Julia Pohl’s is a name that many should learn throughout the Norse faithful.
At NKU’s first track and field home meet in program history, Pohl broke her own record and set a personal record for NKU women’s outdoor high jump when she leaped 1.73 meters and placed second overall in the event.
This is not the only time she has broken an NKU women’s record though. She is an astounding 10-time school record holder, shattering her own records multiple times. She is a two-time outdoor high jump school record holder, but she is also the outdoor freshman high jump school record holder, five-time indoor freshman high jump school record holder, and a two-time indoor high jump school record holder.
With all this success, you might find it shocking to learn that she didn’t even start competing in track and field until high school.
“I really got much better my junior and senior year. I never thought I was going to be a college athlete,” Pohl said about her high school career.
Her accomplishments during her time at George Rogers Clark High School, in Winchester, Kentucky, are just as impressive as what she has done with the Norse, as she won a gold medal for long jump (twice), high jump, triple jump and 400m, as well as silver and bronze medals in the same categories.
However, this was never something that she was able to do without breaking a sweat.
“Last year, I was taking everything incredibly serious, and I think it was affecting me mentally,” Pohl said.
She found it hard to enjoy the sport she once loved so much, but shortly before this season started, her parents told her to “just go out there and have fun.”
A statement that seems so simple was the driving factor that calmed down Pohl and allowed her to succeed and savor the sport.
“It’s nice I have such a supportive family, and they just want me to enjoy it,” she said.
Assistant coach Brooks Rexroat raved about the athlete and the person that Pohl is.
“She’s got a mindset where she’s incredibly resilient. She has the blend of focus, and she’s enjoying herself and her teammates,” Rexroat said.