-
Sep 3, 630 p
LOU
BAL
-
Sep 5, 5 pm
OW
LOU
-
Sep 5, 5 pm
DES
LOU
-
Sep 10, 430 p
LOU
WI TRIN
-
Sep 10, 430 p
LOU
PIP
-
Sep 12, 630 p
OTT
LOU
-
Sep 14, 8 am
LOU
FRON INV
-
Sep 17, 630 p
BONSP
LOU
-
Sep 24, 630 p
EUD
LOU
-
Sep 26, 5 pm
LOU
FS
-
Sep 26, 5 pm
LOU
GIR
-
Sep 28, 8 am
LOU
LOU INV
-
Oct 1, 630 p
LOU
PAO
-
Oct 3, 630 p
SH
LOU
-
Oct 5, 9 am
LOU
OTT INV
-
Oct 8, 630 p
LOU
TONG
-
Oct 12, 9 am
LOU
ATCH INV
-
Oct 17, 5 pm
LOU
OTT
-
Oct 17, 5 pm
LOU
WAM
-
Sep 3, 6 pm
LOU
BL
-
Sep 5, 6 pm
IND
LOU
-
Sep 10, 6 pm
LOU
PITT
-
Sep 12, 6 pm
LOU
BONSP
-
Sep 17, 6 pm
LAN
LOU
-
Sep 19, 6 pm
LOU
EUD
-
Sep 24, 6 pm
BAL
LOU
-
Sep 26, 6 pm
LOU
SH
-
Oct 1, 6 pm
CHA
LOU
-
Oct 3, 6 pm
OTT
LOU
-
Oct 7, 430 p
LOU
PAR
-
Oct 10, 6 pm
TONG
LOU
-
Oct 15, 6 pm
LOU
PAO
-
Oct 17, 630 p
LOU
LEAV
-
Oct 22, 6 pm
BV
LOU
-
Oct 24, 4 p
LOU
BAL
-
Final
HAR
LOU3
13 -
Final
HAR
LOU1
13 -
Final
LOU
SH0
9 -
Final
BAL
LOU6
12 -
Final
LOU
OTT14
8 -
Final
LOU
OTT21
4 -
Final
SH
LOU4
5 -
Final
WEL
LOU1
14 -
Final
WEL
LOU2
10 -
Final
LOU
BONSP7
0 -
Final
LOU
BONSP5
1 -
Final
LOU
TONG9
4 -
Final
LOU
PIP19
15 -
Final
LOU
PIP5
7 -
Final
LOU
LAN5
4 -
Final
LOU
LAN5
4 -
Final
LOU
BV6
16 -
Apr 25, 430 p
LOU
AC
-
Apr 25, 6 pm
LOU
AC
-
Final
LOU
PV19
3 -
Final
LOU
CHA6
10 -
Final
EUD
LOU5
16 -
Postponed
EUD
LOU
-
Final
LOU
PAO4
11 -
Final
LOU
PAO18
3 -
Final
BL
LOU10
4
-
Final
FRON
LOU11
0 -
Postponed
FRON
LOU
-
Final
BAL
LOU2
13 -
Final
LOU
OTT10
11 -
Final
LOU
OTT10
0 -
Final
SH
LOU13
2 -
Final
SH
LOU16
5 -
Final
WEL
LOU3
4 -
Final
WEL
LOU6
7 -
Final
LOU
BONSP4
1 -
Final
LOU
BONSP13
10 -
Final
LOU
TONG9
4 -
Final
LOU
TONG3
5 -
Final
LOU
MAC5
21 -
Final
LOU
EMP5
2 -
Final
LOU
BVW1
2 -
Final
FS
LOU12
0 -
Final
FS
LOU14
9 -
Final
EUD
LOU14
2 -
Final
LOU
LAN4
5 -
Final
LOU
CHAN0
10 -
Final
LOU
LAN1
3 -
Final
LOU
CHA1
6 -
Final
LOU
PAO9
2 -
Final
LOU
PAO12
3 -
Final
LOU
BAL10
0
-
Final
TONG
LOU51
53 -
Final
LOU
BUR51
63 -
Final
AC
LOU37
44 -
Final
LOU
BAL42
60 -
Final
LOU
FRON57
46 -
Final
LOU
EUD46
53 -
Final OT
LOU
SH60
57 -
Final
BAL
LOU62
46 -
Final
NEK
LOU55
54 -
Final 2OT
GIR
LOU58
56 -
Final
LOU
WAM45
56 -
Final
BON
LOU45
53 -
Final
PAO
LOU16
47 -
Final
LEE
LOU71
46 -
Final
LOU
OTT52
62 -
Final
LOU
TONG45
40 -
Final
SH
LOU44
42 -
Final
EUD
LOU52
49 -
Final
LOU
PAO46
29 -
Final
HAR
LOU57
52
-
Final
TONG
LOU48
28 -
Final
LOU
BUR38
43 -
Final
AC
LOU35
31 -
Final
LOU
BAL23
42 -
Final
LOU
FRON48
55 -
Final
LOU
EUD37
56 -
Final
LOU
SH46
59 -
Final
BAL
LOU52
31 -
Final
NEK
LOU41
49 -
Final
CHA
LOU53
36 -
Final
GIR
LOU42
34 -
Final
LOU
WAM24
63 -
Final
BON
LOU35
40 -
Final
PAO
LOU38
42 -
Final
LOU
OTT29
45 -
Final
LOU
TONG40
39 -
Final
SH
LOU43
37 -
Final
EUD
LOU38
30 -
Final
LOU
PAO39
35 -
Final
HAR
LOU33
40
Season-ending injury fuels Caplinger as he joins Washburn track program
- Updated: July 16, 2024
![](https://louisburgsportszone.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/999A1641-1024x732.jpg)
It was supposed to be a senior year to remember for Caden Caplinger.
Caplinger, who had won the state title in the pole vault his sophomore and junior years, was excited for a chance at a 3-peat. That chance, unfortunately, never came.
A torn meniscus ended Caplinger’s senior track season before it really got going and he was forced to miss his final year with the Wildcats.
Even with that bad news, Caplinger’s future in the pole vault is far from over. He saw his dream become a reality when he signed with Washburn University to join the track and field program.
“It means a lot to me that I was able to sign with such a good school like Washburn,” Caplinger said. “They have an amazing pole vault program and I feel very blessed to be apart of it. Ever since freshman year, I got to start pole vaulting with Luke Faulkner and being at practice with him really started my love for vaulting even more and I wanted to continue it through college.”
Caplinger will get that opportunity with the Ichabod program. Winning two state titles certainly provided him options for after high school, but Washburn gave him everything he was a looking for — both on the track and in the classroom.
He also gets to learn under pole vault coach Rick Attig, who has coached All-Americans and a national champion during a career, where he also coached at the University of Kansas and the University of Nebraska. Attig is also a member of the National Pole Vault Hall of Fame.
“In my process of picking Washburn, I was looking for a few things, the coaching, schooling, and things that would make the process smoother and more enjoyable,” Caplinger said. “They have one of the best pole vault programs, led by one of the best pole vault coaches ever. They also just got a new school of business and I know about bunch of the track athletes there already. Plus I’m rooming with (Louisburg grad) Declan (Battle), so all of that will make it easier to get settled in.”
![](https://louisburgsportszone.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/group-sign-1024x731.jpg)
It has been a rough few months for Caplinger, who has been recovering from his knee injury. The loss of his senior season was a tough one to deal with as he was hoping to avoid losing the whole year.
After the first meet, however, Caplinger knew something wasn’t right. He couldn’t ignore the pain any longer and decided to get it checked out.
As tough as the news was to hear, Caplinger couldn’t have been happier to see the pole vault title stay in Louisburg as teammate Cooper Wingfield won the gold medal at the state meet last May.
“From the beginning, I knew something was wrong cause I think it happened sometime in February, but I put it off because I didn’t want to be out for the season,” Caplinger said. “Then it started getting really uncomfortable after the first meet and I ended up no heighting for the first time in my career. My dad told me we were going to get an MRI.
“When we figured out I tore my meniscus it was honestly really hard because I love every part of track and I knew I probably wouldn’t be able to come back. Even though I didn’t get to go to state, I was so happy that Cooper won it. I knew he could win it and he did exactly that.”
Even before high school, Caplinger knew pole vaulting was something he wanted to do. As he grew, so did the love of the sport and he is very appreciative of everything he has accomplished up to this point.
“I started pole vaulting in sixth grade because my dad did it when he was younger and asked if I wanted to try it,” Caplinger said. “I ended up winning league my seventh grade year and started really enjoying it. When I got into high school, the thing that separated it from other sports is that there isn’t anything like it. Once you go over the bar and are falling onto the mat, the feeling is just indescribable. Also the people I’ve met through the sport have been nothing but kind and supportive, and I’ve made some really good friends through it.”
Like in high school, Caplinger has high expectations for himself when he steps onto the Washburn campus.
“I’m going to absorb as much information as I can and figure out exactly what I have to do to become the best vaulter possible,” he said. “My goals are to break the inside and outside pole vaulting records and become the best vaulter at Washburn.”