EUGENE — She’s back.
Amanda Moll, a 2023 Capital High School graduate and University of Washington junior pole vaulter, seemingly had nothing left to prove in the sport she and her twin sister Hana have dominated since they were teenagers.
Entering Thursday’s NCAA Outdoor National Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Amanda Moll already boasted the indoor collegiate record, a national indoor championship, and competed in the Olympic Trials when she was just a freshman in college.
But after missing nearly the entire 2026 indoor season due to a concussion and battling mental health challenges over the years, Moll triumphed over the biggest hurdle any outdoor collegiate pole vaulter has ever conquered.
Moll earned her first NCAA outdoor championship in historic fashion, breaking Hana’s outdoor record by jumping 4.84 meters (15 feet, 10.5 inches). Amanda is the record holder in both the NCAA outdoor and indoor pole vault, and she’s the seventh female collegian to earn both an indoor and outdoor Division I pole vault title, joining her sister in that rarefied air.
“It’s a testament to all the work I’ve been putting in this season. I feel like I’ve been more consistent and working more on my mental game, which is a little bit newer for me and something I’ve struggled with, which is why I’m actively working on it right now,” she said. “I think it’s really paying off. It’s exciting to see the results come from that. I’ve been building a lot of really good momentum this whole outdoor season. I knew that I could do something really cool.”
Hana Moll, the reigning national champion prior to Thursday’s finals, finished in second place at 4.74 meters. She held the previous outdoor record of 4.83 meters (15-10) set at this spring’s Big Ten Outdoor Championships in Nebraska. Hana and Amanda have now won a combined five national championships in three years at UW.
Amanda Moll was on fire leading up to the 4.84-meter jump, which only she and her sister attempted after the third- and fourth-place competitors couldn’t clear 4.69 meters. Moll nailed five of her first six tries, and she and Hana both passed up 4.79 to set up a climactic duel for the national title and the collegiate record at 4.84 meters.
The twins have had their fair share of historic battles and exchanging of records all over the world, but the spectacle of two sisters vaulting for a national record and title was the epic pinnacle of a competition Amanda called “the most competitive national championship there’s ever been.” Five vaulters cleared 15 feet, and nine surpassed 14-8.75.
Even though the headlines may read “Amanda versus Hana” for that final stretch, Amanda knew it was her versus the bar all along. She and Hana don’t trade any smack talk or jabs during the heat of the competition, saving it for after it’s all said and done.
“I’ve been giving it to her a little bit. It’s always fun to go back and forth with Hana. I was like, ‘OK, now I get one. You got indoors, and now it’s my turn,’” Amanda said of the bragging rights over the record and national title. “That’s just fun and games between sisters. During the competition, we don’t really do that. At the end of the day, I’m jumping against myself. It’s almost like me versus the bar. We’re more focused on our own competitions.”
When Amanda Moll was preparing for the all-time jump, it was anything but “all-time” in her mind. She knew she was chasing Hana, but she thought she’d have to jump a bit higher than 4.84 to celebrate a record at first.
“When they put the bar there, I wasn’t even thinking that was the record. In my head, I thought maybe Hana had cleared 4.88, but I guess that was indoors,” Amanda said. “I wasn’t even fully tracking that.”
Neither Amanda nor Hana cleared 4.84 meters on either of their first two attempts, but Amanda prevailed on her third attempt, while Hana came up short. Amanda then took a stab at 4.92 meters, which would’ve cemented her as only the eighth woman and fourth American woman to ever clear that height. The bar painfully came down on her elbow, leaving an unremarkable bruise, and the national champion decided to call it a day. Amanda and Hana shared a hug after the final jump of the three-and-a-half-hour competition.
The matriarch and patriarch of the Moll dynasty, mom Paula and dad Eric, erupted in applause from the stands upon witnessing Amanda’s record-breaking jump, a video clip captured on Instagram that Amanda has rewatched probably more times than her historic vault.
“I just love them to death. They’re the cutest human beings alive,” Amanda said. “It was really cool that they got a little spotlight. They deserve that because I wouldn’t be here without them. I love them so much.”
Amanda, who finished in third place at last year’s outdoor championships, didn’t make any drastic changes to her approach on the final crack at 4.84 meters compared to the previous two at Hayward Field Thursday.
At least from what she can remember.
“It’s kind of a blur,” Amanda admitted. “I don’t think I changed anything in terms of standards or my run. I potentially moved my step in a little bit, but I really think it was just attacking the plant and just jumping.”
This national championship is Moll’s first gold since the 2025 Big Ten Outdoor Championships, which was also held at Hayward Field. Sandwiched in between her two most recent championships was a whirlwind of ups and downs physically and mentally. She said that this victory feels a bit sweeter than previous triumphs because of how she overcame those hurdles.
Moll’s routine with the pole in her hands is no different than it used to be, but off the runway, she continues to focus on improving her mental fortitude. She enjoys journaling and works with a sports psychologist. This winter, her injury during the indoor season allowed her to take a step back from pole vaulting, which turned out to be fruitful and necessary.
“I’m proud of my perseverance and sticking through it even when it was hard. This winter, I took a step back to take a step forward. It’s a hard thing to realize that sometimes you just need to take a little step back and give yourself space,” Moll said. “Learning how to navigate difficulty in a healthy way is what I’m really proud of because I think I was able to do that pretty well. I think that step back is what allowed me to get myself in a mindset where I could jump high again. It was really fun to be out there again and jumping really high.”
Hana knew that Amanda’s time would eventually come and gave credit to the work her sister has put into returning to championship form.
“When she’s on, no one can beat her,” Hana said of Amanda. “She’s put so much work into building a strong mental space, and now she’s able to replicate that and bring that confidence that she’s really needed into her vaulting. I think we’re gonna see a pretty unbreakable mental battle for her in the future.”
The phrase “Moll Dynasty” circulated on television and on social media after the finals with Moll picking up the fifth national championship between the siblings. Seven of the top eight outdoor jumps have been accomplished by a vaulter with the last name Moll.
Even with that remarkable track record, Amanda Moll isn’t certain that the record books will be packed with Molls for much longer. If Thursday’s thrilling competition is any indication, the Molls have forced the rest of the nation’s competitors to match their level.
“It’s kind of surreal. It’s cool to see that we’re setting a new tone for women’s pole vault, especially in the NCAA. It’s really cool to see this new wave,” Amanda said. “I don’t think it’s gonna last for that long, our names all up there. Maybe some of the top ones. But it’s cool to at least start that and do that with my sister.”
“I think there’s something to be said about collective inspiration and motivation to jump higher. I know that’s what Mandy and I have had our entire career,” Hana added. “If we’re doing to other people, I’m all for that.”
Amanda also isn’t convinced that the outdoor record will bear her name for an extended amount of time. She said she hasn’t been able to fully process the fact that she is now the record holder for both outdoors and indoors.
“I’m not holding onto it too much because I know that’s gonna get broken by my sister or I don’t know who. It is cool, at least for now,” Moll said.
Amanda and Hana, who both confirmed that they plan to return to UW for their senior season rather than turning pro, celebrated the big night by enjoying ice cream from Prince Puckler’s and watching “Love Island” at the hotel. Amanda’s victory ice cream flavor was “Cookie Jar,” containing vanilla ice cream, Oreos, cookie dough and brownie pieces.
The Moll twins have come a long way since setting the prep world ablaze at Capital High School under coach Mike Strong, who was in the stands at Hayward Field Thursday. Amanda still holds the American under-20 indoor record and the high school all-time indoor record, as she was the first American girl to clear 15 feet. Hana won the world under-20 championship in 2022 and is the American under-20 record holder.
“Everything I learned about sprint mechanics is due to Mike Strong. He’s an incredibly knowledgeable coach, and he and Tim Reilly both worked really well together in developing us as athletes,” Amanda said of her time at Capital. “I definitely wouldn’t be where I am without that foundation. It was really special that Mike Strong was able to be here.”
“Capital was definitely where we sprouted from pole vaulters to national-level pole vaulters,” Hana added. “I think a lot of it has to do with Mike Strong. He’s what drew us to go to Capital in the first place. I owe a lot to him and Capital.”
Next up for the Moll twins is the Prefontaine Classic in early July back in Eugene, and they’re exploring competitions in Europe after that as they work their way toward their goal of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
