Dave Fritz - Assistant Track and Field Coach (Pole Vault) - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Dave Fritz

Title:
Assistant Track and Field Coach (Pole Vault)
Email:
Phone:
(330) 972-7964

Dave Fritz joined The University of Akron track and field program as an assistant coach in charge of pole vault in September 2023.

Fritz comes to Akron after working with post collegiate and high school pole vaulters through private consulting, while also building a company in the tech sector in Boulder, Colo.

Prior to this, Fritz worked to coach Olympic hopeful Janice Keppler, and merged with Rick Suhr and Olympic Gold Medalist Jenn Suhr in 2012, to start an Olympic training group. Fritz and Keppler’s efforts culminated in her achieving a personal best for 4.60m (15-1) and placing fourth at United States Nationals.

From 2007-2012, Fritz spent five seasons with the track and field program at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. During his last two campaigns he served as head assistant coach where he was responsible for the development of the Tribe's sprinters, jumpers, pole vaulters, and multis, as well as significant responsibilities in recruiting and administration of the entire program.

From 2002-07, Fritz worked as the assistant jumps coach at Suhr Sports in New York, helping both professional and amateur pole vaulters. Most notably, he helped to develop Jennifer Stuczynski from novice to become the then United State record holder in the women’s pole vault and one of the top vaulters in the world. Along the way, Stuczynski also captured four national titles, indoors in 2005 and 2007, and outdoors in 2006 and 2007.

Among amateur athletes, he helped develop a pair of high school girl’s pole vaulters. Mary Saxer was the first high school girl to clear 14 feet and set the national high school girl’s record indoors of 14-3.25. Tiffany Maskulinski also cleared 14-0 under Fritz’ tutelage, only the second girl to do so. At the collegiate level, he coached at the Rochester Institute of Technology during the 2006-07 year, producing a pair of school records and the school’s first NCAA qualifier in the pole vault.

A three-time All-Big East vaulter at Virginia Tech, Fritz graduated in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science.

Fritz is a USAT&F Level II coach in the jumps, and in 2009 added a Level II certification in the sprints, hurdles, and relays. He is also nationally certified by the Pole Vault Safety Board. In 2010, Fritz was selected as an "Emerging Elite" coach and chosen to take part in a camp held at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California.