National Collegiate Athletic Association

NCAA News Archive - 2010

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May 28, 2010 8:28:09 AM

The Division II Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships will have a family appeal to it.

Cal State Stanislaus pole vaulters Kasey and Annie Burlingham, who have been married for four and a half years, will be competing this weekend in the men's and women's events in Charlotte, North Carolina. The women jump Friday, and the men are scheduled for Saturday.

Kasey Burlingham is the defending men's national champion with a jump of 18-8½ in 2009.

Last year, Annie didn't qualify for the women's national meet, and the couple couldn't afford for her to travel to Texas to watch Kasey compete. Not being able to watch her husband's highest achievement in person motivated Annie Burlingham. This year, they were on the same flight to the NCAA meet.

The top 16 pole vaulters, including ties, qualify for the national meet. Annie Burlingham earned her spot by tying for the 15th seed.

"When I heard I was definitely qualified for the national meet, I was pretty excited," Annie Burlingham said. "I was checking the list hourly to see if I had made it. Even after it was finalized, I wanted to make sure I was still going."

Annie, who is majoring in English, and Kasey met in high school in Colfax, California. Kasey, a physical education major, took up pole vaulting at the age of 14 and convinced Annie to try the sport her senior year.

"She had never played any sports, but she's athletic," said Kasey Burlingham, who is seeded second at the national meet this spring with a season-best vault of 18-4. "I thought once she started competing in a sport, she would be good because of her athleticism"

Kasey noticed a new level of dedication by his wife as they prepared for their senior year.

"I vaulted before and it was purely because I could, or because Kasey did it," Annie Burlingham said. "Now, I'm doing it because I want to."

During the indoor season, Annie earned All-American honors by placing sixth with a jump of 12-8.

Tom Brenda, the pole vaulting coach at Cal State Stanislaus, also recognized how Annie's approach to the sport changed.

"I saw it at the start of September," Brenda said. "I could tell back then that she was fully committed. She's proven herself."

Brenda said the Burlinghams are complete opposites in terms of personality. Kasey is more reserved.

"He is a student of the game," Brenda said. "He knows the sport well. When it comes to coaching her, he can't help but get involved himself. It's his wife. I look for him to see if he sees something in her technique."

Annie is more outgoing.

"She is my best cheerleader on the team, and she gets Kasey excited to jump," Brenda said. "This is a motivational sport, and she gets the crowd going. She'll get the clap going, and the people from the stands join in. She makes sure he stays motivated."

This season has been a learning experience for Kasey Burlingham, too. Last year, he was seeded third heading into the national meet and walked away with the national title.

This year, he has been jumping as the defending national champion, which puts a bull's eye on him.

"It put a little pressure on me, because I don't like to be rated high," Kasey Burlingham said. "Last year, I knew I had a shot to win at nationals, but I didn't expect to win. I had a good day. I was happy about it, but I was shocked that I actually won."

Brenda feels Kasey has the right mindset heading into his final collegiate competition.

"During the middle of the season, he seemed to think about the expectations too much," Brenda said. "He went through a slump and lost some confidence. Recently he gained that confidence back and has jumped well the last few weeks."

Annie is also in a good place mentally for the upcoming meet.

"Every goal I set for this year, I've met," Annie Burlingham said. "I made it here. Everything after that is gravy right now."