PoleVaultPower.com

Who do you all think will have the best vault and overall best team in NCAAs next year.....?

I hear University of South Carolina is suppose to stacked with athletes next season

I heard a rumor that Elliott Haynie is transferring to USC in the fall and they have got some kid from germany thats jumping 5.40..

I heard that rumor too. I don't know if it is true or not, but I do know that Haynie attended the SEC outdoor championship meet as a spectator this year and was hanging with the USC people. USC also signed a German vaulter named Marvin Reitze (orginally signed with OU until they cut their program) who has a personal best of 5.46m. So yea, if the rumor is true, I would say that it looks like LoJo bought himself an instant pole vault team. It will be interesting to see how they develop under him. Perhaps a better test will be to watch his other vaulters, as it will be their second year under his leadership.

Speaking of USC, the SEC vault (as far as depth is concerned) is going to be alot more competitive this next season. Unfortunately, my eligibility is up (Michael Hogue, 5.40m, UT), but check out the performance list for next year (based on PR and assuming Haynie transfers):

--- Marvin Rietze --- USC --- 5.46 --- FR
--- Joe Berry ------- UT ------ 5.41 --- SO
--- Spencer McC --- ARK --- 5.41 ---- SO
--- Elliot Haynie ---- USC --- 5.38 --- SR(I) JR(O)
--- Adam Sarafian --- UGA --- 5.35 --- SR
--- Mike Morrison ----- UF ---- 5.35 ----- JR(I) SO(O)
--- Josh Dominguez --- LSU --- 5.31 --- JR?
--- Eric Foran ---------- UF ----- 5.25 --- FR
--- Justin Semyn ------- UF ----- 5.20 ---- SR?
--- Brad Holtz ---------- UT ----- 5.15 ---- SR (I) JR (O)

It should probably be noted (not to bash anyone, just to clear up any confusion) that some of these guys have not jumped their PR since getting into college, so here are their best college marks so far, I think:

Mike Morrison ------- 5.20
Spencer McCorkel -- 5.25
Marvin Rietze --- to be determined

I would say it's a little early to be judging who the best vault team will be.... but....

In the SEC, despite the gains by USC, my vote has to go to my alma mater: TENNESSEE. It will be fun to watch next year and see how my boys do against a very strong field, but if you look at the numbers, under our vault coach Russ Johnson, we have been undefeated in the SEC vault for the past 3 years, winning all 6 conference titles. Joe Berry (5.05m out of HS, 5.41m after 1 year under Russ) is a stud who recently defeated Maston Wallace of Texas at the USA Junior Championships and still has much room for improvement. Brad Holtz is nowhere near his potential at 5.15 and I look for big things from him this year as well. We also have some young talent in Michael Ayers, a decathlete, (15'6 out of HS, 5.05m after 1 year under Russ) and our freshman Michael Seaman at 4.90m. When my back heals I also plan to continue to train with the guys while I finish up my degree. On paper at least, I would say we have a pretty solid training group and I expect big things from the guys over the next few years.

Overall in the NCAA, I'd say you gotta look out for these vault programs (in no particular order):

South Carolina (with their new recruits)
UCLA
Va. Tech
BYU
Tennessee
Minnesota

Overall individuals, my bet is on one of these guys:

Jason Colwick
Jordan Scott
Maston Wallace
Joe Berry

Do not for get that that usc has a coach a he is really good. In my opinion

No offense, but did you even read what I wrote?

You are right its going to be interesting to see the competion next season especially in the SEC...

Its so exciting im just gonna wait for next season to make some predictions... im a big fan of Lojo and excited to see what he can do in his second season...

O and i have comfirmed that Elliott Haynie has transferred to USC...

Yes sir i did, you picked them as a program to watch. My point was to compliment coach johnson and I think he will change things in usc. Before he was there no person would have ever thought of that as a place to go to school.

losgatos wrote:Yes sir i did, you picked them as a program to watch. My point was to compliment coach johnson and I think he will change things in usc. Before he was there no person would have ever thought of that as a place to go to school.

Lots of great vaulters went there before.

It kinda depends on how you figure the best is... NCAA scoring, Conference scoring, or both? What if a program has tons of depth but no 5.30+ guys is all i am saying?

anybody know what the improvement was of LoJo's athletes under his first year? (just curious, it probably isn't that relevant)

Considering he got there mid November, it will not give the best improvement points because he didnt take the athlete through fall training...He was put in the mix of things and had to work with what they got during the fall.

So really he only had a couple of weeks to work with them 1st semster, which mean he's only been there for 1 semester(spring) so its very hard to make the necessary changes just in a semester usually takes two semesters to get use to the changes and coaching style.
As far as the girls:

Salie G. Previous PR: 12 New PR 13 2''
Liza Todd Previous PR: 12 New PR 12 10''


Again without the 1st semester training i dont think its very accurate to look at the height...But the changes the athletes have made will propel them to the level they need to be at to compete on the national stage.


This coming up yr will be a good measurement i think!!!

Los Gatos wrote:

Before he was there no person would have ever thought of that as a place to go to school.

South Carolina has had a very strong vault program.
Year to year top Jumps:

1998: Pat Tvarkunas - 17'0
1999: Pat Tvarkunas - 17'2.5
2000: Pat Tvarkunas - 17'7, Chris Steddum - 16'10, Mike Lamier - 16'8
2001: Chris Steddum - 17'8, Jared Farabee - 16'8
2002: Chris Steddum - 17'9, Jared Farabee - 17'0
2003: Chris Steddum: 17'10, Jared Farabee - 17'3, Greg Royster - 16'9
2004: Chris Steddum - 18'0
2006: Dan McKenzie - 17'1
2007: Dan McKenzie - 17'1

I would be surprised if you could find more than 10-15 schools with a better 10 year history. Furthermore, (and this is the most important stat) of the vaulters listed above, check out their HS PR's.

Pat Tvarkunas: 15'9 (22 inch improvement)
Chris Steddum: 15'9 (27 inch improvement)
Jared Farabee: 15'4 (22 inch improvement)
Greg Royster 16'0 (9 inch improvement)
Dan McKenzie: 13'6 (42 inch improvement)

Not a single 17' out of HS in the bunch.

I think most vaulters would be fairly happy to attend a school with a program like that, I know I was. Having said that, I think Lojo will take USC to the next level and could easily have his two new vaulters over 18' and get his younger guys up to 17ft+ next year.

Just plug to my new "adopted" grad school, Rice University will have a very strong team for the vault:

Jason Colwick - 18'2.5
Shea Kerney - 17'2.5
Blaine Bassler - ~ 17' (HS)

gimme two years im commin out of my early retirement