Class of 2010 College Signings

[rainbowgirl28]

Ashley Schnapp (Central Catholic High School, Portland, OR and Willamette Striders, Oregon City, OR) has signed with University of Washington (Seattle)

[polevaulter08nw]

We are very excited to have Merritt and Sandi coming to UNC next year!

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.rockfordindependent.com/main ... cleID=2838

Rockford's Birkmeier signs letter of intent with MSU
Rockford's top female pole vaulter has signed a national letter of intent to jump for Michigan State University.

Senior Sarah Birkmeier has set multiple school and state pole vaulting records in her three years at Rockford High School.

Birkmeier was the first female high school athlete in the state of Michigan to jump 13 feet when she won the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 pole vaulting title in 2009. She is a two-time returning state champion after winning the title in 2008.

Birkmeier looks forward to her time at MSU.

"I am extremely excited," Birkmeier said. "I loved the team and can't wait to get started."

Rockford Pole Vault Coach Kevin Patterson is sorry to see her go.

"Sarah has been an absolute joy to coach over the past few years," Patterson said. "Her dedication to the sport has grown and she will be sorely missed. At least I have one more season with her and we'll make the best of it."

Patterson said Birkmeier is the most competitive person he has ever coached.

"She is driven to be the best. She does not like to lose," he said. "Her mental toughness is phenomenal and she is not afraid to try new poles. Sarah is one of those rare athletes who can do something after being told only once. Her body control and core strength are second to none. She will be a great jumper for the MSU program."

[Bubba PV]

Demi Payne to Kansas Article

http://www.wibw.com/jayhawks/headlines/84798872.html

KU Track And Field Adds Top-Ranked Vaulter
Demi Payne, a pole-vaulter out of New Bruanfels, Texas, will join the Kansas track and field team as a freshman in 2010.
Posted: 2:43 PM Feb 19, 2010

Demi Payne, a pole-vaulter out of New Bruanfels, Texas, will join the Kansas track and field team as a freshman in 2010. Payne has had great success as a high school athlete and will add depth to an already impressive Jayhawk recruiting class.

Payne was the Texas 5A state champion in the pole vault in 2009, as well as the 2009 Texas 5A region champion. During her junior year, she also captured the gold at the Fredericksburg Regional Qualifier and Ranger Relays, while finishing fourth overall at the highly competitive Texas Relays.

Not only is she one of the top athletes within in the state of Texas, but Payne has had ample experience at the national level as well, having competed at the 2008 USATF Junior Olympic National Youth Championships and the 2008 Great Southwest Championships.

She currently has the fifth-best mark of all seniors in the nation at 12-11 feet. That mark ranks eighth among all prep athletes in the country.

Demi Payne is the daughter of Bill Payne, a famous U.S. pole vaulter, who is 13th on America’s all-time bests list for his vault of 5.86 meters (19-02.75 feet), which he set in Houston in 1991. Bill Payne won a silver medal at the 1991 Summer Universiade and competed at the 1995 World Championships.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.daily-chronicle.com/blogs/en ... /index.xml

Holley signs with Ashford
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Genoa-Kingston pole vaulter Michael Holley (right) recently signed with Ashford University. He's pictured here with assistant coach and vault specialist Tyson Graham. (Courtesy of Ashford University)
Genoa-Kingston pole-vaulter Michael Holley recently signed with the Ashford University (Clinton, Iowa) men's track and field team.

Holley made the state meet in pole vault last year and also competes on the Cogs' wrestling and football teams.

"Matt is coming off a phenomenal year of vaulting at Genoa-Kingston," AU assistant coach and vault specialist Tyson Graham said in a school press release. "Being a state qualifier for the first time, he has improved a lot over the course of one year. As we continue to build our vault crew, I look for continued improvement from Matt as he joins us in hopes of a sweep in the conference for vault next year."

He also was a state qualifier in the IDEA Computer Aided Design (CAD) Architecture 2-D competition, a talent that will carry over into his intended major at Ashford.

Holley, the son of Allen and Chris Holley, will be working towards a degree in Computer Graphic Design with focus on Animation.

Holley's teammate, Haley Fischer, also recently signed with Ashford.

[Russ]

Kaylan Pickford of Norwich Free Academy, Norwich, CT signed today with University of Rhode Island.

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/sports/h ... lege-ranks

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/breaking ... essee.html

Seneca pole vaulter Maira going to Tennessee

Seneca senior Michael Maira, the defending state Group 3 champion in the pole vault, has made a verbal commitment to attend perennial power the University of Tennessee. Maira, who won the Group 3 championship with a vault of 14 feet, 6 inches, said he has received a partial scholarship.

Besides Tennessee, he also made official visits to William & Mary and George Mason.

"Tennessee just can't be beat," said Maira, who has only been pole vaulting since his sophomore year. "It is a great track program with many Olympians and I really liked the school and what it had to offer."

Maira says he hopes to major in education and one day become a coach himself.

[TylerPorter11]

Should be fun jumping with him next year.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://goleafs.net/2010/03/fairfield-hi ... ple-leafs/

Fairfield High School Pole Vaulter Bobeck Joins Maple Leafs

March 30, 2010

Jade Bobeck
GOSHEN, Ind. – Just days after the highly successful home opening Maple Leaf Invitational, Goshen College head track and field coach Rick Clark has announced an addition that he expects will help the Leafs compete at new heights in 2011.

Fairfield High School standout pole vaulter Jade Bobeck recently signed a national letter of intent to continue her athletic and academic careers at Goshen College next year. She joins Northridge star Dana Christner as two important pieces that Clark has added to extend the tradition of excellence in Goshen women’s track and field, which has finished in the top 20 in the country at five of the last six NAIA national meets.

“I’m very excited to have someone with Jade’s experience in the pole vault joining us as it is an event where experience is critical to future success,” Clark said. “She is a very dedicated young lady and has put a lot of time and work into developing her skills level.”

Bobeck’s track record is evident of that work. The school record holder (10′9″), Bbeck has qualified for the state championships on six occasions – four indoor and twice outdoor – has been named all conference twice, won two section championships, and been a regional qualifier three times.

Under Fairfield High School Coach Darin Holsopple, Bobeck has twice been awarded the Outstanding Field Event Award and finished third at the indoor state finals this season. Off the track, the newest Maple Leaf was also a four-year member of the cross country and basketball teams for the Falcons.

The daughter of Doug and Deb Bobeck, Jade is on schedule to graduate in the top 1/3 of her class. Also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the National Honor Society, Bobeck will major in math education at Goshen.

“She is a very good student and it shows both in the classroom and on the athletic field, especially in an event where there is a continued challenge to learn more in order to be successful,” Clark added. “I have witnessed Jade both at high school competitions and in camp settings to possess good leadership skills and I look forward to her using her many abilities on our team and the greater campus here at Goshen.”

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.semissourian.com/story/1626488.html


Cape Central's Woldtvedt signs pole vault contract

The following photo has been submitted by a user of semissourian.com. To submit your own photo to the site, click here.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
User-submitted photo by Steve Robertson & Lance Tollison

Raymond Woldtvedt, center, a Cape Central High School senior, will be pole vaulting for Missouri Southern State University at Joplin this fall. Observing the recent contract signing are, seated, Raymond’s mother and father, Gunder and Laura Woldtvedt. Standing are Cape Central Athletic Director Lance Tollison and Pole Vault Coach Collin Sheridan. Traditionally, Missouri Southern pole vaulters are represented at national championships, and the university has had numerous All-Americans over the past 20 years. In 2005, Missouri Southern vaulters placed 1-2-3 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.bethelcollege.edu/sports/Tra ... cleID=4690

Pair From Indianapolis Sign With Track and Field


Kate Carr

A pair of very talented track and field athletes from the Metro Indianapolis area have signed their letters of intent to join the Bethel College women’s track and field program.

Kate Carr, a senior from Carmel High School, placed fifth in the state meet last season in the pole vault. Carr has personal bests of 11-0 in the pole vault and 5-4 in the high jump. She is the team captain this season, placed second in sectional last year, and was the 2009 regional champion in the pole vault. Carr was also the 2009 Hamilton County champion in the pole vault. “Kate is a very valuable addition to our women’s track and field program,” stated Head Bethel Track and Field Coach Tony Natali. “Kate will not only add quality to our already strong pole vault and high jump areas, but she will be a future leader of our program. I see Kate as having what it takes to lead others down the road. She will have instant credibility due to her extremely hard work ethic and what she has already accomplished. I am very excited to see what the future holds for Kate Carr here at Bethel. I believe she can have an extremely successful collegiate career,” added Coach Natali.

[Tumbleweed]

Spencer Thomas (Reynolds High School, Troutdale Oregon - Willamette Striders Track Club, Oregon City) has accpeted an offer from Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon to vault and play football.

Go Boxers!