What's the overall best school to vault at?

[GWU Vaulter]

Mid East:

University of Tennessee
Purdue

Ouch!! No love to the Hoosiers?!

Coach Jake Wiseman's Credits

Vera Neuenswander - 12' HS - 4.12m Freshman Year, top 10 ranking, Big Ten Champ and NCAA Berth
Stephanie Chin - 12'3'' HS - 4.25m Freshman Year, top 10 ranking and NCAA Berth
Blayne Burkholder - 15'6'' HS - 5.15m Sophomore Year, Big Ten Champ and NCAA Berth
Jeff Coover - 16'6'' HS - 5.36m Junior Year, top 10 ranking NCAA Berth and All-American

Jake hasn't had an athlete yet that hasn't PRed in their first season of college!

Just thought we at least deserved an honorable mention

Sorry not to familiar with Indiana....But definitey you all's teams numbers look like a top team in that mideast!!!

[CowtownPV]

Ladybacks of Arkansas
*Katie Stripling Soph 4.32
Stephanie Erwin Sr. 4.18
Tara Dienold Fr. 4.13
Sara Landau Jr. 4.12
Kristen Keith Fr 4.00
Ex Hogs who still train there
*Jodi Unger 4.30
*April Steiner 4.62 (She still has another little meet coming up)
*Olympic Trials Qualifier
All coached by Brian Compton. They must be doing something right!

[gymnastsrock]

I just sat down and read all 17 pages for the first time, and I wanted to say thanks to everyone who responded. I'm a HS senior, and if you would have told me two years ago I would have been looking into doing pv in college, I would have laughed out loud. I wasn't even pole vaulting then! This year, I realized how much I adore pole vaulting(I all-but gave up gymnastics-then, the only sport I had ever enjoyed- during track season) and how much I don't want it to end. My first hs coach(sophomore year only) got a job at a D2 college not too far away from me, and is now all over me to go there. I've also gotten a couple of letters from some D3 schools. Education has always been my main priority, but if I can vault too, why not? This topic has really helped me out.

[marshall]

im pretty sure UCLA has the best pole vault program in the nation...

[AVC Coach]

The truth is, there's a lot of great schools out there to vault for. There are also several great coaches out there who know how to take their kids to the next level. I think it's important for all of you young guys and gals to visit as many campuses as you can afford to visit and spend time talking to the pole vault coach and his/her student athletes. Ask the questions that are important to you no matter how crazy those questions might be. The pole vault is an event that requires an enormous amount of trust beween the coach and athlete, so you have to be on the same page.

Remember that going off to college isn't like planning a vacation. Like Vegas, the bright lights and exciting atmosphere doesn't mean you'll come home a winner. You'll be there for at least 4 years and in the end, you need that diploma. You also want to be able to look back and feel good about your athletic career at that particular university with no regrets.

It's been 4 years since this thread started, and I'm sure there have been several coaching changes during that time. Whatever school you choose, as long as you're happy, in my opinion, is THE BEST SCHOOL!

Good luck!

[Barto]

Issues seldom covered:

"You are picking out a place to live for the next 4-6 years." If you pick a great academic institution with an outstanding coach and it's location is unsuitable to you individually then you will probably not be very happy or successful. On the other hand I have seen athletes flourish at schools with mediocre facilities and average coaches because the location suited the individual.

"Success usually doesn't come in a sexy package." The majority of elite pole vaulters come from small towns and small colleges or junior colleges. Jenn Stuzynski is from the sticks of upstate New York and went to an NAIA college. Erica Bartolina grew up on the side of a mountain in Oregon with 3 kids in her grade. April Steiner went to Paradise Valley junior college. Kellie Suttle went to Flo Valley junior college. Stacy Dragila went to Idaho State. Derek Miles went to a DII school in South Dakota. Jeff Hartwig went to Flo Valley junior college before moving to the middle of a bean field in Arkansas. Brad Walker came out of Spokane, WA as a 15'6" guy. Tim Mack went to Doan College. Toby Stevenson is from Odessa, TX. All of them came from backgrounds that allowed them to make mistakes, learn from those mistakes, and flourish as individuals. You will not learn and you will not grow unless you are allowed to make mistakes. Now, are you looking at colleges that will tolerate your making mistakes and help you learn from them? Or are you looking at the "sexy packages"?

"You got to want it bad." I can't say this often or loudly enough. You got to want it bad. College athletics is the worst paying job you will ever have. Volunteer work pays better. Even if you are on a full scholarship it amounts to slave wages. Most days at the track suck. Most days are not fun. And most days vaulting are frustrating. You will be injured. Your body will hurt. And you are most likely taking years off of your life. If you are at all on the fence or undecided about vaulting in college, then you don't want to do it. Successful college vaulters participate because they HAVE to do it. They possess a void within themselves that cannot be filled with anything else than the energy that comes from vaulting. This does not just apply to the elites. I have never seen this need any more clearly than in the 15' guys and 11' girls that HAVE to vault. They are not whole, not complete without this pursuit, this need to grow themselves in new and terrifying ways. You got to want it bad.

Things to think about.

[rainbowgirl28]

Brad Walker came out of Spokane, WA as a 15'6" guy. Tim Mack went to Doan College.

Brad was a 16' footer out of HS and Tim Mack went to Malone, but the idea is the same

[tennpolevault]

Obviously I am partial, but I think that you have to find a place where people have the same passion for vaulting that you have. If you simply want to go and "participate" then any school might do. If you want to go to a place where you can find a way to maximize your ultimate potential, look for a place with either proven vaulter development or a seriously addicted pole vault coach. Ideally you could find both.

[GiVaulter09]

Lol where's the love for Binghamton? With Rory there coaching with Thompson and there amazing indoor facility

[gyver]

Binghamton is a very good academic school, has very good facilities and the head coach is the vault coach (and a two-time NCAA PV Champion as well). Rory Quiller will be training/coaching there for the the next 4-5 years. For those wishing to stay in the Northeast Binghamton is an excellent option.

[ramenvaulter]

what about schools in California? no particular division but good schools in california to vault at?

[Okemos_Polevault]

Are there any good schools in Michigan for pole vaulting?

I live basically on Michigan State's Campus but they seem to not have a good vault program there.