STM's Hogan named Athlete of the Week

Senior pole vaulter looks to reach the top of the podium in his final high school season.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 1:52am

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a pole vaulter mid-jump, with the athlete's body broken into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in a palette of navy, green, and orange, conveying the raw energy and unique perspective of the sport.A senior pole vaulter's final high school season is a bittersweet transition as he aims for the top of the podium one last time with his father as his coach.Champaign Today

Riley Hogan, a senior pole vaulter at St. Thomas More High School in Champaign, Illinois, has been named the Athlete of the Week. Hogan finished runner-up at the state championships in Class 1A last season and has signed to continue his track and field career at Hillsdale College. This season is also special for Hogan as it's the last year he'll be coached by his father, Tim Hogan, the head boys track and field coach at STM.

Why it matters

Hogan's success as a pole vaulter and his relationship with his father-coach highlight the dedication and hard work required to excel in high school sports, especially in unique events like pole vaulting. His story also showcases the bittersweet transition of a student-athlete's final season before moving on to the collegiate level.

The details

Riley Hogan is a senior pole vaulter at St. Thomas More High School in Champaign, Illinois. Last season, he finished runner-up in the Class 1A state championships. Hogan has signed to continue his track and field career at Hillsdale College. This season is also special for Hogan as it's the last year he'll be coached by his father, Tim Hogan, the head boys track and field coach at STM.

  • Hogan finished runner-up at the state championships in Class 1A last season.
  • Hogan has signed to continue his track and field career at Hillsdale College.
  • This is Hogan's final season being coached by his father, Tim Hogan, at STM.

The players

Riley Hogan

A senior pole vaulter at St. Thomas More High School in Champaign, Illinois, who finished runner-up at the state championships in Class 1A last season and has signed to continue his track and field career at Hillsdale College.

Tim Hogan

The head boys track and field coach at St. Thomas More High School in Champaign, Illinois, and the father of senior pole vaulter Riley Hogan.

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What they’re saying

“'Pole vault is such a weird and such an amazing sport that takes so much time, so much more time off the runway than it really does on the runway. It's where that extra training outside of that really comes into play.'”

— Riley Hogan, Senior Pole Vaulter

“'I get a front row seat to watch my son. We definitely have a coach-athlete relationship on the track, and that's why we prefer it. He's a very coachable athlete.'”

— Tim Hogan, Head Boys Track and Field Coach

What’s next

Hogan will look to win the state championship in pole vaulting this spring in his final high school season.

The takeaway

Riley Hogan's story highlights the dedication and hard work required to excel in unique high school sports like pole vaulting, as well as the special bond between a coach and athlete when that coach is also a parent.