Eric Rose (L) and Max Garvin (R) clear bars
The 2026 indoor track and field season is once again set to begin with the pole vault taking center stage in Texas, an event that reliably ignites the indoor calendar long before most athletes toe the line on the track. With access to year-round facilities at MAC Vault, Texas Express, and Austin Pole Vault & Throws, Bay Area Pole Vault Academy, Vault Barn, Vault Cats, Arnolds Aviators and several more, Texas vaulters enter the season already sharp, and the early results suggest another winter filled with high bars, deep fields, and national relevance.
At the top of the returners' list is Eric Rose, who established himself as one of the premier vaulters in the country during the 2025 season. Rose cleared 17-0 indoors, then elevated his profile even further outdoors with a 17-6 clearance and a 17-1 performance at the USATF U20 Championships, proving he can compete on the biggest stages. His ability to deliver both indoors and outdoors makes him a natural favorite heading into 2026, especially given that he has already opened the fall season with multiple clearances at or above 15-6.
Alongside him is the two-time UIL 2A state champion Max Garvin, whose 2025 campaign was defined by consistency and big-meet execution. After placing third at Nike Indoor Nationals with a 16-8 clearance, Garvin exploded outdoors with four meets clearing over 17-feet, including a massive 17-8.25, the best mark among all returning vaulters and one that places him firmly in the national elite entering the indoor season.
Just behind the leaders is a strong group capable of reshaping the competitive order. Ben Haywood returns after finishing second at the Texas High School Indoor Championship with a 16-0.25 vault and backing that up with a 16-8 outdoor clearance, while Trent Carlisle and Noah Schuller both showed steady progression by clearing 15 feet indoors and extending that range to 16-0 outdoors. Younger athletes are also making their presence felt, with Evan Jitjaeng, Zack Holt, and Santiago Fernandez all returning from productive indoor seasons and continuing to trend upward as they gain experience and confidence at higher bars.
Depth remains the hallmark of Texas pole vault, and that depth has already been on display during the fall jump series. Early competitions such as the Texas Express Fall Classic and vault-only meets at Austin Pole Vault & Throws have produced multiple 15-foot clearances before December, including strong showings from Holt, Schuller, and Carlisle. The presence of multiple training groups pushing athletes in the same meets has created an environment where clearing 15-16 feet is becoming the expectation rather than the exception, and where finals routinely feature eight or more athletes within a foot of one another.
With several vaulters already flirting with 16 feet, a pair capable of challenging the 17-foot barrier, and a robust developmental pipeline fueled by elite facilities and coaching, the 2026 indoor season has all the ingredients for one of the most competitive pole vault years Texas has ever seen. As the calendar turns fully toward winter, expect the bars to rise quickly-and often- as Texas continues to define the national standard in the event.