The state’s returning Gatorade Player of the Year, the 6-foot-2, 170-pound senior pole vaulter won the national title at the Nike Outdoor Nationals this past season. Whitaker cleared 18 feet, 0 inches, a clearance that ranked No. 2 nationally among prep boys competitors this spring and No. 16 in prep history. The runner-up in the pole vault at the USATF Under-20 Championships, he also won the pole vault at the Class 2A state meet with a meet-record clearance of 17-8.5. He soared 18 feet during the indoor season, just one inch shy of his own indoor state record set in 2025.
Whitaker has maintained a 3.55 GPA in the classroom. He has signed a written letter of athletic aid to compete at the University of Kentucky this fall.
A member of the Central Catholic National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta mathematics honor society, Whitaker has volunteered locally feeding the hungry on behalf of both the Midwest Food Bank and the Tinervin Family Foundation. He has also donated his time as a youth pole-vaulting coach.
