Class of 2009 College Signings

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Daniel Reese (Genoa Central, AR) and Ryan Kotch (Conway, AR) both to the University of Central Arkansas.

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http://www.irontontribune.com/news/2009 ... rack-team/

Berea adds Kincaid to track team
By Jim Walker | The Tribune
Originally published 03:12 a.m., May 22, 2009
Updated 03:12 a.m., May 22, 2009

PROCTORVILLE — You just never know where volunteer work will lead you.

The Fairland Dragons’ Kyle Kincaid turned volunteer work into a full-time job after signing a letter-of-intent to become a member of the Berea (Ky.) College track team.

“I was in the seventh grade and the coach asked who wanted to pole vault and I volunteered,” said Kincaid.

“I ended up jumping eight feet, so I stuck with it.”

Not only has Kincaid stayed with the pole vault event, he has increased his clearing height each year. This season he cleared his personal-best height at 13-feet, 6-inches.

By reaching such lofty heights on a high school level, the 5-foot-6 Kincaid opened the door to continue his career at the college level.

“I never thought about (a college career). When I started out, I just wanted to have fun,” said Kincaid. “Once I got close to 13-feet, I knew I had a chance.”

Kincaid decided on Berea over Marietta College for several reasons, one of which was from a financial standpoint. The four-year scholarship is valued at more than $100,000.

“Berea was a lot better decision. I’m getting a full scholarship and at Marietta they would have only paid my room and board. And my pole vault coach (at Berea) is awesome,” said Kincaid.

The Dragons’ senior vaulter has cleared 13-6 and has already qualified for the regional track meet in Division II.

Kincaid would like to advance to the nationals at the college level.

“I’d like to go down there and compete for the nationals. I think the qualifying height was 14-11 at (the NAIA) level. Having a pole vault coach should help out and I’ll have a better pole selection and all those pole vault machines to work with,” said Kincaid.

Kyle, the son of Denise Kincaid and Dean Kincaid, is planning to major in psychology.

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http://www.codyenterprise.com/articles/ ... 551393.txt

Blanchard jumps at opportunity to work with Olympian in college

By Amber Peabody


This document was published online on Wednesday, May 20, 2009


Landon Blanchard (center) recently signed to pole vault at the University of South Dakota. He is joined by his parents Rick (left) and Deb and CHS track coach Scott Shaffer. (Photo by Sara Loven)
For some, pole vaulting jumps comes naturally.

For others it takes years of hard work and dedication for things to fall into place.

For Landon Blanchard, it may not have been easy, but all the time spent trying to perfect his skills has led to a college scholarship.

Blanchard will attend the University of South Dakota to continue his track career. He plans to focus primarily on pole vault, but may run a few sprints as well.

“Some pole vaulters just get it and some need to run down the runway a few times before it makes sense,” coach Scott Shaffer said. “In eighth-grade I knew he was a good athlete, but the whole package wasn’t quite there yet. Each year of high school he’s gotten better.

“Landon is a fast kid and really wants to be good at pole vault,” he added. “I think he has the temperament to pull it off and will do really well.”

Blanchard visited Boise State University as well, but felt the University of South Dakota was a better fit.

“I struggled (with the decision) before I went to visit South Dakota, but once I got there I knew it was the best fit for me,” he said. “The town’s the size of Cody. They don’t have the mountains, but there’s other stuff I like to do. The campus is decent size, which is what I was looking for.”

While still undecided on a major, he is leaning toward studying earth science and geology.

Blanchard is looking forward to working with pole vault coach Derek Miles. Miles finished fourth in pole vault during the Beijing Olympics. He also competed in the Athens Olympics and holds the American pole vault record.

“The selling point was Derek Miles,” he said. “Anytime you have the chance to learn from a two-time Olympian, it’s a big deal.”

Blanchard’s first experience with track came during the annual elementary track meets. In seventh-grade he went out for the track team and began dabbling in pole vault.

“At the time Hayden Bales was my best friend and he was jumping, so I followed him over,” he said. “I wanted to do it from then on.”

In eighth-grade he began vaulting in track meets and decided to make pole vault one of his main events.

“It’s probably one of the most exciting events in track and field,” he said. “It’s all on you and there’s plenty of technical things involved. You’re always fixing something.”

Cody has always had good pole vaulters and early in his career, Blanchard found himself in the middle of the group. Last year he finished third at the state meet behind two Cody vaulters.

It wasn’t until this season that things started to come together. He finished second at indoor state and won the 3A West regional title last weekend. His highest vault is 15’1”, the best for a Cody athlete this season.

“Last year was kind of rough,” he said. “I had some meets the I didn’t do well in. In the fall after football I jumped a little bit and it starting clicking. I was able to translate better and jump higher as a result.”

He attributes much of his success to Shaffer.

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Shaffer,” he said. “In my mind he’s the best coach in Wyoming as far as pole vault.”

Blanchard hopes to clear 16’ this season and has one more chance at the state meet this weekend.

“Once I jumped 15’ my goal then was to get better each week,” he said. “Not necessarily to jump higher but to be a better pole vaulter.”

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http://www.southernctowls.com/news/2009 ... 94553.aspx

Kim Johnson Signs NLI With Women's Track and Field Program
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6/18/2009 7:44:52 AM
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Southern Connecticut State University women’s track and field coach Chris Covert has announced the signing of Kim Johnson (Jewett City, Conn.) to a National Letter of Intent. Johnson will begin her collegiate career with the Owls this fall.

“We just graduated the best all-around female athlete ever to compete at Southern Connecticut State University, Sasha Mathelier,” Covert said. “She was our first All-American in the pole vault, and I believe that Kim is ready to follow in those footsteps.”

Johnson, who competed scholastically at Norwich Free Academy, is a four-time Connecticut State Open Champion in the pole vault (2008 and 2009 indoor and outdoor championships) and is the state record holder in the event with a mark of exactly 12 feet.

She also won the Class LL state championship on five occasions in her career – claiming the pole vault at the 2008 and 2009 indoor and outdoor championships, as well as the high jump in 2009.

Johnson has also competed in the shot put and the 100 high hurdles in her career.

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http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20090 ... ded-to-LSU

Johnson latest area vaulter headed to LSU

Matt Stamey/Staff
Buy photo
Former Vandebilt Catholic pole vaulter Jaora Johnson plans to walk on the LSU track and field team next season.

Kelly McElroy
Staff Writer

Published: Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, June 20, 2009 at 9:58 p.m.
HOUMA — Local pole vaulting coach Kevin Trosclair has seen lots of prep athletes come through his program over the years.

But only two have improved their personal record jump by more than 2 feet in a period of a year.

The first was former Vandebilt Catholic pole vaulter Rachel Laurent, who now at LSU, was named the SEC Indoor and Outdoor Female Field athlete of the year for 2008-09.

The other is Jaora Johnson.

Now Johnson will join Laurent in Baton Rouge by walking onto the LSU track and field team in the fall.

Last year as a junior, Johnson’s best jump was 13 feet, 6 inches.

This past track season as a senior, Johnson hit the 15-07 1/2 mark, broke the Vandebilt boys school record and fell just short of clearing 16 feet on numerous occasions.

“That (his improvement) is a great accomplishment,” Trosclair said. “The only person who has really done something like that is Rachel, but she never did it so late in her (high-school) career. That really says something for Jaora. He worked really hard to get where he is.”

Johnson had some interest from other schools like the University of Houston, Louisiana-Lafayette, Arkansas State, Southeastern Louisiana and others, but they couldn’t offer enough scholarship money for him to pass on the opportunity to walk on at LSU.

“The thing that really made me want to go is when they showed me their facilities and what they had to offer when I went up there on a visit,” Johnson said. “I knew I couldn’t pass it up.”

Johnson said once he hit a certain height this season, the idea of attending LSU to pole vault began creeping into his mind.

“I wasn’t thinking I was actually going to be able to go (to LSU) until I jumped 15-06,” Johnson said. “That’s when I knew I really could jump higher. The coach called one night and said we are interested in you. It became a reality.”

Trosclair said technically, Johnson is ahead of most of the high-school vaulters that he has seen.

“It’s been pretty exciting,” Trosclair said. “Technically he’s come a long way. He’s probably the best technical vaulter that I have ever had the privilege of coaching.”

With a smaller frame than many pole vaulters on the college level, Johnson said he is determined to get stronger and faster. That will allow him to jump on a larger pole and make higher marks.

“I am a smaller guy,” Johnson said. “I need to get more explosive on the track. My technique is pretty good, but there is always something you can work on. If I am more explosive coming off the track, I can easily get on those poles just like the other guys because my technique is pretty much where it needs to be.”

Trosclair said if he consistently clears in the mid 16-foot range, Johnson should travel to all of LSU’s meets as a freshman.

“At 16-06 they will take him to all the meets,” Trosclair said. “As long as you are competitive in college, you can take 10 athletes to meets and they can all enter. I think he can do between 16 and 16-05 in his first year. I think if he does that, the coach will be happy, and he can make most of the travel meets. It’s about getting that experience as a freshman.”

Johnson is already preparing himself mentally to compete for a spot on the team.

“They are going to have six vaulters and it will be some good competition,” Johnson said. “It will be a good chance for me to better myself at the next level. We are going to push each other and it will be a good environment to work in.”

With Laurent already at LSU, Johnson will also join former H.L. Bourgeois standout Brianne Bergeron as area pole vaulters competing for the Tigers.

Johnson has trained with both of them.

“I will already know people there,” Johnson said. “I will have someone there if I need to talk when I’m not doing so well. They will be there to help me out.”

Johnson has been working with Trosclair since his eighth-grade year, and has been competing in meets since he was a sophomore.

He said the opportunity to walk on at LSU would have not been possible without Trosclair’s help.

“He is the reason I am here,” Johnson said. “I wouldn’t have worked as hard or been as good without him. He let me know I can always work harder. He pushed me everyday ... everyday.”

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http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20 ... /906210325

UL track: Cajuns land area standouts
JOSHUA PARROTT • JPARROTT@THEADVERTISER.COM • JUNE 21, 2009
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One thing Charlie Mahfouz wanted to do after becoming UL's track and field coach in June 2008 was make sure that recruiting Acadiana was a top priority. He had little time to make that happen last summer as a late hire.



Mahfouz's first full recruiting class is a direct reflection of that emphasis, with nine of the program's 17 signees for next season coming from the area. He was quick to give credit for this year's crop of newcomers to the effort behind the scenes by recruiting coordinator Paula Ogunbanjo.

"We want to start local and then move out," Mahfouz said. "That's what coach (Charles) Lancon did back in the '90s. They won 13 (actually 17) conference championships indoor and outdoor with kids mostly from around here, so we know it can be done."

The bulk of the recruiting class, 11 of 17, filled spots on the men's team. Six of those 11 recruits are from the area, notably throwers Myles Melancon (Teurlings Catholic) and Ryan Mitchell (Northside).

For the men, the other four area signees are: pole vaulter Zachery Estes (Comeaux), jumper O'Daylon Thibeaux (Kaplan) and throwers Marc Malespin (STM) and Chris Jenkins (Northwest).

Estes was a regional runner-up in the pole vault and a Class 5A state finalist. Thibeaux was the Class 3A state runner-up in the triple jump and fifth in the long jump. Malespin finished as the Class 5A state runner-up in the javelin. Jenkins had the area's best throw in the javelin at 195 feet and was third at the 3A state meet.

The other five recruits for the women were sprinter Krystal Chevis (Rayne), pole vaulter Brittany Taylor (Beau Chene), distance runner Meghan Curley (Opelousas Catholic) and twins Amanda and Angela Roberts from Barbe High in Lake Charles.

Chevis placed third in the 400 at the Class 3A state meet. Taylor has cleared 10 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault.

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Jonathan Webb of Moore, OK will sign with the University of Oklahoma this week. His current PR is 16-00.50

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I guess I didn't have this in here: Tory Worthen to Princeton

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http://www.theindependent.com/articles/ ... 426297.txt

UNK announces new track and field recruits

KEARNEY — Nebraska-Kearney co-head track and field coaches Andy Meyer and Brady Bonsall have announced 18 high school seniors who will compete for the Lopers this upcoming season.

In March, UNK added eight men and five women to its 2010 roster.

This women’s group of newcomers includes Jessica Dexter (Burwell), Laura Fritson (Minden), Layne McConville (Indianola), Kara Mercure (Valentine), Catherine Paulsen (Arapahoe), Taylor Rossi (Norton, Kans.) and Jackie Ziemke (Centennial).

On the men’s side, joining UNK from Nebraska is Cameron Bullock (Gothenburg), Tyler Grasmick (Gering), Caleb Hoyt (Ainsworth), Cornell Leffler (Lincoln Southeast), Scott Nannen (York), Jordan Moncrief and Josh Redman (Kearney High), Derek Schnell (Lincoln North Star) and Michael Thalken (Ogallala).

Finally, coming from out-of-state is Nick Padula (Superior, Colo.) and Kameron Weber (Strasburg, Colo.)

Among the women, Dexter (Nebraska Christian) and Fritson are mid-distance prospects with Mercure a high jumper/sprinter, Rossie a pole vaulter and Ziemke a thrower.

Hoyt will join Bullock as a Loper pole vaulter.

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http://www.hokiesports.com/track/recaps ... 26aaa.html

Tech men add pole vaulter for 2009-10 season
Sun owns personal best of 15-00
June 26, 2009

BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech men’s track and field squad signed Chantilly High School pole vaulter Westley Sun for the 2009-10 season, the squad announced on Friday.


Wesley Sun, a native of Chantilly, Va., took third in the pole vault at the 2009 indoor state meet, while winning the event at the 2009 outdoor region meet for the Chargers. He owns a personal best vault of 15-00. Sun also excelled academically, receiving the AP Scholar Award for his accomplishments in advanced placement classes.


“Wes is a natural vaulter,” Tech pole vault coach Bob Phillips said. “Only some senior year injuries kept him from vaulting into the 16-00 range. We are looking forward to working with him this year.

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http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=304284&src=290

Incoming North Central College freshman Tom Stacey Jr., out of Glenbard North, placed ninth in pole vault at 15 feet, 23/4 inches.

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http://www.newrichmond-news.com/event/article/id/26087/

Christina Flandrick’s dream started to come true on May 14.

Flandrick had always hoped her hard work would translate into a college track and field scholarship. Well into her senior season, the Somerset High School track standout had no scholarship offers.

Then came a track meet at Park High School in Cottage Grove on May 14. Flandrick had never gone above 10 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault during a meet. On that day at Park, all her training came together. Flandrick cleared 10-6. Then she cleared the bar at 11 feet.

She wasn’t done. She was able to clear the bar at 11 feet, 6 inches. There were only three vaulters among Wisconsin high school girls in the 2009 season who cleared a higher height than her 11-6 vault.

Suddenly, NCAA Division 1 colleges were interested. The University of Oklahoma, which is one of the elite collegiate athletic schools in the country, showed the most interest. Oklahoma, which is starting a women’s pole vault program, convinced Flandrick to visit. Her trip to Norman, where the university is located, was enough to convince her.

On Friday, Flandrick signed her letter of intent to accept a scholarship offer from the Oklahoma Sooners. The scholarship amounts to approximately 50 percent of her school costs.

Oklahoma’s team is led by coach Martin Smith, one of the most successful collegiate coaches in the country. Smith has coached five NCAA national championship track teams. Smith might have an affinity for Wisconsin athletes. He was the cross country coach at UW-Madison from 1983-98.

One of Flandrick’s selling points was the hard work she’s done in weight training. Flandrick has been a tireless weight room worker since sixth grade and she is known for her chiseled arms and legs. The Sooner coaching staff can expect more of the same work ethic, according to Somerset girls track coach Dave Praschak.

“She’ll stay late like she always does here. She’ll be there early she always was here,” Praschak said.

Flandrick said she was first recruited by Coach Smith through her Facebook account. She wasn’t sure if she should believe the inquiry was real.

“I didn’t realize that’s the new way of coaches contacting students athletically for schools,” Flandrick said.

She followed up with Oklahoma and the pieces fell into place quickly. After she placed third in the WIAA Division 2 state championships, plans were set for her visit to Oklahoma.

It didn’t take long for Flandrick to fall in love with the Sooners. Oklahoma has some of the best athletic facilities in the nation. The campus is all within a close proximity and the athletes stay in their own dorm.

Flandrick said she is a bit worried about getting homesick. She’s especially worried about not being able to follow the Spartan football and wrestling teams, which she worked with closely throughout high school. In going to Oklahoma she should be able to continue seeing football played at a high level. Oklahoma was ranked number two in the nation last year, with Heisman Trophy quarterback Sam Bradford returning this fall in hopes of bringing the Sooners a national championship.

Being involved with the football team has been special for Flandrick. She credited Praschak and Somerset football coach Bruce Larson for keeping her motivated to continue her work in the school’s Bigger Faster Stronger program.

Flandrick had been planning to attend UW-Stevens Point to study wildlife biology until the offer from Oklahoma surfaced. Her plan now includes getting a biology degree from Oklahoma, then returning to Stevens Point to earn her master’s degree in wildlife biology.