Rory Quiller has done it all this season. He set school records, America East records and now after finishing second at the NCAA championships, the senior pole vaulter is an All-American.

Quiller set a school record for the pole vault earlier this year with a jump of 17-8 1/2. He did this in the America East championship and with it, earned himself a trip to the NCAAs.

The NCAA track and field championships took place this past weekend at the University of Arkansas. Quiller had been to the championships twice before, placing 12th and 13th in 2005’s indoor meet and last year’s outdoor meet, respectively.

As this is his senior year, Quiller had pressure to stand above the rest and truly make an impact. He was not daunted, according to his head coach, Mike Thompson.

‘[Quiller] handled the pressure very well,’ Thompson said. ‘He always jumps his best at the biggest meets,’ he added, referring to this year’s America East championship and two others in which Quiller took home the Field Athlete of the Meet award.

But actions speak louder than words, and Quiller acted like an All-American, jumping a height of 18-1/2 and breaking his own Binghamton record by four inches. The winner, McNeese State’s Brad Gebauer, jumped the same height. The placing came down to misses and Quiller had three to Gebauer’s two. Although a first-place finish was his goal, Quiller showed respect for the competition.

‘I was in first, then [Gebauer] made his first attempt and bumped me down to second,’ Quiller said in the Press & Sun Bulletin. ‘You had to expect it. I was expecting it. You can’t blame the competition for it.’

Nonetheless, Quiller’s second place finish awarded him All-American status. With this, he joins just three others in Binghamton’s Division I history, Yun Qu, Kevin McKeown and Graham Munro. Quiller is the first to receive the accolade as a track and field athlete.

Quiller will have the chance to repeat his success in the upcoming spring season. There may be more competition, though, as defending champion, Oregon’s Tommy Skipper, will be returning from an injury and is considered the favorite.

It may be safe to say, though, that Quiller can jump with the best.

‘Rory has now elevated himself to the proven top guys in the country. He just hadn’t pulled it off yet,’ Thompson said. ‘First he’s All-American, now he’ll be looking to be national champion.’

‘ Any quotes from Quiller are from the Press & Sun-Bulletin because Quiller refused to talk to Pipe Dream.