Best collegiate pole vault squad ever?

[burningneurons]

Wondering who you all think had the best collegiate pole vault squad ever in ONE YEAR both in big heights and also depth. Men, women, combined, just want to hear some thoughts, especially from those who have been around for a while. I know Abilene had some years, just wondering what you all think....

[tennpolevault]

95' vols won indoor and outdoor titles with different guys. 3 guys with PR's over 5.60m. Two others over 5.20ish

[rainbowgirl28]

If you adjust it based on what the WR was at the time, Abilene back when Billy Olson was there has got to be one of the best.

[VTechVaulter]

95' vols won indoor and outdoor titles with different guys. 3 guys with PR's over 5.60m. Two others over 5.20ish

yeah i think thats gonna about win right there. unless jacob davis had any help at texas in that time? how many schools have had multiple 18 footers in the same year?

Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Nebraska... just a few in recent memory

[cdmilton]

Minnesota had two in 1997. Not as deep as the Vols but not bad either.

Code: Select all

Vesa Rantanen   18-5 1/2   5.62    1997 Outdoor
Tye Harvey      18-2 1/2   5.55    1997 Indoor


And they had a few National Champions and All Americans:

Code: Select all

Indoor
1993 - Martin Eriksson (Pole Vault, 1st, 18-0 1/2)
1994 - Martin Eriksson (Pole Vault, 6th, 17-8 1/2)
1997 - Tye Harvey (Pole Vault, 2nd, 18-2 1/2)
1998 - Vesa Rantanen (Pole Vault, 1st, 18-2 1/2)

Outdoor
1993 - Martin Eriksson (Pole Vault, 3rd, 18-0 1/2)
1995 - Tye Harvey (Pole Vault, t8th, 17-4 1/2)
1997 - Vesa Rantanen (Pole Vault, 6th, 17-8 1/2)
1998 - Tye Harvey (Pole Vault, 8th, 17-4 1/2)


They have two guys on the team now over 5.30 and one of 5.20 so I hope for big things from them real soon.

[CowtownPV]

Not sure who all was there the same year but in the late 80's early 90's Baylor had a squad that could compete with anybody. Carl Erickson was the coach. From what I can tell from Baylor Media Guide Payne jumped 18'3in 1990 so the Bears had 3 that year over 18'.

POLE VAULT
19-02 3/4 ..Bill Payne ............................Houston, Texas (SWC) ..............1991
18-05 ........Todd Cooper ........................Austin, Texas ............................1985
18-04 1/2 ..David Hodge ........................Stockholm, Sweden ..................1985
18-01 1/4 ..Chris Bohanan......................Waco, Texas ............................1990
18-00 1/2 ..Brandon Richards ................Des Moines, Iowa......................1990
18-00 1/2 ..Mike Shafe ..........................Austin, Texas ............................1985
17-05 3/4 ..David Wooten ......................Austin, Texas ............................1985

[achtungpv]

Not sure who all was there the same year but in the late 80's early 90's Baylor had a squad that could compete with anybody. Carl Erickson was the coach. From what I can tell from Baylor Media Guide Payne jumped 18'3in 1990 so the Bears had 3 that year over 18'.

POLE VAULT
19-02 3/4 ..Bill Payne ............................Houston, Texas (SWC) ..............1991
18-05 ........Todd Cooper ........................Austin, Texas ............................1985
18-04 1/2 ..David Hodge ........................Stockholm, Sweden ..................1985
18-01 1/4 ..Chris Bohanan......................Waco, Texas ............................1990
18-00 1/2 ..Brandon Richards ................Des Moines, Iowa......................1990
18-00 1/2 ..Mike Shafe ..........................Austin, Texas ............................1985
17-05 3/4 ..David Wooten ......................Austin, Texas ............................1985

I believe Cooper-Hodge-Shafe are still the only trio from the same school to jump 5.50+ at the same NCAA Championship...unless Tennessee did it also with Mack-Johnson-Johnson.

[smokinvaulter1]

KU had 3 5.50+ guys

[mshafe]

Cooper, Hodge and Shafe were not the only trio of 5.50 plus vaulters. Abiline Christian had the first three over 18 before Baylor's Trio. And Yes, Coach Rick Atting at KU had 3 5.50 plus vaulters. However, to my knowledge, no school has had three team members jump 5.50 plus at the national meet and take 2nd, 4th, and 5th (1985 Austin Texas) except the Baylor Trio. I am proud to say that even though I am now 46 years old, I was one of the Trio.

Funny thing, I was checking some vault record archives and stumbled upon this site and couldn't stop myself from leaving a comment.

Michael Shafe MD

[KirkB]

... no school has had three team members jump 5.50 plus at the national meet and take 2nd, 4th, and 5th (1985 Austin Texas) except the Baylor Trio. I am proud to say that even though I am now 46 years old, I was one of the Trio.

Mike, I can appreciate how your memory fades at age 46, but I think you're selling yourself short on your profile. Your PR is 5.50 ... not 5.20.

Kirk

[mshafe]

Kirk,
You are correct. I was tired and made a typo. I actually cleared 5.60 in Poland when we were jumping at a festival off a pier on the Baltic Sea. Officially it was an exibition jump with some Russians and Marion Kolasa.

Michael

[rainbowgirl28]

Bump