EUGENE, Ore. – Samford track and field opened competition at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships with redshirt-sophomore Tray Oates competing in the men's pole vault event on Wednesday, June 8, at Hayward Field.

The talented vaulter cleared the first two standards on his first attempt before failing to clear the 5.45m mark late in the afternoon. Oates finished 7^th overall at the championships to earn Samford points in the overall team standings while also becoming Samford's first USTFCCCA All-American First Team honroee.

"Really proud of Tray today as making All-American First Team is a huge accomplishment." Head Coach Rod Tiffin stated. "The conditions were not ideal with the swirling winds but he was able to persevere and clear a few bars to put Samford on the scoreboard."

Oates opened up the championship event by clearing the opening mark of 5.15m (16-10 ¾) on his very first attempt. He cleared the bar by making an adjustment to drift over towards the right side of the bar which allowed him to advance to the next standard.

The Acworth, Georgia native pushed past the second mark set at 5.30m (17-4 ½) just as easily as his first vault of the competition. The vault kept Oates on pace with the leaders in the event while also securing himself at least spot on the USTFCCCA All-American Second Team as eight other vaulters were eliminated from competition prior to his 5.30m clearance.

The only other Bulldog to achieve that feat on the men's side was former pole vaulter Michael Seaman in 2011. Seaman finished 16^th overall that year with a clearance of 5.15m.

Oates continued to battle throughout as the swirling winds pushed vaulters off of their marks and by the time the 11 remaining vaulters were set to take on the standard of 5.45m only six had cleared 5.30m on their initial attempt which included Oates.

The trio of Oates along with Adam Bragg of Princeton and Cole Walsh of Oregon finished in a deadlock tie at 7^th place as each recorded the same height in the same amount of attempts throughout the event.

Next up for the Bulldogs is Karisa Nelson as she readies herself to compete in the women's 1,500 meter run tomorrow.