With the competition he was facing, it was going to take something special for Ben Raffin to be an All-American on Saturday.
Once again, the decorated junior was up to the task.
Raffin cleared a lifetime best of 5.15 meters in the pole vault to take eighth in one of the deepest fields ever seen at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Pittsburg, Kansas, earning the third All-American honor of his career to go along with top eight finishes in both the indoor and outdoor meets in 2021.
Down to his third and final attempt at 5.15 meters (16-10 3/4 feet), and knowing the only way to guarantee himself All-American status was to get over the bar, Raffin converted, surpassing both his previous indoor and outdoor personal records in the event to this point in his career.
Earlier in the competition, Raffin had already cleared 5.05 meters for a new indoor personal best on his first try, putting him in position to contend for a spot in the top eight.
It's the third straight meet where Raffin came in as one of the lowest seeds to qualify for the finals, but drastically outperformed his seed to finish in the top eight. The junior was the 14th and final qualifier at the 2021 Indoor Championships, eventually finishing seventh, and the 13th and final qualifier for the 2021 Outdoor Championships, eventually finishing eighth. This year, in 2022, Raffin entered seeded 15th, but once again battled his way to All-American honors. It's becoming a signature for an athlete who always seems to bring his best in the biggest meets and when the lights shine brightest.
With his third All-American honor, Raffin ties former teammate Jared Schipper for most first-team All-American honors by a male vaulter in Hillsdale College history. It's a mark that Raffin will have a chance to take sole possession of this spring during the outdoor season, as the junior will look to qualify to compete for a fourth honor at the 2022 Outdoor Championships at the end of May.