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Get ready to see Jack Vecellio in purple and orange next year.
The senior at Frontier Regional School decided to continue his track and field career at Division I Clemson University, where he will compete in the pole vault. He signed his National Letter of Intent last month.
“It’s a relief to do it early and have everything ready,” said Vecellio of the decision. “I felt like something clicked at Clemson. I got on very well with the coach and just had the feeling that it was the right choice for me. I really like where the heads of the coaches are. I was on the same page with them throughout the process. “
Vecellio visited three times this fall: Clemson with his mother, Kansas with his father, and Memphis with his sister. He was able to fully attend each school, which made him feel good about the campus and the schools themselves. With every visit he got to know the coaches and athletes of each team, which ultimately helped with the decision.
He also took a close look at South Dakota, Ole Miss, and Auburn, but ultimately decided that joining the Tigers and the ACC was the right choice for him.
“Kansas has a great group of jumpers, their trainer was great, and I had a good connection with them,” said Vecellio. “I really liked the team with Memphis and the coach was really cool. I just liked the location of Clemson. It’s nice down there. Everyone was great. I really like the coaches. They are building up their pole vaulting program and are recruiting pole vaulters again. “
While visiting Palmetto State, Vecellio said he connected with the athletes already on the Clemson team and also spoke virtually to other recruits who will join the program next year.
“A big part of the decision was the Clemson team,” said Vecellio. “They were really cool and I kept in touch with some of them. They recruited another pole vaulter and we talked on Instagram. While I was down there I got to hang out with a couple of guys on the team and they were super cool and nice. ”
Vecellio will appoint Clemson as the most highly recruited vaulting professional. He set his personal best of 16 feet, an inch, at the Flying Circus Summer Fiber-Blast Pole Vault Festival Meet 2021 in Warwick, New York.
That came on the heels when he bought the MIAA Central / West Div. 2 championship meetings record of 15 feet, an inch in June. He currently has the tallest jump of the winter season among New England High School athletes at 15 feet and six inches.
“The pole vault is one area of ​​our team that we are trying to build and Jack is the person who starts that process,” said Mark Elliott, director of Clemson’s athletics program, in a statement. “We are very excited about his abilities and are very happy to have him on our team.”
As soon as he’s on campus, Vecellio expects to compete in the ACC immediately. His PR of 16-1 would have put him eighth overall in the ACC Outdoor Championship held in Raleigh, NC last year, and he hopes to have even better numbers when he’s down there.
The winning jump at the ACC Championship was 16 feet, 11 inches.
“Last year the ACC pole vault wasn’t crazy,” said Vecellio. “I hope I can do well in the ACC. There are some really good schools out there and I look forward to competing with them. Hopefully I’ll jump higher than my PR next year. ”
The goal of increasing his PR is an ongoing process for Vecellio. He travels to Brandeis University once or twice a week to practice, and he also has a catwalk in his house to practice. He has already contested five indoor meetings this winter.
He’s traveling to New York City for another meeting this weekend to continue practicing and working on his craft.
“I’m slowly making progress and trying to get back to where I left off last summer,” said Vecellio.
As soon as he comes to training, pole vaulting becomes a year-round affair. In autumn he trains eight hours a week before switching to 20 hours a week at the start of the indoor season.
Vecellio said many of the indoor meetings on campus take place before the spring trip starts, another thing he liked about Clemson.
“The indoor track in Clemson is super nice,†said Vecellio. “The campus is on a lake, so it is difficult to use the outdoor lane due to water damage. I look forward to it. I like that I don’t travel too much early on so I can stay on campus and make friends with everything. “
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