With cancellation of Stanford Invitational this weekend due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Gruver reflects on one of the most memorable performances of her impressive career achieved at last year’s event

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Olivia Gruver was the favorite three weeks ago to win the women’s pole vault title at the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships.

The University of Washington star, already the collegiate outdoor record holder, was on the verge of potentially challenging the NCAA indoor record in the last Division 1 final of her decorated career at the Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico.

However, on the eve of the meet March 12, NCAA officials not only shut down the event, but the Division 2 final in Birmingham, Ala., as well as the Division 3 championship in Winston-Salem, N.C.

It brought an impressive journey for Gruver at both Kentucky and Washington – including back-to-back Division 1 outdoor titles in 2017-18 – to an inconceivable conclusion. An amazing senior season was met with an abrupt ending due to the still ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic.

The day after the decision was made by the NCAA to not only cancel all of its winter championships, but the entire spring sports season as well, Gruver posted a heartfelt message on her Instagram that included the following passages:

“I have this weird feeling due to lack of closure of not having the NCAA championship meet and my heart goes out to everyone that is affected by the decision the NCAA made,” she wrote.

“I’ve had the best time in college, finding some of my best friends and working with the best coaches out there. I really can’t thank the people who have supported me enough, you guys have gotten me through the worst of days and been there for my best days, never giving up on me.”

This weekend was supposed to be the 45th Stanford Invitational, celebrating the anniversary of Gruver setting the collegiate outdoor record at last year’s meet by clearing 15 feet, 6.25 inches (4.73m) at Cobb Track and Angell Field.

INTERVIEW WITH OLIVIA GRUVER AT LAST YEAR'S STANFORD INVITATIONAL

Like all outdoor track and field competition throughout the world, the Coronavirus pandemic resulted in the cancellation of this season’s event. But the recent time spent in quarantine has allowed Gruver to reflect on several positive memories, not only from March 29, 2019 at Stanford, but throughout her entire collegiate career.

“No matter what happened this indoor season, the outdoor record will always have a special place in my heart,” Gruver said. “Of course, I would’ve loved another chance to break the indoor record, but I’m proud of everything else I did this season. The record would’ve just been the icing on the cake.”

Gruver, already the only women’s vaulter in NCAA history to make at least 15 feet for multiple schools, joined collegiate indoor record holder Demi Payne of Stephen F. Austin – who achieved a height of 15-7 (4.75m) in 2015 – as the only Division 1 female athletes to clear at least 15-5 (4.70m) both indoors and outdoors during their careers.

“I’ve coached some great athletes in my time, for sure, and she’s one of the toughest people I’ve ever coached,” said Huskies associate head coach Toby Stevenson, who has worked with Gruver at both Kentucky and Washington.

“She’s got the skill and she’s got the talent, but I’ve also learned a lot about her toughness. The way she can compete and the way she can perform under duress is really remarkable.”

Setting the record was special for Gruver for several reasons, since she redshirted the indoor season following her transfer from Kentucky to Washington and the Stanford Invitational was her first significant outdoor competition for the Huskies. In addition, she also eclipsed the 2015 clearance of 15-5.75 (4.72m) achieved by former Arkansas standout Sandi Morris.

“I, myself, and with coach (Stevenson), have looked over the jump several times, to either look at what I did right or see where I could improve,” Gruver said. “It is a great jump to pick apart and make me a better jumper/athlete.”

But it was extra significant for Stevenson, who still holds the Stanford program record in the men’s pole vault at 18-9.50 (5.72m) from 2000.

“After I jumped the record, emotions were definitely high and even more so because it was at Stanford,” Gruver said. “Sharing that is very special and something we will always have. After I jumped the record and even to this day, coach (Stevenson) and I talk about the jump and how happy we were after it.”

Although Gruver entered the meet last year after all the other vaulters had finished, the challenge of being the only competitor didn’t affect her performance.

During a career that saw Gruver achieve several clutch third-attempt clearances, especially at the 2018 NCAA Division 1 outdoor final when she returned to competition after suffering a broken ankle earlier in the year and had to make the opening height of 13-7.25 (4.15m) on her final try before repeating as champion by clearing 14-11 (4.55m), she didn’t need any more than two chances on any of her five successful bars at Stanford.

Gruver achieved the collegiate record on her second try and didn’t face a third-attempt opportunity until she was vaulting at 15-9 (4.80m), still the highest bar she has faced in her career.

“Throughout my career I have definitely become more consistent with my jumping,” Gruver said. “I think it comes with experience and jumping more.”

Although Gruver wasn’t able to match her success at Stanford during the rest of last year – placing third in June at the Division 1 outdoor final by clearing 14-7.25 (4.45m) in Austin, Texas – she regained exceptional form during the winter, highlighted by the No. 2 all-time collegiate indoor effort Feb. 15 with a first-attempt clearance of 15-5 at the Toyota USATF Indoor Championships in Albuquerque.

Gruver placed third at the meet behind Morris and fellow American Jenn Suhr, the past two World Indoor gold medalists.

WOMEN'S POLE VAULT ATTEMPTS AT 15-5 (4.70m) AND 15-9 (4.80m) AT TOYOTA USATF INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

“This year I have been the most consistent with my jumping during competition and I think that is because we have put emphasis on jumping more at practice, just more reps,” Gruver said. “This has transferred over into competitions and has truly helped.”

Gruver was able to vault just once during a workout at the Seattle-based Northwest Pole Vault Club, as well as practice pole runs on a local track after returning home from Albuquerque in the aftermath of the Division 1 indoor championship meet being canceled, before a recent stay-at-home order in an effort to adhere to social distancing guidelines has limited her options indefinitely.

“Since Albuquerque, I’ve been trying to stay in the best shape I can,” Gruver said. “We were able to jump once at Tim Reilly’s place, but once everything was shut down, we’ve only been able to do home workouts like body weight exercises and luckily we have a stationary bike to use. So basically trying to stay active in any way we can.”

Although Gruver is unsure regarding the next time she’ll find herself on a pole vault runway and even more uncertain about when her first professional competition might be due to the global restrictions implemented in an effort to flatten the curve of the Coronavirus pandemic, she knows her place among the elite vaulters in NCAA history is secure, thanks to her two Division 1 titles and collegiate outdoor record at Stanford.

“I would like to think my legacy at the collegiate level would be one of the best,” Gruver said. “However, as I enter the pro level of track and field, I just want to be competitive and make a name for myself. I have so much fun competing against all of the pole vault girls and with the years ahead of me, I think I can be one of the best at the pro level, too.”