2016 Track and Field Roster
Demi Payne
- Class:
- Senior
- High School:
- New Braunfels
- Hometown:
- New Braunfels, Texas
Career Honors/Highlights:
- 2015 NCAA Division I Outdoor Champion
- 2015 USATF Indoor National Champion
- 2015 Bowerman Trophy Finalist
- Indoor Collegiate Pole Vault Record Holder
- USA Team Qualifier for 2015 Outdoor World Championships in Beijing
Personal Records
Indoor - 15-7 (4.75m)
--Collegiate Record
--No. 3 on all-time U.S. indoor list
--No. 5 best indoor jump in the world in 2015
Outdoor - 15-5.5 (4.71m)
--Former Collegiate Record
--No. 2 jump in collegiate outdoor history
--No. 9 best outdoor jump in the world in 2015
2015 (Junior): In her first season of competition after giving birth to her daughter, Charlee, in 2013, Payne experienced one of the best years in collegiate track and field history in 2015. She won 13 individual pole vault titles and broke five collegiate records on the year, including the current national indoor mark of 15-7. She capped an incredible indoor season by winning a USATF national title in Boston on March 1.
In June, Payne became SFA’s first NCAA Division I National Champion when she outlasted Arkansas’ Sandi Morris in the women’s pole vault final at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. From there she placed third at the USA Championships to qualify for the 2015 World Championships in Beijing as a member of Team USA.
On the international stage, Payne placed fourth at the 2015 Pan American Games in Canada and capped her outdoor campaign with a 19th place finish at worlds.
For all of her outstanding accomplishments, Payne was named one of three finalists to take home collegiate track and field’s most prestigious individual honor – The Bowerman Trophy. After winning the Fan Vote portion of the process in the summer, she was honored at the annual USTFCCCA Convention in San Antonio. There she was celebrated for becoming the first Bowerman finalist in Southland Conference history.
2015 Awards/Achievements:
- NCAA Division I Outdoor Champion
- USA Track and Field Indoor National Champion
- USA Team Qualifier for Outdoor World Championships in Beijing
- Bowerman Trophy Finalist
- National Honda Sports Award Finalist for Track and Field
- Indoor Collegiate Pole Vault Record Holder
- NCAA Outdoor Championships Meet Record Holder
- USTFCCCA First Team Outdoor All-American
- NCAA Division I South Central Regional Women’s Field Athlete of the Year
- San Antonio Express-News Sportswoman of the Year
- Texas Track and Field Coaches Association (TTFCA) Women’s Collegiate Field Athlete of the Year
- Southland Conference Outdoor Champion (meet record)
- Southland Conference Indoor Champion (meet record)
- SLC Outdoor Female Athlete of the Year
- SLC Outdoor Female Newcomer of the Year
- SLC Indoor and Outdoor Outstanding Women’s Field Performer of the Year
- 13 Individual Pole Vault Titles
- Five-Time National Athlete of the Week
- Six-Time SLC Athlete of the Week
- Owns five of the top seven clearances in collegiate indoor history
- Owns seven of the top 11 clearances in collegiate outdoor history, including four of the five highest
- Broke a collegiate record five times in 2015 between indoor and outdoor seasons
- Finished the 2015 indoor season No. 5 in the world
- Ranked No. 3 on the all-time U.S. women’s indoor list
- USTFCCCA All-Academic Team selection
- Bowerman Trophy Fan Vote Winner
- USTFCCCA Honorable Mention Indoor All-American
Prior to SFA: Payne competed at the University of Kansas from 2010-2013 before transferring to SFA ... Was a USTFCCCA Second Team All-American in the pole vault under coach Tom Hays.
High School: Was the 2009 Class 5A State Champion in the pole vault while attending New Braunfels High School ... Lettered three years in track and field ... Personal best jump of 13-1 ... Was a two-year starter as a middle blocker on the volleyball team.
Personal: Is the daughter of Dana Macfarlane and Bill Payne ... Mother played basketball for two years at Baylor University ... Father was an All-American pole vaulter at Baylor University and competed on the World Championship team ... Majoring in kinesiology ... Has a two-year-old daugther, Charlee Taylor ... Engaged to Thomas Taylor.
Collegiate Indoor Record at Texas A&M:
