Class of 2011 College Signings

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-s ... 03286.html


U High pole vaulter Emily Clay heads to Cincinnati
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By Randy Sharer | rsharer@pantagraph.com | Posted: Tuesday, March 15, 2011 6:09 pm | No Comments Posted


NORMAL -- Now that Emily Clay has painstakingly made herself an expert at sifting through Division I college scholarship offers, the University High School pole vault star has signed a national letter of intent to compete for the University of Cincinnati.
"I spent tons of time looking at colleges so I'm a pro at recruiting now," quipped Clay, the 2009 Class 2A state pole vault champion and 2010 state runner-up.
Clay chose Cincinnati even though other schools offered more than the 80 percent scholarship she accepted.
"I didn't want to go somewhere where I would get a lot of money, but I didn't have a coach," Clay said. "I don't want to put a lot of time into something and not improve.
"You have to look for those schools that want pole vault and pay for it. I found that. I was happy with that."
Clay likes the fact second-year Cincinnati jumps coach Kris Mack has roots in the community.
"He is just starting to raise his family there so I think he'll be there awhile," Clay said.
Cincinnati has only had three vaulters go higher than Clay's career-best of 12 feet, 6 inches. She also considered South Florida, Hawaii, Illinois and Missouri.
"She chose a school that I think is going to be a good fit for her," said U High coach Stu Shaver. "They were very attentive to Emily and what she would like to do and the opportunities she wants to have."
Clay, who placed 13th in last fall's 2A state cross country meet, will also run cross country in college. She will major in physical therapy.
Clay is the most recent member of the Flying Dragons Pole Vault Club to sign with a Division I school. Others include Pontiac's Emily Grove (South Dakota), Normal Community West's Taylor Kirby (Wisconsin) and Streator's Logan Pflibsen (New Mexico).

[26mi235]

She will not be on scholarship as a freshman, but could earn one later. She turned down academic scholarship offers from Minnesota and the Colorado School of Mines.

A 12'9.50 girl walking on? Now THAT is recruiting!

Nate Davis is a coach worth walking on for, he has helped Jenny Soceka reach the next level and maybe the next one after that (e.g., 15 feet). It might depend on how things evolve for her and others (no vaulters at the Big Ten Women's indoor). It also sounds like she may get academic scholarship aid and UW is not as expensive as some states for in-state students (I think she is in-state).

[Chukam All]

...UW is not as expensive as some states for in-state students (I think she is in-state).

Actually she's not. Taylor lives in Normal ILL. Home to ISU.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.tdtnews.com/story/2011/4/15/73791


Holland champion vaulter Severson signs with Sam Houston State


HOLLAND - Of all that's happened to Blair Severson by vaulting himself in the air on a pole, this was the culmination of years of hard work.
Severson, the two-time defending Class A pole vault state champion, signed a letter of intent Thursday afternoon to compete for Sam Houston State beginning this fall.

Joining Severson in a ceremony in front of students from across Holland ISD was senior classmate Sam Goodnight, who signed to play football at NCAA Division II school Colorado School of Mines.

"This is a big deal to me," Severson said. "I feel very blessed that I'm able to even compete for four more years."

In his four years at Holland, Severson has established himself as the top Class A vaulter in the state.

He's a four-time district and area meet champion, claiming his latest area title with a vault of 13 feet, 6 inches Wednesday. Severson has also won regional titles as a sophomore and a junior and will go for another next month.

But before that, he decided on his college future, picking Sam Houston State over Oklahoma and North Texas. And though Oklahoma had name value, Huntsville was the place Severson thought he'd fit in best.

[timothylaynemeyer]

Press Release from Hamilton Christian Academy of Lake Charles, La Thursday April 21, 2011

Cameron Meyer and UGA Bulldogs!!!!
Match made in Heaven


Hamilton Christian Academy Senior Cameron Meyer has signed with the University of Georgia Track Team and is excited about working with Multi’s and Jumps Coach Petros Kyprianou.

Coach Petros told Cameron the moment he saw him he wanted him on his team. Coach Petros was on a visit to New Heights Gym in New Iberia, La to recruit Morgan LeLeux the number 1 Girls Vaulter in the USA and while there met Cameron working out. The two talked for over two hours a comfortable feeling came over Cameron that he was the guy that he wanted to vault for the next four years.

Cameron’s vault coach Shane Leleux (Morgan’s Dad) remembers the first time he saw Cameron he knew he was a natural and had all the tools to be the first 16’ vaulter from his gym. He said Cameron had the perfect build, strength and speed to be great. Cameron has worked with Coach Shane the last 2 and ½ years and has become the first 16’ vaulter from the Gym.

Cameron has a lot of God given ability but is also a tremendous worker and listens to the Coaches in his life and tries to follow their instruction to the mark.

It all started with Coach Mike Maggio and his good friend Turney Chaumont’s dad Jerry Chaumont telling him he was built to be a pole vaulter. Cameron remembers the first time he ever vaulted is when he showed up for the first track meet his freshman year and Coach Maggio said your pole vaulting today. Cameron was very scared the first day but did it anyway and cleared 10 feet that day and a love was born. On the ride home he told his dad that one day he was going to college to pole vault.

He then started working with Coach Brandon Maggio who was a 13’ pole vaulter in High School. Their relationship has grown and Cameron is really comfortable at meets working with Brandon. There are many video’s of Coach Brandon jumping all most as high as Cameron in excitement because Cameron would clear a new PR.

Then the last two years came Coach Johnny Giordano who has guided Cameron into being not only a great vaulter but one of the fastest kids in the Lake Area. If anyone knows one thing about Coach Giordano it’s that he loves to take kids that want to work hard and make them not good but great. His many high school kids that he has put in college with scholarships and numerous All State and All American athlete’s prove this (Trey Harts formely of Baylorbeing on of them) and not to mention he has guided teams to at least eight state championships.

Coach Johnny said that Cameron is one of the hardest working and dedicated athlete’s he has ever worked with. His favorite quote he tells people about Cameron is that three years ago if you would had told him that Cameron would be running on the relays team for him that are setting records “he would have told them you must have lost your mind”.

Cameron also appreciates the time and efforts that A.D. Kermit Pilgreen and his wife has given to organizing and working the many events that Cameron has participated in, without them most of his records that Mrs. Pilgreen has put on the bulletin board at school would have never been known or accomplished.

Cameron is a very hard worker and is proud of what he has accomplished but he is more proud of his walk and fellowship with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He cherishes his relationship with Christ and tries his hardest to show it in everyway everyday. He wants to thank Pastor Brandon to bringing him along that path and the relationship they have built will last a lifetime.

Cameron is proud of what he has accomplished but if you know him he is not one to talk much about it. So if he has not told all the Coaches, Principal’s, Teachers and people mentioned in this letter or not he appreciates them helping him you know he does very much.

He also wants to thank his Grand Parents Don and Mary Bruno and Vernon and Carolyn Meyer for the love and financial support they have given helping him get where he is today!!! THEM POLES ARE NOT CHEAP!!!

He also, wants to say to his Sisters Amberly and Dominique thanks for blazing a great Athletic and Academic path in front of him at HCA and being a big part of his life and he wants to tell his little brother Gabe that he will always be there for him and he expects him to surpass all that he a has accomplished.


Cameron’s Accomplishments to date.

• Current 1A State Champion
• District 4-1A Record Holder and Champion three years in a row
• Current 1A State Record holder
• Ranked number 8 in the US with a height of 16’2”
• All State, All Southwest and All District QB in football 2009 and 2010
• All District Baseball 2009 and 2010 years
• All State Academic in Football, Baseball and Track 2009, 2010
• Numerous meet records and school records
• 28 ACT Score and 3.875 GPA
• National Honor’s Society

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.wsucougars.com/sports/c-trac ... 11aaa.html


Westside Pole Vaulter Signs with Cougars
Talented pole vaulter Jenna Crain signs with WSU.

Jenna Crain

May 19, 2011

PULLMAN, Wash. -- Jenna Crain, a pole vaulter at Kent-Meridian High School, has signed National Letter of Intent to attend and compete in track and field for Washington State University starting in the fall of 2011, Cougar Head Coach Rick Sloan announced Thursday.

Crain is currently a senior at Kent-Meridian High School where she earned 12 varsity letters: four in gymnastics, three in track and field, two in soccer, two in cross country and one in fastpitch softball. She cleared 12-feet at the 2010 Pasco Invitational meet and placed eighth at the state 4A championship meet. Crain finished 15th at the Pole Vault Summit in Reno and has a season-best clearance at 11-feet at the Kentlake-Kent Meridian dual in March.

Crain is a member of the National Honor Society and served as the senior class vice president. She plans to study anthropology at WSU.

"Jenna is an exciting pole vault prospect and someone I am very glad is joining us here at WSU," Cougar jump coach Matt McGee said. "She comes from the same very successful program as current Cougar vaulter Kelsey Bueno at Kent-Meridian where her head coach Ernie Ammons is himself a former Cougar. It is always a nice bonus to keep connected with former Cougs! She has a great combination of size, speed, and strength, really possessing all of the attributes to be a very successful athlete for years to come."

[VaultPurple]

I don't know if this has been posted or not, but I just saw where Jordan Yamoah signed with Texas A&M-Kingsville. Not too often do you see a DII School land a 17'1 high school kid.

http://boxscorenews.com/texas-amkingsvi ... 181-68.htm

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.codyenterprise.com/news/spor ... 03286.html


Bales to pole vault at Bozeman

By ED MATTHEWS
Bales
Anna Bales will pole vault at Montana State University. She is pictured with coach Scott Shaffer (left) and parents Leslie and Monte Bales.

Posted: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 12:21 pm
By AMBER PEABODY | 0 comments
For the last four years, senior Anna Bales has been one of Cody's top pole vaulters.
Now, the defending state champion has signed a letter of intent to compete at Montana State University in Bozeman next year.
"I'm glad she's going to do this," coach Scott Shaffer said. "She's done a lot of work and earned it. She'll put in the time during the summer to be ready for college."
Bales went out for track in middle school but did not compete her eighth-grade year. However, she was approached by Shaffer to try pole vaulting during high school.
"He was my brother's coach and asked me to come out for pole vault so I decided to try it," she said.
Bales caught on to the difficult sport right away and excelled. Her freshman and sophomore seasons, she finished second at both the indoor and outdoor state championships.
"I've always been gymnastics-oriented, and that's what I saw in pole vault," she said. "Watching my brother (Hayden Bales) do it, I thought it was a unique sport to do."
Her junior year she suffered a stress fracture and missed most of the indoor season, but had a strong showing during outdoor, claiming the state championship in the pole vault and setting a state record at 11 feet, 9 inches.
"I never think about the height," she said. It's always something else like my run or planting the pole. I focus on the technical things I need to be doing."
She's also been part of four state champion relay teams, including the 1,600 team that clinched the Fillies' third overall state title last year.
Last summer she began looking at colleges, considering five schools before making her choice.
"I like how it feels," she said of Bozeman. "It's surrounded by mountains and isn't too far from Cody. It fits my personality."
During her visit, Bales met with coach Dale Kennedy and toured the facilities.
"I always wanted to compete in college, but I was nervous because it's a different level than what I'm used to," she said. "It was stressful thinking about it, but now that I'm almost done with high school, I'm ready and know I'll enjoy it."
She plans to study psychology at MSU.
So far her senior track season hasn't been quite what she'd hoped for. She was sick for several months and finished third at the indoor state meet in the pole vault before it was finally determined she was suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Pole vaulting has continued to be a challenge until late in the season, when she was finally able to clear 11 feet, 3 inches for the first time all year.
"I'm just now getting back into it," she said. "This season has not been what I would have wanted, but I still have college to compete so I should be fine."
One positive for Bales this year is she has taken up the long jump. She finished second at the regional meet in Pinedale and hopes to continue jumping at MSU.
"I love long jump because for me it's not as technical as pole vault," she said. "I just run and jump as high as I can."
Going into the state meet this weekend, she hopes the team can claim its fourth straight state title.
"I hope it goes well, and we do as well as we did at regionals," she said. "I'd like to be at the top for my events and do better than I have been."

[atlegu]

Ian Rock from Davis HS in California, is leaving Davis HS Blue Devils for another Blue Devils. According to Davis Enterprise (and Ian himself)

"Ian Rock, bound for Duke where he will try his hand at the decathlon"

This season, focusing most on PV, he has done 6'6'' in high, jump, 23'1'' in LJ, 11.25 on 100 and 22.52 sec on 200 meter, which indicates that if i manage to throw, a lot of decathlonist's should be aware !

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-sports/ci_18106558


Mayfield pole vaulter signs with Aggies
Black joins MHS teammate Banegas and Oñate's Walker at NMSU
By Jason Groves jgroves@lcsun-news.com
Posted: 05/20/2011 04:40:14 PM MDT

LAS CRUCES - What Taylor Black has accomplished as a pole vaulter at the high school is remarkable considering she has virtually done it on her own.
Mayfield track has undergone coaching changes, leaving Black to develop her skill on her own. The result has been a school record, three Top 5 finishes in the state of New Mexico and a partial scholarship to New Mexico State University.
"I haven't had a coach for the past two years so going from no coaches to college coaches is a good thing," Black said.
On Friday, Black signed to attend NMSU next year.
"It's a good opportunity that is kind of once in a lifetime that not many athletes get to accomplish," Black said. "It's good to know that I have the potential to go to the next level."
A 3.86 student and recipient of the Regent's Scholarship, Black said she will receive the cost of books from the track program.
Although a top tier pole vaulter in New Mexico, Black's only state championship at the high school level was last weekend on Mayfield's 4X100 relay team where she teamed up with Mayfield and future NMSU teammate Jenna Banegas, along with Elena Holguin and Amber Lalla.
Black finished fourth in Albuquerque in the pole vault as a senior. Her best finish was third as a sophomore and she placed fifth as a junior.
"I wish I would have had a state championship in the pole vault, but those girls in Albuquerque were phenomenal," Black said.
Black said it was former Mayfield track and field coach Mike Kingery who convinced her to come out for track.
Her gymnastic background carried over onto the track, she said.
"It helped with getting over the bar and the strength," she said. "Pole vaulting is more of a specialty. Running was always there but pole vaulting was the highlight. At NMSU, they said the rest of their pole vaulters are walk-ons and they wanted someone from the state."
Black joins Banegas and Oñate sprinter Kendra Walker as local athletes to sign with NMSU.
"I was excited to be on a team again with Jenna and Kendra is a great athlete," Black said.

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http://www.unipanthers.com/sports/c-tra ... 11aaa.html

June 15, 2011

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – University of Northern Iowa head track & field coach Dan Steele has announced the signing of 11 student-athletes to compete for the UNI men’s track & field team. All 11 signees will join the Panthers in the fall of 2011 and begin competition in 2012.

Joining the UNI men’s program will be: Justin Baker (Sioux City (Iowa) Bishop Heelan HS) Sebastian Barth (Gauting, Germany), Jesse Davenport (Southeast Polk (Iowa) HS), Derek Drew (Oswego East (Ill.) HS), Luke Erbes (BCLUW (Iowa) HS), Jordan Guske (West Des Moines Valley (Iowa) HS), Marshall Hill (Cedar Falls (Iowa) HS), Sheldon Magee (Plainfield South (Ill.) HS), Benjamin Stutt (Monticello (Iowa) HS), Corey Szamlewski (McHenry (Ill.) HS) and Coty Thompson (Mason City (Iowa) HS).

Corey Szamlewski (McHenry HS, Ill.)

After finishing second in 2010, Szamlewski pole vaulted his way to a fourth-place finish at the 2011 Illinois High School State Championships. A 15-06.00 vaulter, Szamlewski also possesses terrific speed, clocking 6.78 in the 55m dash.

Coach’s Take: “Corey is really raw and under-trained right now. I am extremely eager to get him plugged into our program as soon as possible. He will have one or two years to train with two of the best pole vaulters in the country in Daniel Gooris and Sam Kranz. Corey has all the tools to be a national-class athlete, and I fully expect him to finish high at the conference meet as a freshman.”

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http://stclairshores.patch.com/articles ... lley-state


Jax to Pole Vault at Grand Valley State
Lakeview senior Jax Williams will continue her academic and track and field careers at Grand Valley State this fall.
By Shelly Watkins | Email the author | June 19, 2011 Print &nbps;0 Comments
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Jax Williams soared to new heights for the Huskies this spring.

The Lakeview senior earned all-state honors in the pole vault this year and set a new school record at 10'9".

She was named second team all-county in the pole vault and all-county in the 300 meter hurdles, 4 x 100 meter relay and 4 x 200 meter relay.

In addition, Williams was named co-MVP of the Lakeview track team for the second year in a row.

"Jax is very outgoing and freindly with everyone, even her competitors," Lakeview varsity track coach Dan Cheney said. "At meets she is constantly up and about talking to all the other competitors. She is a very dependable girl that has a great work ethic."