The 5-foot-10, 170-pound senior won the pole vault and was part of the second-place 4x100-meter relay quartet and the fifth-place 4x400 foursome at the Montana Class A & B Track & Field Championships, helping the Eagles take third as a team. At the Eastern A/Central A Divisional Meet, Hughes set a new state record with a vault clearance of 17 feet, which ranked No. 10 in the nation among prep competitors in 2018 at the time of his selection. Hughes also competed this month’s USATF Junior Outdoor Championships, where he placed ninth with a clearance of 15 feet, 11 inches. He concluded his high school career as a three-time state pole vault champion, also posting personal-best performances in the 100 meters (11.60), 400 (50.97) and long jump (19-3).
Hughes has maintained a 3.94 GPA in the classroom. He has signed a national letter of intent to compete on scholarship in track and field at the University of Nebraska this fall.
A National Honor Society member, Hughes served on his school’s Student Council for four years and was student body vice president this past school year. He has donated his time as a student tutor and has volunteered locally teaching pole vaulting to young athletes.
