Track & Field
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
- Email:
- dfraley@tulane.edu
- Hometown:
- Hammond, La.
The 2018-19 campaign saw a tremendous accomplishment as his pole vault squad swept the podium at the American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships in February. Rebekah Markel won the event with a meet-record of 4.23 meters, and freshmen Alex Potts and Nastja Modic took second and third place. Markel had an unbelievable year, breaking the school record indoors and outdoors, winning both conference championships, qualifying for both national meets and earning Second Team All-America status after placing 14th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Markel, Potts and Modic all reached the NCAA East Regional, and Modic and Potts are already in the school's top 10 all-time in the pole vault.
In 2017-18, Fraley continued his tradition of having pole vaulters reach the NCAA Regional round with Rebekah Markel earning a spot at the regional for the second straight year. Before Markel, Alyssa Applebee – the 2017 AAC indoor and outdoor conference champion in the event – made the regional round in 2017 and was a First Team All-America in the pole vault.
Fraley has also coached Merritt Van Meter to All-American status in the pole vault in 2014 (indoors) and 2013 (outdoors) while helping Devon Breaux earn All-American status in the long jump in 2015.
All together, Fraley's student-athletes at Tulane have earned four All-American honors, six appearances at the NCAA Championships, 23 entries at the NCAA Outdoor Regional, 25 All-Conference selections and five conference championships.
Fraley has been a staple on the New Orleans track and field scene, coaching with various high school and club organizations, along with officiating in the area, for the last 18 plus years. His pupils have gone on to win 18 LHSAA State Championships in the pole vault, and claim multiple long jump, triple jump and high jump titles. Fraley has seen four of his understudies win USATF or AAU National titles and many others have enjoyed success on a national level.
Prior to joining Tulane, Fraley coached at the high school level, working with student-athletes from many of the area's top programs. Before she competed during her freshman year at North Carolina – and ultimately transferring to Tulane – Van Meter at Country Day High School was coached by Fraley to a nation's best clearance of 4.17 meters (13' 8.25") in the pole vault in 2010, a mark which won her the LHSAA 1A State Championship and set the state record. Dalton Duvio of John Curtis High School was a two-time state champion in the pole vault and ranked sixth nationally in the event in 2011 with a vault of 5.20 meters (17'1"). Dalton's brother, Dylan finished as the LHSAA Division II State Champion at the State Outdoor Meet with a jump of 5.08 meters (16' 8") that he achieved with the help of Fraley. Kyle Rose – a graduate of Jesuit and former LSU Tiger pole vaulter – and Katelyn Rodrigue – formerly of Dominican and LSU – were also mentored by Fraley over the course of the last few years.
During his tenure as a high school coach, the Fresno, Calif., native was instrumental in the success of over 15 student-athletes, allowing them the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level. His pupils have earned scholarships to schools on both the east and west coasts, including schools like Tulane, Chicago, LSU, Georgia, Yale, Stanford, Southeastern Louisiana, North Carolina and Harvard.
Before moving to New Orleans to open the Spine Care Center of Metairie in 1995, Fraley spent a one-year stint as an assistant coach at his alma mater of Fresno State under his father and legendary track and field coach, Bob Fraley. As a student-athlete at Fresno State, Fraley won three NCAA National Championships in the pole vault, claiming the 1986 indoor title while winning both the indoor and outdoor titles the following year. He was the Fresno State Athlete of the Year in 1985 and 1986 before sharing the honor with Kevin Sweeney in 1987. In 1993, he was selected to Fresno State University athletic Hall of Fame before entering the Fresno County Hall of Fame in 2004.
After college, Fraley continued to compete on a regular basis as a part of the International Association of Athletics Federations Grand Prix circuit and qualified for six USA National Teams. He qualified for multiple World Grand Prix Finals and finished fourth overall at the event in 1987. His personal record was collected in 1992 when he cleared 5.80 meters (19' 0.25") at a competition in Sestriere, Italy.
Fraley has remained incredibly active in the development of the sport that he has dedicated his life to performing and teaching. He has been a keynote speaker and is an annual lecturer at the National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev. and has acted as the Master of Ceremonies at the National Pole Vault Summit and the North American Pole Vault Championships, both events which he helped organize. He also continues to contribute to the growth of track and field by serving as a member of the United States Track and Field Pole Vault Development coaching staff, a post he has held since 1995.
In addition to his coaching and developmental aspects of the sport, Fraley has remained interested and involved in the physical and mechanical aspects of the sport. He has been fortunate enough to work with some of the world's top coaches and biomechanics from Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Scotland, Sweden, Russia and the United States. He has studied the areas of technique, speed, strength and kinesthetic development and even contributed as the co-author of the pole vault chapter in the "Complete Book of Jumps", which was written by Ed Jacoby and, his father, Bob Fraley.
Fraley is married to the former Erica Bartolina, a 2008 Olympic pole vaulter. The couple resides in Hammond, La.
Coach Fraley Highlights at Tulane:
5 All-Americans
7 Student-Athletes at NCAA Championships
27 Entries in NCAA Outdoor Regional
7 Conference Champions
30 All-Conference Selections
1 Indoor Track Freshman of the Year (Breaux 2013)
