2022 Quincy Blue Devil Sports Hall of Fame inductee: Jared Anders, athlete

Editor’s note: The Quincy Blue Devil Sports Hall of Fame will hold its induction ceremony at approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday between games in the 51st QHS Thanksgiving Tournament at Blue Devil Gym.

QUINCY — Jared Anders followed in his family’s footsteps — straight to the Hall of Fame.

A two-time state medalist as a pole vaulter who went on to become a three-time All-American at the collegiate level, Anders joins his father, Kerry, and his older brother, Patrick, as an inductee into the Quincy Blue Devil Sports Hall of Fame.

From 2003-05, Anders established himself as one of the best pole vaulters in school history. He won three Class AA sectional championships, clearing 13 feet, 3 inches as a sophomore, 13 feet, 6 inches as a junior and 14 feet, 5 inches as a senior.

Anders finished 12 at the state championships in 2003, clearing 13-9. He finished eighth as both a junior and senior with his top cleared height being 14-3.

He also placed sixth at the indoor state meet as a senior and ran on the 4×100 relay team that took sixth at the same meet.

Recruited to vault for Missouri S&T, an NCAA Division II program that competes in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, Anders soared to new heights.

In 2008, he earned All-American honors at the NCAA Indoor Championship, finishing seventh by clearing 16-2¾. He also was the runner-up at the GLVC Championships and qualified for the NCAA outdoor championship. In 2010, he earned All-American honors again at the NCAA Indoor Championships, taking eighth as he cleared 15-7¼.

Anders won both the pole vault and the heptathlon at the GLVC Indoor Championships in 2010 and was named the GLVC Field Athlete of the Year.

The 2010 men’s track team has been inducted into the Missouri S&T Hall of Fame.