Track & Field
Samantha Stenzel - Track & Field - University of Kentucky Athletics

SamanthaStenzel

  • class Senior
  • High school Paul Laurence Dunbar

• First-Place Record Holder – Outdoor Pole Vault
• Second Highest Mark – Indoor Pole Vault
• Freshman Record Holder – Indoor Pole Vault
• Freshman Record Holder – Outdoor Pole Vault

2011 (Junior): Indoor – Had her best mark of the season at the Rod McCravy Memorial, clearing 12-02.75/3.73m … Finished in a tie for second at the Kentucky Invitational … Finished 12th at the SEC Championships. Outdoor – Set the school record, along with teammate Shelby Kennard, with a mark of 12-08.00/3.86m at the SEC Championships, finishing in a tie for 10th … Finished sixth at the Kentuckiana Border Battle … Came in 12th at the Florida Relays … Competed at the NCAA East Preliminaries, finishing in 24th with a height of 12-01.50/3.70m.

2010 (Sophomore):
Indoor – Set a then school-record height of 12-10.00 at the Tyson Invitational … Recorded a then personal-best of 12-01.50/3.70m for a fourth-place finish at the Kentucky Invitational. Outdoor – Claimed second in the pole vault at the UCF Black and Gold Challenge, clearing 12-00.00/3.66m … Equaled her own school record in the pole vault with a mark of 12-07.50/3.85m to finish in a tie for third at the Jesse Owens Track Classic … Finished 30th in the pole vault at the 2010 NCAA East Preliminary round, clearing 11-09.75/3.60m.

2009 (Freshman): Indoor – At SEC Championships, tied the freshman indoor mark held by teammate Mary Chris Durham, clearing the bar at 11-11.75 to rank third all-time at UK. Outdoor – Set the UK pole vault freshman record on three separate occasions in debut season in the Blue and White … Set the record for a final time at the Sea Ray Relays, clearing 11-11.75 that ranks third all-time in school history … At Florida Relays, improved upon early-season mark by half of a foot in two weeks by clearing 11-7.75, topping her initial freshman standard … Broke the pole vault freshman record in first career outdoor meet, clearing a height of 11-1.75 on the second attempt to finish seventh overall at the Baldy Castillo Invitational … Cleared 12-0 mark in offseason over summer of 2009.

High School: Named to Kentucky All-State First Team as a senior…Ranked first in the pole vault in the state of Kentucky as a senior … In 2008, placed second in the pole vault at the Kentucky state championships after placing third her junior year and sixth as a sophomore … Placed 11th in pole vault at USATF Junior Olympics as a senior … As a junior, clinched third in pole vault at USATF Youth Outdoor Championships and sixth at the AAU Junior Olympics … Claimed first in pole vault at Kentucky Region 5 AAA Championships as a senior and junior and ranked third as a sophomore … Owns pole vault record for the school (11-7) and the city (10-9) … Won pole vault championship at UT Volunteer Track Classic as a senior and placed second at UK High School Invitational the same year …Won four high school team awards at Dunbar including Outstanding Jumper of the Year in 2007 and 2008 … Track and field team won Kentucky state championship in 2005 … Team also won district and Region 5 championships all four years … Coached by Killian Timoney at Dunbar and UK track alumnus Ray Sabbatine at Kentucky Elite Athletics … Also coached by Paul Babits of Ft. Wayne, Ind. (Masters World Record Holder in the pole vault) … Named to KTCCCA All-State Academic Team as a senior … Participated in gymnastics for 11 years on private club team under current UK gymnastics coach Mo Mitchell …Member of National Honor Roll as freshman and senior … Honor Roll all four years …Member of French Honor Society.

Personal: Full name is Samantha Nicole Stenzel…Born July 20, 1990 in Lexington, Ky….Parents are Kurt and Denise Stenzel…Has one brother, Jake …Nickname is “Sam” … Major is biology.

Personal Bests: Pole Vault – 12-10.

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