Feb. 11, 2017
By Megan Golden
CLEMSON, S.C. — The University of Notre Dame track and field team wrapped up competition at the Tiger Paw Invitational on Saturday with a new page in the record books.
Coming off of Nathan Richartz’s emphatic pole vault performance on Friday, the Irish competed in a handful of field events on day two.
Notre Dame senior Indi Jackson placed fourth in the shot put, going 15.52m.
On the men’s side, sophomore Matthew Birzer (2.15m) finished second in the high jump, while junior Hunter Holton was seventh with a 2.05 mark.
Day One Recap
Richartz broke his own school record — previously 5.46m — and tied the seventh-best height in the country with a 5.50m mark in the pole vault. Richartz’s PR is good for third-best in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season.
Richartz, who fell just .03m shy of tying his PR last weekend at the Meyo Invitational, finally topped his previous best.
“I was ecstatic, and at the same time relieved,” Richartz said. “I couldn’t really wrap my head around it. Freshman year, I set a goal of jumping 18 feet by senior year, and today that goal was actualized. I couldn’t be happier.”
Irish jumps coach Jim Garnham said he specifically remembers Richartz telling him his goal as a freshman.
“Four years ago, I asked Nate what his goal was. He said it was to jump 18 feet. I told him, `Don’t you think that’s a bit high for a yearly goal?'” Garnham said. “Well, I guess it’s time to make some new goals now.
“It’s a pretty awesome feeling knowing that you have a kid that is going to represent Notre Dame at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Nate has worked super hard to be where he is today.”
For the women, Anna Rohrer recorded first place in the 5,000m, despite crossing the finish line well under her personal record (15:32.03) at 16:15.93.
Peyton Miller finished 15th overall in the 400m (55.89), and Jordan Shead followed Miller in 18th-place (56.20).
Coming Up Next
The Irish return to action on February 18, when they host the Alex Wilson Invitational at Loftus Sports Center (Notre Dame, Ind.). Notre Dame also will host the ACC Indoor Championships from February 23-25 at Loftus Sports Center.
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Megan Golden, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since August of 2016. In her role, she coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame women’s lacrosse and cross country/track and field programs. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Golden is a 2014 graduate of Saint Mary’s College and former Irish women’s basketball manager. Prior to arriving at Notre Dame, she worked in public relations with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.