NCAA DI Men - Quiller 5.50

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs. ... 003/SPORTS


Quiller hopes NCAA crown is not the peak
BU vaulter seeks spot in Olympic Trials


JOSEPH GERONIMO / Press & Sun-Bulletin
Rory Quiller, left, and coach Michael Thompson were honored Tuesday at Binghamton University after Quiller won the pole vault last week at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field championships.


Sports
Olympics
By Brian Moritz
Press & Sun-Bulletin


VESTAL -- Even as those around him celebrated, Rory Quiller was already looking forward.

His national championship plaque was in his backpack, still in a white box. He tucked two folders, both containing congratulatory proclamations, into his bag.

Less than a week after making school history and becoming a national champion, Quiller already has his eyes on his next goal -- the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials.

"I think a pitfall of winning a title is that you can get complacent," Quiller said. "I don't want to do that. I might be a national champion right now, but I'm going to keep training and see how much better I can get."

Quiller, who on Friday night became Binghamton University's first Division I national champion by winning the NCAA Indoor Track & Field pole vault, was honored at the school on Tuesday afternoon at the Tau Bearcat Club Room in the Events Center. He and BU coach Mike Thompson both received proclamations from Barbara J. Fiala, the Broome County Executive, and Andrew Block, the communications director for the city of Binghamton.

Quiller jumped 18-feet, 1/2 inch to win the national title in Fayetteville, Ark.

"I can't look up 18 feet," Fiala joked.

Quiller and Thompson were both recognized by school and athletic department officials for their achievements. Thompson is believed to be one of the few coaches in NCAA history to coach track and field national champions at Divisions I, II and III at the same school.

Quiller is the first BU athlete to win a national title since the program made the leap to Division I in 2001. He made the NCAAs five times and is a three-time All-American (2007-08 Indoor, 2007 Outdoor). He finished second at last year's Indoor Championships and tied for fourth at last year's Outdoor Championships.

Quiller is also the first athlete in the history of the America East Conference to win a national championship.

"We are so proud of Rory," BU President Lois DeFleur said. "He is a talented, talented student. He is determined, dedicated and most of all, he has that winning competitive spirit."

Despite winning the national title, Quiller admitted he was a bit disappointed in his performance. He wanted to get to 18-8 1/4, which would have automatically qualified him for the Olympic Trials, scheduled for June 27-July 6 in Eugene, Ore. As it stands, Quiller's personal best leap of 18-6 1/2 at the IC4A Championships on March 8 puts him in good shape to be one of the 24 vaulters in the field at the Olympic Trials.

Quiller's victory at the NCAAs was not without some drama. He missed his first two jumps at 18- 1/2, and had he missed his third jump, he would have finished fifth.

"Rory, I want to thank you for taking 10 years off my life," joked Thompson.

After clearing the bar at 18- 1/2 and clinching the title, Quiller took a couple jumps at 18-8 1/2 but missed them all.

"I sat on my pole bag, because there wasn't a lot of room to sit, and I thought, 'I'm a national champion ... but I only jumped 18-feet," Quiller said. "That's not as high as I can jump, and the other guys there can jump a lot higher, too. I'm still the same person (after winning the national title). Nothing's going to change that."

Quiller is finishing his MBA and is looking at doctoral programs at the university. After taking a couple weeks off, Quiller will resume training for the Olympic Trials -- though he admitted that the 2012 Olympics in London are probably a more realistic goal than Beijing this summer.

"The Olympics has always been my dream," Quiller said. "When I was in high school, even back when I was on the modified track team, I always wanted to make it to the Olympics."

[SlickVT]

No one deserves it more... Rory is one of the nicest kids you could meet. Hard worker, and a good all-around guy.

Way to go.

[SkyHigh21]

thats rediculous... you win a national championship and say you would have rather been 2nd,3rd, or 4th? Ive been 3rd and 4th, an all american 4 times and jumped good bars. The point is... you were the best on that day. Thats the way the polevault is. Jump 70 when you have a good opportunity... chasing bars at huge competitions never happens. The point is... he competed... thats all you could ask for. He should be proud to be a national champ. I know the guys in that field with him who would have ben elated to win on a third attempt. Dont be upset because you didnt PR at the NCAA's.

I think someone needs to look at how lucky they are to be a national champ... not so many can be that lucky after putting their hearts and souls into preparing to compete in that venue. Some get their chances cut short...

Never sluff off an achievement like that... or maybe you dont deserve it.

[gyver]

Rory is grateful, excited and appreciative to be the NCAA Champion, and is not taking it for granted. He just really wants to jump 18-8 1/4.