Get ready to see Jack Vecellio in purple and orange next year.
The Frontier Regional School senior made the decision to continue his track and field career at Division I Clemson University, where he’ll compete in the pole vault. He signed his National Letter of Intent last month.
“It’s a relief getting it done early and having everything set,” Vecellio said of the decision. “I felt like there was something that clicked about Clemson. I got along really well with the coach and I just felt it was the right choice for me. I really like where the coaches’ heads are at. I’ve been on the same page with them throughout this process.”
Vecellio took three visits this fall: to Clemson with his mom, to Kansas with his dad and to Memphis with his sister. He was able to complete full visits at each school, which gave him a good feel for the campuses and schools themselves. On each visit he also got to meet the coaches and athletes on each team, a factor which ultimately helped with the decision.
He also looked hard at South Dakota, Ole Miss and Auburn but ultimately felt joining the Tigers and the ACC was the right choice for him.
“Kansas has a great group of jumpers, their coach was great and I had a good connection with them,” Vecellio said. “With Memphis, I really liked the team a lot and the coach was really cool. I just liked the location of Clemson. It’s beautiful down there. Everyone there was great. I like the coaches a lot. They’re building up their pole vault program and are recruiting pole vaulters again.”
On the visit to the Palmetto State, Vecellio said he made a connection with the athletes already on the Clemson team and also talked virtually with other recruits who will be joining the program next year.
“A big part of the decision was the Clemson team,” Vecellio said. “They were really cool and I’ve been staying in touch with some of them. They recruited another pole vaulter and we’ve been chatting on Instagram. I got to hang out with a few of the guys on the team while I was down there and they were super cool and nice.”
Vecellio will enter Clemson as its highest recruited vaulter. He set his personal best of 16 feet, one inch at the 2021 Flying Circus Summer Fiber-Blast Pole Vault Festival Meet in Warwick, New York, over the summer.
That came on the heels of him breaking the MIAA Central/West Div. 2 Championship meet record of 15 feet, one inch in June. He currently has the top vault of the winter season amongst New England High School athletes of 15 feet, six inches.
“The pole vault is an area of our team that we are trying to build and Jack is the person to start that process,” Clemson track and field program director Mark Elliott said in a statement. “We’re highly excited about his ability and extremely happy to have him as a part of our team.”
Once he gets on campus, Vecellio is expecting to compete in the ACC right away. His PR of 16-1 would have placed him eighth overall in the ACC Outdoor Championship that took place in Raleigh, N.C., last year, and he’s hoping to have even better numbers once he gets down there.
The winning jump at the ACC Championship was 16 feet, 11 inches.
“Last year the pole vault in the ACC wasn’t anything crazy,” Vecellio said. “I’m hoping I can perform well in the ACC. There’s some really good schools there and I’m looking forward to competing with them. Hopefully by next year I’ll be jumping higher than my PR.”
The goal of raising his PR is a constant process for Vecellio. He’s been traveling to Brandeis University once or twice a week to practice, and he also has a runway at his house to practice. So far this winter he’s already competed in five indoor meets.
He’s traveling to New York City this weekend for another meet, continuing to practice and work on his craft.
“I’m slowly progressing and trying to get to where I left off last summer,” Vecellio said.
Once he arrives at practice, pole vaulting will become a year round thing. In the fall he will practice eight hours a week before switching to 20 hours a week once the indoor season starts.
Vecellio said a lot of the indoor meets take place on campus before the travel starts in the spring, another thing he liked about Clemson.
“The indoor track at Clemson is super nice,” Vecellio said. “The campus is on a lake so it’s hard to use the outdoor track because of water damage. I’m looking forward to it. I like that I won’t be traveling too much early on so I can stay on campus and get comfortable with everything.”