SAO PAULO, Brazil – Samford's Tray Oates won the Gold Medal in the pole vault at the FISU America Games Monday at the Brazilian Paralympic Center.
 
Oates, one of 14 members of the USA Men's Track and Field team, won the event with a jump of 18' 0.5". For the victory, Oates beat out Brazil's Micael De Oliveira Cruz and Lucas Alisson Pedro.
 
Oates had a stellar career in his four seasons at Samford. He competed in multiple NCAA Championships during his time as a Bulldog. During his senior season, he earned All-American honors in the pole vault in both the indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships.
 
The FISU America Games are a multi-sport event sanctioned by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). Alternating with the Summer and Winter Universiades, which invite all the countries of the world for the biennial events, the FISU America Games are a regional multi-sport event similar to the Pan-American Games for FISU member-countries of North and South America held in even-numbered years.
 
The 2018 Games are the inaugural FISU America Games held in São Paulo, Brazil, July 20-29, 2018. All sports except soccer and futsal are being played at the newly-constructed Brazilian Paralympic Center. Find more information on the competition venues at the FISU America Games here. The event is being hosted by the Brazilian Federation (CBDU).