PoleVaultPower.com

2/8/06

So far this year, Breanna, Lacy, and Chelsea have really pulled away from the rest of the field. Breanna and Lacy have been consistent above 4.20, and Chelsea jumped 4.25 last weekend to prove she belongs back in the mix.

Everyone else is just trying to make sure they get to nationals. Last year it took 4.10 to get in, what will it take this year?

My rankings:

#1 Breanna Eveland - She has been consistently dominant all season.
#2 Lacy Janson - She has struggled with inconsistency in the past, but this year she has something figured out and has been jumping high every meet.
#3 Chelsea Johnson - She has the highest PR of the group, but got off to a slower start and has not been in as many meets as Lacy and Breanna.
#4 Kierney Hiteshew - She hasn't jumped super high yet, but she has been steadily improving with every meet, and she is a returning All-American from last year, she knows how to get the job done when it counts.
#5 Tamara Diles - Although she has not achieved the success of her freshman year at WSU, Tamara has been consistently jumping well in big meets. Don't be fooled by her 4.00 on the official performance list, she jumped 4.05 in Reno.
#8 April Kubishta - She's been jumping pretty well and a 4.07 last weekend moves her up the list.
#7 Elouise Rudy - This freshman has popped out of nowhere to put up some big marks. If she continues to improve she should be on the podium at Nationals.
#8 Mary Saxer - Mary has yet to achieve the heights that propelled her to high school record holder status, but I predict she'll jump something solid to make the trip to Fayetteville, and perform solidly there.


Watch out for...
Melanie Buczko - an all-american last year, she has not been consistently high yet this year, but there is still time left.
Gabriella Duclos - another freshman who has been improving rapidly.
Cheryl Terrio - made it to finals outdoors last year and looked like she had a lot of room for improvement.
Jackie Rodgers - an all-american last year who could definitely make it back this year
Jenny Green - She has been a force of nature in the past, if she gets the wheels rolling again she could be a threat.

The Men


Robbie Pratt showed the crowd at Reno that he is back and ready to roll. After the defending outdoor champ easily defeated last year's outdoor runner-up in Reno, he went on to raise the Mexican National record to 5.70, and took some VERY close shots at 5.80. John Russell has also been jumping well with a few meets at 5.50+, and of course Tommy Skipper is the defending indoor champ who has never lost a national meet he qualified to.

#1 Robbie Pratt - He looked good for 5.80+ in Reno. I don't think anyone can touch him if he keeps it up.
#2 John Russell - He's been over 5.50 twice this season, although a recent loss to Keith Higham shows he is beatable.
#3 Tommy Skipper - If he gets on, he is definitely a contender to win. He hasn't been as dominant this year as last though, we'll see if he can reclaim his title.
#4 Brian Mondschein - A 5.45 PR in Reno for last year's outdoor runner-up puts him on track to make it back near the top of the podium.
#5 Keith Higham - A 5.47 win over John Russell marked another PR for the sophomore.
#6 Derek Mackel - Another vaulter who has achieved several PRs this year. He has been consistent in the 17'+ range and has a solid chance of making it on the podium in Reno.
#7 Chip Heuser - Chip jumped 5.41 at the Texas Roundup, it just didn't count for qualifying. He has been getting on some big sticks this year and is definitely a threat to jump something big this season.
#8 Trey Hardee - OK maybe this is a long shot, but Trey jumped 5.30 at altitude in a heptathlon from 5 lefts. I'm pretty sure he could beat up Chuck Norris. If anybody could win the NCAA hep and turn around and place in the pole vault, it's Trey.

Watch out for...
Graeme Hoste - a 5.38 PR last weekend should punch his ticket to nationals
Andre Poljanec - 5.36 so far this year
Gable Baldwin - 5.33 last weekend
Adam Sarafian - jumped 5.35 in Reno which has since been removed from the list. He has a lot of potential to go higher, just has been a bit inconsistent this year.

I think Sarah Landau should be put on the list of threats for the women.

chelsea johnson will win indoor ncaa's ... don't you know who she is!?! jk

good luck to everyone the rest of the season, see everyone in fayetteville!!

oh yeah.... thanks for the props becca!

ps. there is no way i could withstand a chuck norris roundhouse...

I watched John and Keith jump this past weekend. Keith was clean over every height he made on his first attempt. John ran through his first attempt at his first height. This put him in a hole early. They are both amazing jumpers though and I think they will both make an impact.

Elouise Rudy is lagit. she has been consistantly improving every weekend and got on a 14'6" pole last weekend. she is going to jump higher before nationals and i think that was a good pick Becca

OK these are based on LAST weekend's results. I got busy and never got around to posting this stuff.

First the results from last week:

Last week's rankings and how they performed this week:

#1 Breanna Eveland - 4.20 1st at Iowa State
#2 Lacy Janson - 4.37 1st at Tyson Championship section
#3 Chelsea Johnson - Did not compete
#4 Kierney Hiteshew - 4.13 3rd at Tyson (2nd collegian)
#5 Tamara Diles - 3.96 5th at Husky Invite (tied for top collegian)
#8 April Kubishta - 4.13 2nd at New Mexico
#7 Elouise Rudy - 3.96 1st at Idaho State
#8 Mary Saxer - Did not compete

Watch out for...
Melanie Buczko - 3.95 1st @ Bucknell
Gabriella Duclos - NH @ Husky Invite
Cheryl Terrio - 4.12 4th at Tyson (3rd collegian)
Jackie Rodgers - 3.95 1st at Penn State
Jenny Green - Did not compete

#1 Robbie Pratt - 5.61 1st @ Washington
#2 John Russell - 5.32 2nd @ Penn State
#3 Tommy Skipper - 5.50 5th at Tyson (1st collegian, Invite section)
#4 Brian Mondschein - 5.52 1st @ Penn State
#5 Keith Higham - 5.22 3rd @ Penn State
#6 Derek Mackel - Did not compete
#7 Chip Heuser - NH @ Tyson @ 5.21
#8 Trey Hardee - NH @ Tyson @ 4.91

Watch out for...
Graeme Hoste - 5.21 5th @ Tyson (4th collegian, Championship section)
Andre Poljanec - 5.30 3rd @ Iowa State (2nd collegian)
Adam Sarafian - 5.06 7th @ Tyson (6th collegian, Championship section)
Gable Baldwin - 5.31 2nd @ Tyson (1st collegian, Championship section)

This (past) week's rankings

#1 Lacy Janson - A season and NCAA best of 4.37 at Tyson show Lacy is ready to roll.
#2 Breanna Eveland - A 4.20 win and attempts at 4.33 at Iowa State continue this very solid season for Breanna.
#3 Erin Asay - a huge 4.28 PR gives her the third best mark in the NCAA this year. I actually meant to have her in the mix last week, as she has been steadily improving all year.
#4 Chelsea Johnson - Did not compete last weekend.
#5 Kierney Hiteshew - 4.13 at Tyson, Kierney has continues to improve.
#6 April Kubishta - 4.13 at New Mexico continues the improvement streak for April.
#7 Cheryl Terrio - 4.12 at Tyson and Cheryl is back to form from last year.
#8 Jodi Unger - Another 4.12 vaulter. People seem to be picking this as the magic number that will get in to NCAAs this year.

Watch out for...

Stephanie Irwin - 4.07 at Tyson
Sarah Landau - I meant to have Sarah on the watch list last week. She has one of the prettiest vaults in the NCAA. 4.06 last weekend.
Any girl from University of Washington - Carly Dockendorf and Ashley Wildhaber are already All-Americans (Carly in 2 sports!) and Stevie Marshalek and Kelly DiVesta have made the trip before. UW had 4 girls at indoor nationals and 4 girls outdoors. Odds are in favor of at least 2 of them making the trip and somebody getting on the podium.


#1 Robbie Pratt - 5.61 is the 2nd highest jump in the NCAA this year behind his own 5.70.
#2 Tommy Skipper - He opened at 5.50 and made it on his 2nd at Tyson. Looks like Skipper is starting to get back into the swing of things.
#3 Brian Mondschein - A 5.52 PR puts him on track for big things.
#4 John Russell - He's consistently jumping high and should make it on the awards stand in Arkansas.
#5 Keith Higham - Didn't have the best meet last weekend, but has been strong all year.
#6 Derek Mackel - Didn't compete last weekend. Let's hope he just needed rest.
#7 Andre Poljanec - He's been performing solidly all year.
#8 Chip Heuser - He hasn't been very consistent this year, but if he puts it together at Nationals, he could give the top 3 a run for their money.


Watch out for...
Trey Hardee - Went back to 6 lefts at Tyson and didn't quite time everything up, but if he can control that speed, look out! He has not decided yet if he will pole vault at NCAAs (should his mark be good enough to get in).
Graeme Hoste - 5.21 last weekend is not bad but not great.
Gable Baldwin - A 5.31 improvement at Tyson last weekend.
Adam Sarafian - Adam hasn't been very consistent, but he is starting to put a lot of things together and is a big jump waiting to happen.
Any guy from New Mexico - Their coach is doing a great job. Every meet I see New Mexico guys PRing left and right and jumping over 17'.