App State’s Matthew Gray has been named the 2026 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Field Performer of the Year, and Ashlynn Wimberly was voted Women’s Freshman of the Year by the league coaches following their noteworthy performances at the conference outdoor meet and throughout the outdoor season.

Gray put himself in the history books with a Sun Belt Championship-winning pole vault clearance of 5.84m/19-2. That ranks him No. 1 in the NCAA, No. 5 in the U.S., and No. 13 in the world this year, and ranks him No. 11 in NCAA outdoor history. The Bryson City, N.C., native’s clearance was also the best in history by a North Carolina-born athlete. He broke the Sun Belt all-time and meet records, South Alabama’s facility record, and his own App State record (for the fourth time this outdoor season). His 10 points helped the App State men claim a program-best second-place Sun Belt team finish.

Gray set the pole vault meet record at both the Raleigh Relays and the John Weaver Invitational during the regular season. He is the first Mountaineer to win the men’s field performer of the year award since App State joined the conference in 2015.

Wimberly was the Sun Belt Outdoor Championships top-performing female freshman in both the triple jump (second place) and high jump (sixth place), scoring 10.5 points to help App State to a program-best third-place team result. Her season-best triple jump of 12.64m/41-5.75 ranks her third among Sun Belt jumpers this year, and her season-best high jump of 1.75m/5-8.75 is tied for third in the league, best among league freshmen, and fourth-best in school history.

She joins Gray as the first Mountaineer in program history to win her award.

App State had 17 athletes make the All-Sun Belt first, second, and third teams based on their performances at the championship meet.

First Team

Matthew Gray

Ethan Lipham

Derek Waite

Second Team

Aaron Kidd

Parker Kinney

Noah Martinson

Ashlynn Wimberly

Thomas Wlazlowski

Third Team

Jayla Adams

Damyja Alejandro-Ortiz

Alana Braxton

Rowan Gwin

Savannah Moore

Lilly Nichols

Memphis Rich

Daye Talley

Nicole Wells

Up Next

App State athletes who qualify for the NCAA East First Round will compete May 27-30 in Lexington, Ky., for a chance to earn their way to the June 10-13 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore.

{Information provided by Appalachian State Athletics}