A two-time state champion and state record holder in the pole vault, 2026 Chaska High graduate Josh Schmidt became the most dominant athlete in the history of the event in Minnesota. He is the winner of the inaugural CCLN Boys Senior Athlete Of The Year, winning among an extremely talented field of student-athletes. But for Schmidt, the bar he’s set for himself has never been just about height.
At a track & field meet earlier this season, the standards at the facility only reached 16 feet — just 6 inches short of the state record. Chaska senior Josh Schmidt, the owner of that very state record, cleared that. Officials had to scramble to modify their own equipment so Schmidt could continue to vault.
When you own each of the best pole vaults in Minnesota history, the sport eventually has to build something new just to try to contain you.
However, at the Metro West Conference Championships, Schmidt would not be contained.
He became the first Minnesotan to clear 17-feet. Then, he became the first Minnesotan to clear 17-feet, 3 inches. And then, he became the first Minnesotan to clear 17-feet, 6 inches — which now stands as the Minnesota state record. It was also the fifth best vault in the country this season.
Schmidt would capture his second straight state championship in June, capping a career that redefined what high school pole vaulting looks like in this state. For his efforts, Schmidt has been named the Carver County Local News Boys Senior Athlete Of The Year for 2025-26. Schmidt was also named the Gatorade Minnesota Track and Field Player of the Year.
Taking flight
Schmidt didn’t come to Chaska High School with pole vaulting on his mind. He arrived at his first track practice in 7th grade, finished the sprints workout, and looked around for his specialty event. He didn’t have one. Then he spotted a pole.
“I just liked the idea of being able to fly in the air,” he said. That was enough.
By his freshman year, it was clear he was onto something. At the Metro West Conference meet, hosted at Chaska High School, Schmidt cleared 14 feet, 3 inches to break the school record — a mark that had stood since 2007, the year he was born. Then he kept going, clearing 14-7 to break the conference record as well.
“I think that was a special meet to me,” he said. He has held both records ever since.
A faith that carries
Schmidt’s faith is not a footnote to his athletic story. It is the foundation for it.
He describes it simply and without hesitation: “I think my faith means everything. I think if I lost everything today, I know that I could lean back on God and be completely satisfied with who I am in Jesus. It helps me with confidence every day. It helps me with being an athlete, but it also helps me with being just a better person in day-to-day life.”
Schmidt’s faith also helps him get through the tough times, which, even for the best pole vaulter in Minnesota history, can happen.
“Sometimes the sport can be tough,” he said. “There are parts where it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Having Jesus to lean back on in the times that get hard is a huge part of why I was able to accomplish what I was able to accomplish.”
That faith found its most visible expression off the track. When Schmidt arrived at Chaska High School as a freshman, its chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes had gone dormant. That’s when his pole vault coach, Olivia Spitzer, approached him about rebooting it. They worked together to identify potential leaders and launched small.
The first year drew around a dozen students to huddles. Then something happened.
“All of a sudden, it was almost 50 people showing up to FCA,” Schmidt said. “For me, and I know for all the other leaders, that was a huge moment for us because we realized the impact we were making was actually important.”
Two students who attended FCA that year were baptized.
“It’s been so special to me to be able to essentially minister to my peers,” he said.
Next stop: Fargo
Schmidt will take his record-setting talents to North Dakota State and compete for the Bison Track and Field team. The path to Fargo started the summer before Schmidt’s freshman year, when he and his teammate and friend, Dane Krull, heard about a pole vault camp held annually at NDSU. They went once and kept going back every year. The coach, the team culture, the campus — all of it stuck.
“Everything about that place is awesome,” Schmidt said.
He arrives at NDSU as the best high school pole vaulter in Minnesota history. But when asked what carries forward from his time at Chaska, he doesn’t reach for records.
“I refuse to be an athlete who doesn’t compete for the glory of God,” he said. “Being a follower of Christ is of utmost importance to me, because if you’re not following Christ, you’re following something else. There’s a God-sized hole in your heart, and if you try and fill it with something else, it’s never going to satisfy.”
For Josh Schmidt, the bar in his life will keep going up — literally and figuratively. And in every sense, he intends to keep clearing it.
RUNNERS-UP
Henry Johnson, Southwest Christian, golf
A Chaska native, Johnson led the Class AA State Golf Tournament wire-to-wire, opening with a 5-under 67, and cruising to a four-stroke win, which also helped the Stars finish in second place as a team. A Minnesota Mr. Golf finalist, he kept rolling the day after his state championship, qualifying for a spot in the U.S. Junior Amateur this summer at Saucon Valley in Pennsylvania. He will play his college golf at North Dakota State.
Owen Linder, Chanhassen, football
Perhaps the most highly-touted football recruit to come out of Carver County since another Chanhassen lineman, former NFL All-Pro Frank Ragnow, the 6-5, 275-lb tackle was a first-team all-state pick, Conference Lineman of the Year, and a Mr. Football finalist. He started a school-record 38 games and went 32-6, anchoring the line that carried the Storm to US Bank Stadium three straight years, winning the 2023 Class AAAAA state title, and a memorable performance in the 2025 Prep Bowl. Linder will play Power 5 football for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Matthew Welter, Chaska, baseball, basketball and football
In an era of sport specialization, Welter was the rare three-sport athlete that excelled in all three sports. He was the starting quarterback for Chaska’s excellent football team. He was the key post player on Chaska’s state championship basketball team. But baseball is where Welter truly starred. He earned all-state honors on the diamond as a first baseman and pitcher, providing power at the plate and innings on the mound for a highly-ranked Chaska club. Welter will play baseball at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Kade Bush, Chanhassen, football
Another one of the top football recruits in Minnesota, Bush earned Star Tribune All-State and Minnesota Vikings All-State honors as a tight end. At 6-5 and 220 pounds, he was a matchup nightmare, catching 77 passes for 776 yards and six touchdowns as a senior while also running for 283 yards. He helped lead the Storm to an 11-2 record and the Class AAAAA championship game, capping a career that began with a game-winning overtime touchdown catch to seal the 2023 state championship as a sophomore.
Michael Gillette, Chaska, wrestling
A longtime stalwart for the Chaska-Chanhassen Stormhawks, Gillette placed sixth in the state at 172 pounds in Class AAA, finishing the year 38-7. Gillette was the second ever Stormhawks wrestler to win 200 career matches. A reliable, hard-nosed competitor, he earned all-state honors in 2026.
James Kopfmann, Chanhassen, track & field and football
Kopfmann was a go-to wide receiver and one of the most explosive playmakers for the Chan football team. In 2025, he caught 12 touchdown passes and added scores on the ground, including an 80-yard jet sweep. Kopfmann also was a track star for the Storm, earning all-state in 2025 while also competing in the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the State Track Meet in 2026. He will run D1 track at the University of St. Thomas.
Dane Krull, Chaska, wrestling and track & field
Krull excelled for the Chaska-Chanhassen Stormhawks wrestling team, placing fourth in the state at 145 pounds in Class AAA, finishing the year 44-6. He was a Section 6AAA champion and won three matches at state, falling 4-3 in the third-place match. His deep state run made him the highest-placing of the Stormhawks’ wrestlers and earned him all-state recognition. Krull was also a standout pole vaulter at Chaska High School, ranking high on the all-time record list.
Nathan Ramler, Chanhassen, football and basketball
A 6-5 senior quarterback and Star Tribune All-Minnesota selection, Ramler threw his first 23 touchdown passes of the season before his first interception, finishing with 28 touchdowns and just one pick. He led the Storm to the Class AAAAA Prep Bowl and a runner-up finish. The nephew of former St. John’s All-America quarterback Kurt Ramler, Nathan will also continue his football career at SJU in Collegeville. Ramler also played basketball for the Storm, serving as team captain and one of their top players this year.
Nick Robinson, Chaska, track & field and football
A two-sport standout, Robinson earned all-state honors in track and field with a fifth-place finish in the discus at the state meet, breaking the Chaska school record in the process. Robinson was an anchor on Chaska football’s defensive line in 2025 as well. He will be a rare two-sport college athlete, competing in both football and track & field at Division II South Dakota Mines.
Logan Smith, Chanhassen, hockey and football
A two-sport star for the Storm, Smith made his mark on the gridiron and the ice. A three-year starter for the Storm football team, he was a force in the defensive backfield for a team that made three straight trips to US Bank Stadium. Smith also played in the 2024 Class AA State Hockey championship game and served as captain and team leader this past year. Smith will play junior hockey, getting drafted by the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL, one of the top development leagues in the country.
Owen Strey, Chaska, baseball
A power-hitting shortstop, Strey was an all-state performer and one of the centerpieces of a Chaska program ranked among the best in the state. He was a threat at the plate and on the bases, strong on the mound, anchored the Hawks’ lineup and played stellar defense. Strey will go on to play for Creighton University in Omaha.
Riley Syverson, Chanhassen, lacrosse and football
An all-state and all-American selection in boys lacrosse, Syverson was one of the most accomplished players in Minnesota. Syverson, who excelled on the field and in the classroom, will head to the Ivy League, playing Division I lacrosse for Yale University. He was a two-sport athlete who also contributed on the football field for Chanhassen’s recent juggernaut.
Izyndro Warain, Chaska, swimming & diving
Part of a talented swimming family at Chaska-Chanhassen, “Dro” earned all-state honors in 2026 in both the 100 breaststroke and 200 medley relay. An exceptional and versatile relay swimmer, Warain leaves the program as a three-year all-state honoree. He will swim at the Division II level, for the Huskies of St. Cloud State.
