University of Minnesota Athletics
`U' Alum Siegmeier Joins Gophers Staff
8/25/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) – One of the best pole vaulters in University of Minnesota history has returned to the program with Zach Siegmeier joining the Gophers staff as director of operations for men’s track & field and cross country.
“We are thrilled to welcome Zach back to campus as a member of our staff,” Minnesota Director of Men’s Track & Field and Cross Country Steve Plasencia said. “He was vital to our program’s success as a student-athlete, and now he’ll be a vital part of it as our director of operations.”
A native of Lakewood, Ill., Siegmeier was a two-time All-American for the Gophers and a three-time Big Ten champion. As a senior captain in 2014, he swept the indoor and outdoor Big Ten pole vault titles including a second-straight conference crown during the outdoor season. Siegmeier, who went on to earn Minnesota’s inaugural Garry Bjorklund Award as team MVP in 2014, picked up Second Team All-America honors during the indoor season and First Team All-America honors during the outdoor campaign. He finished his collegiate career ranked fourth all-time at Minnesota in the outdoor pole vault (5.51 meters, 18-01.00 ft.) and fifth all-time in the indoor pole vault (5.45 meters, 17-10.50 ft.).
A three-time letter winner, Siegmeier was also a three-time All-Big Ten and Academic All-Big Ten honoree. He earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis on sport science.
Following his college career, Siegmeier competed professionally and cleared a personal record of 5.60 meters (18-04 ft.) to qualify for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
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