Mike Woepse has been pole vaulting competitively since his freshman year at Mater Dei High School in nearby Santa Ana. Now a redshirt senior for the Bruins, he approaches the end of his time in the blue and gold, with only two more meets left for the 2015 indoor season.
Pole vaulting has been his forte ever since stepping on campus as a member of the Bruins’ track and field program back in 2011.
Not everything has remained the same throughout his career. Woepse has had two coaches during his tenure, Jack Hoyt and Anthony Curran, both of whom he attributes his success to.
“They’ve both just helped me so much in four years, especially coach Curran. He took me under his wing and treated me as one of his best guys. He put me in the A group right away,” Woepse said. “There’s only three male vaulters now but there were 10 my freshman year. He taught me so much about the vault and what it takes to be the best. Coach Hoyt came in later and held me to that same standard right off the bat.”
Woepse faces a large task at hand. After the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Indoor Championships next week, the redshirt senior will compete in his last collegiate meet at the NCAA National Indoor Track and Field Championships. Woepse will likely be pitted against Akron’s Shawn Barber, who is the current collegiate record holder for the indoor pole vault with a mark of 19 feet, 3.5 inches. Woepse said it will be an uphill battle for him to attain the NCAA title, but said he’s prepared for the challenge.
“My goal is to win the national championship. It’s a really strong year in the vault, the collegiate record holder is alive and well, and he’s breaking the record almost every week,” Woepse said. “It’s not going to be easy but nothing ever is and that’s our goal. It’s going to take a hell of a performance but I think I got it in me. I’m excited.”
Woepse has not only been the leading vaulter for UCLA for the past three seasons, but he has also had an impact on several of his teammates. Fellow senior pole vaulter Elena Clark practices with Woepse on a daily basis and has noticed his progression in their four years as teammates.
“He’s just so devoted to learning about how his own body works on what’s better for him,” Clark said. “He knows the vault probably better than most coaches in the country … He has a plan for his workouts and has so many expectations for himself. That’s brought a lot of the best out in me for sure.”
The culmination of Woepse’s college vaulting career may be near, but he has undoubtedly left his mark in Westwood. With the third-best mark in school history (18-5.25 in 2014), and accolades such as second team U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association indoor All-American and second team Pac-12 All-Academic honors, Woepse had many emotions when thinking about the end of his Bruin career.
“It’s a daunting thought. Hopefully not too overwhelming, but it’s definitely going to be a huge moment for me because I love UCLA. It’s going to be emotional and I just got to make sure I drive all those emotions into focus, so that we’ll all be celebrating at the end.”
Woepse has been around this sport his entire life. His father Greg Woepse Sr. was a world-class pole vaulter who placed second in the Pan American Games in 1979, not to mention his older brother and sister Greg and Elizabeth vaulting for the Bruins. As he approaches the end of his career in Westwood, he is looking to carry on the Woepse name in proud fashion, by achieving his goals and performing to the best of his abilities these next two weeks.
Compiled by Vikram Sairam, Bruin Sports contributor.
It is worth noting that Mike Woepse also finished 2nd at the NCAA outdoor championships in 2012, and 7th in 2013 to earn First Team All American in both years.