Friday was Annie Burlingham’s 24th birthday. And she made it memorable by achieving something she had never done before.
That was pole vaulting into All-American status, as the Cal State Stanislaus senior cleared 12 feet, 2 inches to finish sixth in her event at the NCAA Division II Indoor National Track & Field Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico. She is the third female Warrior since the 2005-06 season to be named an All-American.
“Best birthday,” Burlingham said. “It’s been great.”
It was the kind of experience she wanted ever since her husband, Kasey Burlingham, won the outdoor national championship in pole vaulting last season. Annie couldn’t afford to make that trip, so she paved her own way to a national track and field championship.
She qualified for Friday’s event after clearing 3.86 meters (or 12 feet, 8 inches) at Fresno State’s Run for the Dream in early February.
In Albuquerque, Annie was joined by her husband and pole vault coach, Tom Brenda. She said her husband helped calm the nerves she had before the track meet started, saying “I got pretty nervous before in the hotel getting ready. He just kind of laughed with me and it eased the anxiety.” It all helped her join former Warriors who achieved All-American status in Rosemary Feikert (2008) and Chaunte Mitchell (2005-06).
To contact Chhun Sun, e-mail csun@turlockjournal or call 634-9141 ext. 2041.
That was pole vaulting into All-American status, as the Cal State Stanislaus senior cleared 12 feet, 2 inches to finish sixth in her event at the NCAA Division II Indoor National Track & Field Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico. She is the third female Warrior since the 2005-06 season to be named an All-American.
“Best birthday,” Burlingham said. “It’s been great.”
It was the kind of experience she wanted ever since her husband, Kasey Burlingham, won the outdoor national championship in pole vaulting last season. Annie couldn’t afford to make that trip, so she paved her own way to a national track and field championship.
She qualified for Friday’s event after clearing 3.86 meters (or 12 feet, 8 inches) at Fresno State’s Run for the Dream in early February.
In Albuquerque, Annie was joined by her husband and pole vault coach, Tom Brenda. She said her husband helped calm the nerves she had before the track meet started, saying “I got pretty nervous before in the hotel getting ready. He just kind of laughed with me and it eased the anxiety.” It all helped her join former Warriors who achieved All-American status in Rosemary Feikert (2008) and Chaunte Mitchell (2005-06).
To contact Chhun Sun, e-mail csun@turlockjournal or call 634-9141 ext. 2041.
