Graduate student pole vaulter Alli Lofquist stood at the end of the runway, pole in hand, staring down the opening bar set at 3.52 meters — a height she cleared countless times before during her five-year career at Boston University.

But on her first attempt, she missed.

Unbothered, Lofquist walked back to her coach, shoulders relaxed and smiling. A few vaults later, she cleared 3.82 meters, a new personal best. Then came 3.92.

With that vault, in her final year of eligibility, Lofquist broke BU’s 24-year-old indoor pole vault record on a day that began with a miss.

“I was just shocked and so happy at that moment, to be there with all my teammates was something really special,” said Lofquist. “To have coaches that have supported me so much and everyone there to see it happen was really great for me, and it’s something I’m going to remember for life.”

Just months later, Lofquist claimed the outdoor school record with a jump of 3.81m, cementing her spot as the best women’s pole vaulter in school history.

“I got here in October of Alli’s junior year, and that first week she told me that she wanted to break the records,” said BU jumps coach Sara Macey. “Since that first week, that’s always been the goal and the aspiration of what to get after.”

Lofquist graduated from BU last year, unsure of whether she would return for her remaining year of eligibility. Lofquist was convinced by Macey and her teammates, and returned for a season where her leadership helped the team take home the Patriot League Indoor Track & Field Championship.

Pole vault is an unusual field event, in part due to its immense injury risk. Pole vaulting requires a particular type of athlete, according to Grant Cartwright, BU’s director of track and field.

“You’ve got to have a certain fearlessness, and you’ve got to laugh at what you’re doing in a way,” said Cartwright. “Not to make it sound bigger than what it is, but there is a little bit of life and death in each vault.”

Macey described Lofquist as a rare athlete, praising her consistency through hardship and mental fortitude. Cartwright and Macey commended Lofquist’s willingness to ask questions and desire for improvement.

Lofquist reflected on a disappointing performance in the Patriot League Outdoor Track & Field Championship two years ago — a moment she described as one of the most meaningful of her career. She no-heighted, failing all three attempts at the opening height.

“It was in that meet where I was just getting way too ahead of myself,” said Lofquist. “When I find myself doing that, I just like to remember that meet because it taught me so much about resilience.”

Pole vault is as taxing physically as it is mentally — a challenge Lofquist has learned to navigate with the help of her background in health science.

She graduated from BU in 2024 with a degree in health science and returned this year for her master’s degree in applied human development. Starting this summer, she will attend the University of Michigan to pursue a Master of Science in athletic training.

Her time at BU gave her insight into the physical needs of the sport and helped her view it from a coaching perspective.

“My educational background in both my undergrad and now my master’s has really helped me understand more of a holistic point of view of the sport and understand the reasoning behind the training,” Lofquist said.

She said she is interested in the possibility of becoming an athletic trainer in the future — potentially in a collegiate track and field setting.

Lofquist has left a lasting mark on the program at BU, both as a name atop record books and as a role model for younger athletes.

“It always makes me smile looking back at how, when I first met her, she has always been somebody that wanted to be a leader on the team,” said Macey. “I have really seen her trust her own voice and trust what she’s doing. She leads by example.”

She looks to carry her success into this year’s Patriot League Track & Field Outdoor Championship May 2 and 3, hoping to land a spot on the podium and help bring BU another championship.

Lofquist’s ultimate goal for the meet is to qualify for the NCAA East Track & Field First Round, where she would compete against the nation’s top pole vaulters.

Whether or not she clears that bar, her impact on BU track and field is already cemented — in records, resilience and a prime example of work ethic and consistency.

“She’s a big reason why the women’s team believes in themselves so much,” said Macey. “Everything that she’s gotten so far, she’s earned every ounce of it.”