Scott Steffan Named National Collegiate Pole Vault Coach of the Year

Steffan was honored during the annual Pole Vault Summit in Reno.




Jan. 18, 2013




RENO, Nev. - Air Force pole vault coach Scott Steffan was named the National Collegiate Pole Vault Coach of the Year this morning (Jan. 18) during the opening day of the annual Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev. Steffan was honored by USA Track and Field for the success of his vaulters during the 2012 season.

Last season, Steffan coached Cale Simmons (Rocklin HS, CA) to All-American status and Mountain West titles during both the indoor and outdoor seasons. The men's pole vault team dominated the top of the awards podium at the conference championships, taking six of the eight scoring places at the indoor championships and five of the top-eight finishes at the outdoor meet. The Falcons' pole vault team also accounted for four all-MW selections, while helping Air Force to its first-ever conference team title.

Steffan, who earned the Mountain Region Outdoor Men's Field Event Coach of the Year award from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association in 2012, has guided the Falcons' pole vault program into a national prominence during his first five seasons.

Since his arrival at the Academy in 2008, Steffan-coached vaulters have accounted for six All-America citations, four MW championships, 17 all-conference selections (13 men, four women) and over half of the top 10 clearances in program history.

"This is richly deserved," Air Force head coach Ralph Lindeman said. "What I find even more important that the achievement of his vaulters is how much he cares for our cadet-athletes, their education and careers. His enthusiasm and energy impact our entire program."





Selected as the top collegiate coach in the country, Steffan was one of several coaches to earn national coaching awards at the Pole Vault Summit, as he joined Rick Suhr (open), Greg Woepse (developmental) and Tom Martin (high school).

Courtesy Air Force