Typically a phone call signifies a Blue Streak’s induction into the Hall-of-Fame. For Matt Lemieux, a conversation at a bar was where he found out.
JCU wrestling coach Kerry Volkmann is a close family friend of Lemieux and when the two ran into each other at a bar Volkmann gave his congratulations to the former Blue Streak pole vaulter.
“It caught me off guard,” Lemieux said. “I am honored and flattered by it. Being the first time through makes it more special for me.”
The four-time All-American won an NCAA National Championship in the 1998 outdoor track & field season shortly after finishing second during the indoor season.
“I will never forget that,” he said. “Especially since I came in second in the indoor season and beat the kid who beat me made it more memorable.”
Lemieux was a national qualifier in all four outdoor track seasons at JCU and was a national qualifier three times during his indoor track career. Three of his All-American selections came after his outdoor performances, one following an indoor season.
His school record for the indoor and outdoor pole vault still stands as he amassed three outdoor OAC titles and one indoor title.
Lemieux still follows the team online but was able to know every result as a coach for four years after his graduation.
“I was lucky enough to have flexibility at my job right after graduation where I could come help out the team,” he said.
Now Lemieux works as a hospital sales rep for Bristol Myers Squibb in order to support his wife of four years and two daughters. Lemieux has big plans for his 2 ½ and 1 year old to follow his footsteps to a pole vault pit.
One thing that differed for Lemieux from other college experiences was that he never took in a proper spring break or other leisure activities.
“I made sacrifices for track,” he said. “I only went on one spring break and left halfway through. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything, my accomplishments makes it that much more valuable.”
Lemieux not only developed deep friendships with his teammates on bus trips to schools like Duke, but he also developed a close relationship with his competitors in the pole vault. Seeing the same competitors at each meet gave Lemieux a unique set of friends from around the country.
Many of his close competitors took him out to celebrate his national championship.
Despite yielding nights on the town in Cleveland, Lemieux jumped his way into the NCAA record books and took away an experience only few have had.