2016: Began the indoor season by placing ninth in the pole vault at the Purple Tiger Invitational (1/8) with a mark of 15-5.75 (4.72m), which ranks sixth in school history ... In his second indoor meet of the season, placed fifth in the pole vault at the Aggie Team Invitational (1/15) with a mark of 15-5.50 (4.71m) ... Ended the indoor season with his best finish of the campaign with a mark of 15-7 (4.75m), which ranks fifth all-time in school history, at the 2016 Conference USA Indoor Championships (2/24) in Birmingham to finish in fourth place ... Opened the outdoor season by claiming gold at LA Tech's Jim Mize Invitational (3/18) with a season-best mark of 15-7 (4.75m), which ranks ninth in Louisiana Tech history ... Also recorded an identical mark of 15-7 (4.75m) at the Jace LaCoste Invitational (4/30) in Starkville, Mississippi, to place seventh in the pole vault event ... Placed third in the pole vault at the Leon Johnson NSU Invitational (4/8) with a mark of 15-6.25 (4.73m) ... Recorded yet another top 10 finish after placing seventh at the UTA Bobby Lane Invitational (3/25) in Arlington, Texas, with a mark of 15-5 (4.70m), an identical mark to what he recorded at the Southeastern Lion Invitational (4/15) when he placed fifth overall in the pole vault ... Finished the 2016 outdoor campaign with a mark of 14-8 (4.47m) at the C-USA Outdoor Championships (5/12) in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2015: Opened his collegiate career by placing seventh in the pole vault at the UAB Blazer Invite (1/9-10) with a mark of 14-5.25 (4.40m) ... Placed 10th in the pole vault at the Texas A&M Team Invitational (1/17) with a height of 14-11 (4.55m) ... Registered a height of 15-1 (4.60m) in the pole vault at the Vanderbilt Indoor Invitational (1/23-24), a mark that ties for fourth in school history ... Opened the outdoor season by winning the pole vault at the Jim Mize Invitational (3/20-21) with a height of 14-7.25 (4.45m) ... Won the pole vault with a mark of 14-7.25 (4.45m) at the Demon Invitational (4/11) ... Placed 12th in the pole vault at the LSU Alumni Gold (4/18) with a height of 15-7.25 (4.76m) ... Won the pole vault at the Leon Johnson Invitational (4/25) with a vault of 15-6.25 (4.73m) ... Was the runner-up at the Horned Frog Invitational (5/2) with a pole vault mark of 15-5 (4.70m) ... Finished eighth in the pole vault at the Conference USA Championships (5/14-17) with a mark of 15-7.25 (4.76m). High School: Graduated from El Dorado High School in 2014 ... Lettered four times each in both track and field and golf ... Set the school record in the pole vault (15-0) ... Finished as the state runner-up in the pole vault in 2010. Personal: Gregory Robert Ballard ... Son of Rob and Tammy Ballard ... Born on Sept. 23, 1995 in El Dorado, Arkansas ... Has three siblings: Garrett, Grant and Grace ... Majoring in mechanical engineering at Louisiana Tech.