DURHAM – Duke freshman pole vaulter Paige Sommers has been named the 2021 High School Girls Athlete of the Year, as announced by Track & Field News on Monday. Sommers accumulated 176 votes, edging out Roisin Willis to claim the title.
A decorated pole vaulter who competed in the 2021 U.S. Olympic trials alongside Duke alumna Megan Clark, Sommers garnered the distinction after setting the national high school pole vault record with a clearance of 4.50m (14-9 feet) and the national high school outdoor pole vault record at 4.48m (14-8.25 feet).
