DES MOINES, Iowa – Exactly two weeks from the return of the Vault at Jordan Creek, the Drake Relays has finalized its lineups for the 2026 indoor event plus the World Athletics Continental Tour (WACT) pole vault inside Drake Stadium during the 116th Drake Relays.

The pole vault events are primed to be some of the most competitive elite showcases in recent Relays history. The women's participants are highlighted by several international -level stars and the top two athletes in the world while the men's group features a handful of deep Drake ties and the American record holder.

"We are incredibly excited about the depth and star power assembled for this year's pole vault competitions," said Blake Boldon, the Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays. "With world-leading athletes and an exceptional lineup of champions and record holders, fans can expect some of the most electrifying pole vault action Des Moines has ever seen. This is truly a loaded group of athletes, and we can't wait to showcase their talents in front of an always enthusiastic crowd."

Katie Moon and Sandi Morris, the Nos. 1 and 2 ranked women's pole vaulters in the world, as well as 2026 US Indoor runner-up Emily Grove, have already been announced as features of the women's field in the Vault at Jordan Creek. Read about the return of Des Moines' one-of-a-kind indoor pole vault exhibition here.

Other Vault at Jordan Creek participants include Canadian Anika Newell, a 3-time Olympic qualifier, Chloe Timberg, the 2026 US Indoor champion, and Natassja Campbell, a former 5-time NCAA All-American. Moon, a 7-time American champion and the Olympic gold medalist at the 2024 Summer Games in Tokyo, and Morris, who also boasts an Olympic medal after a runner-up finish in 2016, will be joined by Grove and the aforementioned trio in the WACT Women's Pole Vault in the stadium on Saturday, April 25.

The outdoor women's field will be rounded out by Tori Thomas, who was the runner-up in the 2025 Drake Relays Women's Championship division as a 3-time All-American at the University of Illinois, Jessica Mercier, who finished ninth at the World Indoor Championships last month, and Madi Wulfekotter, a 4-time NCAA Division II All-American at the University of Central Missouri.
The Relays' initial announcement of the Vault at Jordan Creek's return to West Des Moines also included the commitments of reigning men's division champion and American record holder KC Lightfoot, Olympic silver medalist and 2022 Relays champion Chris Nilsen, and 2026 US Indoor title winner Zach Bradford.

The men's indoor roster also includes 2021 Olympian Matt Ludwig, who finished third inside Jordan Creek Town Center when the event was last held, Tokyo Olympic qualifier Jacob Wooten, and Cole Walsh, who was fourth in the Vault at Jordan Creek two years ago.

The men's pole vault action will get even more dramatic as competition shifts outdoors. Two-time Olympian and World Outdoor Champion Sam Kendricks is set to make his Drake Relays return. Kendricks won the Olympic silver medal in 2024 after earning bronze in 2026. He has racked up a staggering 11 US titles and five total Drake Relays championships. Kendricks' success in Des Moines has not been limited to America's Athletic Classic with a pair of US crowns in 2018 and 2019. His personal best leap of 6.06m/19-10.5 ranks second all-time domestically and sixth all-time globally.

Two-time NCAA champion Keaton Daniel, 2026 US Indoor fifth place winner Tray Oates, 6-time US Championship finalist Nate Richartz, and current University of Nebraska sophomore and reigning Big Ten Indoor champion Dyson Wicker cap off a thrilling field on the men's side.

Tickets to the 2026 Drake Relays are available for purchase here.