, a true freshman from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, became the only freshman pole vaulter in the country to earn All-America honors when he finished 10th in the competition after clearing a career-best height of 5.10 meters (16' 8.75"). That mark was the same as the eighth place finishers, but he was bumped to 10th with one extra miss at the previous height.
 
Finishers 9-12 are named to second team All-America honors by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, making Layton the first male pole vaulter from SRU to earn All-America honors since Jordan Pacheco in 2017.
 
"It's not easy for a freshman to come in and be an All-American in the pole vault in their first year," said head coach Bill Jordan. "We're so proud of Drew for the way he competed down the stretch this year and we're really excited about his future here at Slippery Rock. We had a great meet this weekend with two All-Americans in Anna and Drew and we're proud of the efforts of Sarah, Kanye and Josh as well."
 
Gose, a senior from Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, took 18th in the shot put with a throw of 16.34 meters (53' 7.5"). He was making his debut appearance at the national meet after picking up his first career PSAC title in the shot put three weeks ago.
 
Layton and Gose were two of the three SRU men that qualified to compete at nationals. Kanye Thompson took 16th in the prelims of the 100-meter dash Thursday night on the opening day of the competition.
 
Saturday's national meet marked the official end of the 2023-24 Athletics year for Slippery Rock. The Rock's student-athletes will now be off for the summer months before reporting for preseason camp for the fall sports in early August.
 
 
 
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