Pole vaulter Logan Hammer clears new heights

Utah State pole vaulter Logan Hammer doesn’t talk much about records or rankings. He prefers to keep things simple. 

“Whenever I go out to compete, I just go to compete and have fun,” Hammer said. “I don’t focus on what the other people are jumping. If I think about it too much, it ends up not going the greatest. So, I just go out there and aim to have fun.” 

He might not think about records, but Hammer’s dedication and natural feel for the sport have put him at the top of USU’s record books time and time again.  

Last spring, he cleared 18 feet, 8.25 inches, or 5.70 meters, at the Pacific Coast Invitational in California, the best mark in school history and one of the top jumps in the country. He won the Mountain West Conference championship weeks later with a meet-record clearance of 5.65 meters and advanced to the NCAA Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where he finished tied for No. 13 and earned Second-Team All-American honors. 

Hammer said the moment he remembers most wasn’t the school record but an earlier clearance he had on his second attempt at the NCAA indoor championships. 

“When pole vault’s done right, it feels easy,” he said. “Everything just felt fluid, and that state of flow is what I try to get every time.” 

At the NCAA outdoors, when he cleared 5.70, Hammer said the same thing happened. 

“I did not expect to clear that. I came over the bar, fell onto the mat, looked up and thought, ‘No way,’” he said. “But again, it just felt easy, and everything came together at the right time.” 

Hammer’s path to this mindset and level of performance began long before arriving in Logan.  

While competing for Columbia High School in Nampa, Idaho, Hammer trained at the Dragila Vault Co., an elite pole vault club led by Olympic champion Stacy Dragila. Working with a world-class coach gave him early exposure to advanced technique and the mental approach needed to succeed.  

“I wouldn’t be here at Utah State if it wasn’t for that club,” he said. 

That experience helped him progress from barely over 15 feet to earning a scholarship at USU and laid the foundation for the focus he now carries into every competition. 

The Aggies’ longtime multi-events and jumps coach Erik Rasmussen has watched Hammer’s progression unfold over several years. He first met Hammer at a high school clinic when the young athlete was just getting started in the sport. 

“Even then, you could tell he had what it takes,” Rasmussen said. “Things clicked quickly for him, and he just absorbed everything.” 

Logan Hammer, left, stands with USU jumps coach Erik Rasmussen after securing a spot in the 2025 NCAA national championships.

Hammer’s rise at the collegiate level wasn’t immediate. After returning from a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Hammer had to rebuild his strength and technique. Rasmussen said the two started with half approaches just to get the rhythm back. 

“We had to scale him back to a half approach to work through things,” Rasmussen said. “This last year, the goal was to get back to what we consider a full approach, where he’s finally getting to full speed and being consistent and confident with that.” 

Hammer credits his improvement to speed and conditioning, spending much of the offseason running on the track without touching a pole. 

“Running is the most important part of pole vault,” he said. “We’re sprinters with a pole. The faster you are, the higher you can go.” 

Both Hammer and Rasmussen stress the same lesson when it comes to competition: There are no big meets. While Rasmussen admits Hammer’s competitiveness elevates at big meets like the Mountain West and NCAA championships — where many of his best marks have come — he maintains Hammer’s preparation remains consistent. 

“In pole vault, you’re the only one on the runway,” Rasmussen said. “You’re not racing someone next to you. If Logan runs down the runway and does his job, he’ll perform well.” 

Hammer echoed that view. 

“If you think about it too much as a big meet, you overwhelm yourself and let the moment overcome you,” he said. “Instead, I try to make every meet the same.” 

Off the runway, Hammer is already preparing for life after track. Married and set to graduate this spring, he plans to apply to veterinary school while continuing to train and compete as long as possible. 

“My first priority is taking care of my wife and my academics,” he said. “But I still want to compete — maybe not at the same volume of meets but enough to keep pushing myself.” 

Rasmussen said that balance has helped Hammer’s athletic career as much as his vaulting technique. 

“Because he’s dialed in with school and life, he doesn’t have to carry that stress into practice,” Rasmussen said. “He’s mature enough to enjoy this while it lasts but also prepare for the future.” 

For now, Hammer is focused on staying sharp through the indoor and outdoor seasons and qualifying again for nationals. He isn’t worried about setting bigger goals than that.  

“I just try to have fun and compete well,” he said. “If the bar keeps going higher, great. If not, that’s okay too.”