BROOKINGS, S.D. - Already firmly established as one of the very best athletes to ever come through the Midway women's track and field program, Nevaeh Brown further cemented her legacy with a record-setting performance at the NAIA Indoor National Championships on Friday.
Brown broke her own program record and tied for a meet-best height of 3.87 meters in the pole vault, earning a runner-up finish.
She hit the same height as Indiana Tech's Evelyn Dolce, but Dolce earned the title after clearing it on her first try, whereas Brown needed two.
Brown started the day by clearing her first five attempts, tying her previous school record of 3.82 meters in the process. And by day's end, she had recorded the best national finish in Midway history, surpassing the third-place, triple jump performance by Alexia Schofield in 2021.
The Louisville native credited her success to a combination of both mental and physical factors. She says coach Duane Morris "had me write in my journal the night before and visualize everything I had wanted" to happen, an effect that carried over and provided a nice balance at the start of competition, when she "felt really charged and ready to go with all the caffeine."
Such an outcome wasn't always guaranteed, as both Brown and Morris acknowledge that a few mental obstacles popped up in the weeks leading up to the season.
"We ran into a slump and she wasn't sure (how'd she do) at one point," Brown said. "But she's a fighter. She's a tough kid. And we just talked about being the best version of yourself and she worked hard, she worked through it and I'm extremely happy with how things worked out."
And though Brown admits "I was upset I didn't get first" Friday, that was a minor complaint following another record-breaking showing.
"I did what I came here to do," said Brown, who is now a two-time pole vault All-American at both Indoor and Outdoor Nationals. "Coming from the fall, I was not in the right mental space and my jumps were all over the place. So I think that I've done a lot and I have something to really be proud of, proud to show the school.
For good measure, Brown was also named to the River States Conference Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete Team on Friday. Other Eagles to be selected were Abby Cunningham, Aliyah Helm, Ann Graves, Emilee Cecil, Holly Johnstone, Madison Clayton, Makayla Brooks and Trinity Smith.
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