Track and Field
Brian Porter
- Title:
- Pole Vault/Javelin
- Email:
- brian.porter@siu.edu
- Phone:
- 618-453-5451
Brian Porter is in his fourth season as the pole vault and javelin coach at Southern Illinois University. Porter has led an all-out assault on the SIU record book in the pole vault during his three seasons, turning SIU from an average school in the event into one of the Valley's premier vaulting institutions.Â
Through three seasons, Porter owns three MVC titles, two SIU records, six All-MVC vaulters, four regional qualifiers and one national qualifier. He has also completed an absolute re-write of the SIU record books; his female vaulters own six of the top-seven clearences on both the indoor and outdoor lists in 2015 alone, and he has two men over 17 feet outdoors as well.
The 2015 season was, without a doubt, the best for the pole vault cumulatively on a conference and national stage in SIU history. Porter's vaulters scored an absurd 77 combined points in 2015 -- 40 at the outdoor meet and 37 at the indoor meet. Much of that had to do with the arrival of Illinois high school all-time record holder Lindsey Murray of nearby Harrisburg, Ill., who won the indoor MVC title and annihilated both the SIU indoor (4.30m/14-01.25) and otudoor (4.22m/13-10.00) records along the way by more than one foot each. Sophomore walk-on Nathan Schuck also turned some heads after winning the outdoor title in an upset after clearing 5.19m (17-00.25). Junior transfer Jonathan Walsh also earned All-MVC by clearing the same height. For their efforts, the duo qualified for the NCAA West Regional. His male vaulters went 1-3-4-8 outdoors, helping seal the first Saluki men's outdoor title since 1992 with their performances.
The story of the year, though, was the high-flying antics of the freshman Murray. After a stellar indoor campaign, Murray earned a trip to the indoor national meet, where she fell just shy of First-Team All-American honors with a ninth-place finish. Murray still earned Second-Team status, and was the top-freshman in competition. Murray also had considerable competition; the 2014-15 indoor and otudoor seasons were dubbed the "Year of the Vault" due to the very high bars that were being cleared. Stephen F. Austin's Demi Payne and Arkansas' Sandi Morris completely whitewashed the NCAA record book, trading collegiate records back and forth.
In 2014, Porter set the stage for later success by coaching his young, first recruiting class to a strong season. Freshman Katie Trupp excelled, nearly winning the outdoor title and nearly toppling SIU's all-time record in the process, finsihing as the runner-up for All-MVC honors.
In just his first year with the Salukis, Coach Porter succeeded in developing an MVC Champion in Ryan Sidwell, who won the indoor pole vault title. Sidwell who finished his career sixth (indoors) and tenth (outdoors) all-time at SIU with marks set in 2013 under Porter's tutelage. Porter's other two male vaulters -- John Baughman and Alex Lietz -- also posted personal best clearances during the year.
Porter comes from Texas Tech University, where he enjoyed a successful career as both an athlete and assistant coach.
A 2010 graduate of Texas Tech in exercise sports science, Porter was a seven-time All-Big 12 honoree and a four-time national qualifier as a student-athlete from 2007-10.
As an assistant coach over the next two seasons, Porter assisted in the development of: six national qualifiers (including two in the triple and high jumps); a three-time Big 12 runner-up; a school record holder in the women's pole vault, who cleared an Olympic A standard of 4.50m; the 2011 men's Big 12 champion in the pole vault; and, the 2011 Big 12 Outstanding Freshman of the Year, who attained a personal best of 5.41m.
Porter studied under the legendary Rock Light while at Texas Tech in all aspects of the jumps and combine events.
Porter graduated from Maypearl High in Maypearl, Texas. He participated in football, basketball and track and field during his time there. He was a member of the 2005 and 2006 district track and field championship teams, and ran a leg in the 2006 district champion 4x100 and 4x400 squads. Porter became the district champion in pole vault in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and he also took the title at regionals in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Porter earned the bronze medal at state competition in the pole vault in 2004, and was the 2AA State pole vault champion in 2005 and 2006.
Porter was born July 13, 1987 to Joe and Renea Porter in Dallas, Texas. He resides with his wife, Cara, in Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Through three seasons, Porter owns three MVC titles, two SIU records, six All-MVC vaulters, four regional qualifiers and one national qualifier. He has also completed an absolute re-write of the SIU record books; his female vaulters own six of the top-seven clearences on both the indoor and outdoor lists in 2015 alone, and he has two men over 17 feet outdoors as well.
The 2015 season was, without a doubt, the best for the pole vault cumulatively on a conference and national stage in SIU history. Porter's vaulters scored an absurd 77 combined points in 2015 -- 40 at the outdoor meet and 37 at the indoor meet. Much of that had to do with the arrival of Illinois high school all-time record holder Lindsey Murray of nearby Harrisburg, Ill., who won the indoor MVC title and annihilated both the SIU indoor (4.30m/14-01.25) and otudoor (4.22m/13-10.00) records along the way by more than one foot each. Sophomore walk-on Nathan Schuck also turned some heads after winning the outdoor title in an upset after clearing 5.19m (17-00.25). Junior transfer Jonathan Walsh also earned All-MVC by clearing the same height. For their efforts, the duo qualified for the NCAA West Regional. His male vaulters went 1-3-4-8 outdoors, helping seal the first Saluki men's outdoor title since 1992 with their performances.
The story of the year, though, was the high-flying antics of the freshman Murray. After a stellar indoor campaign, Murray earned a trip to the indoor national meet, where she fell just shy of First-Team All-American honors with a ninth-place finish. Murray still earned Second-Team status, and was the top-freshman in competition. Murray also had considerable competition; the 2014-15 indoor and otudoor seasons were dubbed the "Year of the Vault" due to the very high bars that were being cleared. Stephen F. Austin's Demi Payne and Arkansas' Sandi Morris completely whitewashed the NCAA record book, trading collegiate records back and forth.
In 2014, Porter set the stage for later success by coaching his young, first recruiting class to a strong season. Freshman Katie Trupp excelled, nearly winning the outdoor title and nearly toppling SIU's all-time record in the process, finsihing as the runner-up for All-MVC honors.
In just his first year with the Salukis, Coach Porter succeeded in developing an MVC Champion in Ryan Sidwell, who won the indoor pole vault title. Sidwell who finished his career sixth (indoors) and tenth (outdoors) all-time at SIU with marks set in 2013 under Porter's tutelage. Porter's other two male vaulters -- John Baughman and Alex Lietz -- also posted personal best clearances during the year.
Porter comes from Texas Tech University, where he enjoyed a successful career as both an athlete and assistant coach.
A 2010 graduate of Texas Tech in exercise sports science, Porter was a seven-time All-Big 12 honoree and a four-time national qualifier as a student-athlete from 2007-10.
As an assistant coach over the next two seasons, Porter assisted in the development of: six national qualifiers (including two in the triple and high jumps); a three-time Big 12 runner-up; a school record holder in the women's pole vault, who cleared an Olympic A standard of 4.50m; the 2011 men's Big 12 champion in the pole vault; and, the 2011 Big 12 Outstanding Freshman of the Year, who attained a personal best of 5.41m.
Porter studied under the legendary Rock Light while at Texas Tech in all aspects of the jumps and combine events.
Porter graduated from Maypearl High in Maypearl, Texas. He participated in football, basketball and track and field during his time there. He was a member of the 2005 and 2006 district track and field championship teams, and ran a leg in the 2006 district champion 4x100 and 4x400 squads. Porter became the district champion in pole vault in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and he also took the title at regionals in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Porter earned the bronze medal at state competition in the pole vault in 2004, and was the 2AA State pole vault champion in 2005 and 2006.
Porter was born July 13, 1987 to Joe and Renea Porter in Dallas, Texas. He resides with his wife, Cara, in Cape Girardeau, Mo.
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