Paul Terek (2024) - Hall of Fame - Michigan State University Athletics

Paul Terek

Induction:
2024
Class:
2002

Paul Terek
Men's Track & Field 1998-2002
Livonia, Mich.
MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024

HALL OF FAME FEATURE: CLASS OF 2024

As the world prepares for the Paris Olympics this summer, former Olympian and Big Ten Champion Paul Terek looks forward to his induction to the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame. He joins Beth Rohl as one of two track & field athletes to be inducted this year.

The former Spartan pole vaulter and multi-event athlete was at a loss of words when first told about being told by Vice President and Director of Athletics Alan Haller that he was being inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame.

"I felt a big sense of accomplishment," Terek said. "I've always wanted to be in the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame, and for me, it was such an honor. I think the best word to describe it for me, is humbling."

Terek, who represented the U.S. in the 2004 Athens Olympics, is acutely aware of the Spartan track & field legends that he is joining in the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame, including fellow Olympians Savatheda Fynes Coke and Judi Brown. He saw the banners for people like Herb Washington and Ken Popejoy hanging in Jenison Field House during his time as a student-athlete from 1998-2002.

"I remember being there as a freshman and walking through Jenison Field House, and they had all the pictures of all the All-Americans and school record holders," Terek said. "When you looked at the history of Michigan State, there was a lot of that there, and I always wanted to be one of those guys. When you walk into Jenison, they had all the Olympians from Michigan State. It was an inspiration to me to see those people. When I went there that was my goal, and I think just by the performances I had, maybe I raised the bar a little bit and gave other people something to shoot for."

"It took awhile after I left, but it was cool to see Tim Ehrhardt be the first one to break my decathlon and pole vault record and then see (2024 Olympian) Heath (Baldwin) break his record. It just keeps moving the bar up for future athletes."

Without question, Terek left his mark on the Michigan State track and field program. He closed out his phenomenal career as the MSU record holder in the decathlon, heptathlon, and pole vault (indoor and outdoor). In addition, he was the Big Ten record holder in all four events. Overall, he captured six Big Ten titles.During the 2001 indoor season, he was selected to the All-Big Ten first team after taking home the Big Ten championship in the pole vault and heptathlon. He set the Big Ten and MSU record in the pole vault at 18'2-3/4" and also set the MSU record for the heptathlon with 5,685 points. Aside from the accolades, it was one of Terek's favorite meets as a Spartan.

"I think there's a lot of great meets and a lot of great teammates that I still keep in contact with. We reminisce all the time," Terek said. "For me, one of the one of the greatest meets I remember the most was my junior year. We had indoor Big Ten's at Penn State when I broke the indoor Big Ten pole vault record. It was a great meet, and I had a lot of family there. It was a was a great competition."

The success continued into the outdoor season, where once again Terek broke records and captured championships. At the 2001 Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Terek set a school and Big Ten championship record with 7,695 points in the decathlon. He also won the conference crown in the pole vault, earning Big Ten Athlete of the Championship honors for his two-title performance. He would also be named Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year.At the national level, Terek earned a pair of All-America honors as a junior, finishing eighth in the pole vault during the indoor season and fourth in the decathlon outdoors.
As a senior, Terek cemented his place as one of the great athletes in Big Ten history. During the 2002 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, he placed second in the pole vault with a height of 17' 11-3/4", narrowly missing a national championship based on number of misses on earlier attempts.

That proved to be just the start of what was a great last few months as a Spartan. At the 2002 Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Terek successfully defended his outdoor titles in both the decathlon and pole vault. His 7,829 points in the decathlon broke his own meet record. Once again, he was named Athlete of the Championship as well as Athlete of Year.

At the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Terek placed second nationally, becoming the first Big Ten athlete to top 8000 points with a record score of 8,041. He would finish his career as a four-time track & field All-American.

Terek knows that his journey at Michigan State and beyond would not be the same without his family. His parents (mother Cindy and late father Joe) and sister (Christy) made many road trips to watch him compete.

"If they had a free weekend and I had a track meet, they were in the car driving or flying in a plane," Terek said. "I wouldn't be here without their support. Without them, I wouldn't have had the success in high school, which led to the success in college. So first and foremost, I want to thank my parents."

Beyond his family, Terek knows he had a village of teammates and coaches to help along the way.

"I still keep in touch with a lot of my teammates and coaches from Michigan State," Terek said. "Coach Darroll Gatson was the head coach at the time, and Will Wabaunsee was my event coach and Jim Stintzi he was there too. He was the distance coach, but like all three of them had an impact in my training. Specifically, one 'come to Jesus' moment. Coach Gatson called me into the office before practice. I figured he just wanted to talk about practice. Then Coach Stintzi closed the door behind me, and I see Will sitting there. I thought, 'there's one of me and there's three of you. What's going on?'

"I think every athlete at some point needs to have that talk. That was a big eye opener. For me, that was assurance of these guys had faith in me to do great things, and that they were willing to work with me. For that I am grateful. It was really a cumulative effort from all the coaches and my teammates," Terek recalled of his talk with his coaches.

The words of wisdom paid off, as Terek would create a legacy matched by few. By winning the Men's Outdoor Track & Field Big Ten Athlete of the Year and the Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Championships in both 2001 and 2002, he is part of elite company. He became just the second person in conference history to earn Athlete of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons, and still just one of four today. Similarly, he was just the third athlete at the time, and of just four ever, to earn back-to-back Athlete of the Championships accolades. He was the very first to win both awards in consecutive years. In fact, only Purdue's Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (2015-16) has ever equaled that accomplishment.

His hard work also earned him 2002 United States Track Coaches Association Great Lakes Region Men's Track & Field Athlete of the Year honors as well as the 2002 Michigan State Alderton Male Athlete of the Year accolades.

Now Terek can add the ultimate honor to his award collection - Michigan State Athletics Hall of Famer.