Women's Pole Vault Analysis
1. Stacy Dragila
2. Kellie Suttle
3. Mel Mueller
4. Tracy O'Hara
5. Alicia Warlick
6. Mary Sauer
7. Lesa Kubishta
8. Melissa Price
9. Aimee Crabtree
10. Jill WittenwylerHow quickly standards have risen in the women's vault!
At the last Olympic Trials, when the event still just had "exhibition" status, only Stacy Dragila was able to vault higher than 13-feet. This time out, the qualifying round alone found no fewer than 16 (of 37 original entrants) sailing over 13-2 1/4.
When the final kicks off Sunday's final afternoon of action in Hornet Stadium, expect just about everybody in the field to be over 13 again and maybe half of them to scale 14. In fact, look for at least one--World Record holder Dragila--to be over 15. She's the only one in the field--and one of only two in the world--ever to top that magical marker, but others in the field are threatening to do so also.
The left-handed Dragila sometimes seems to thrive by living dangerously. In winning the World Championships gold last year in Spain, Dragila five times needed to use her second attempt before clearing and on another occasion required all three just to stay alive.
Still, she's clearly the class of the field, having won 8 of her last 9 meets coming into the Trials. She remains a clear favorite. Behind her, Kellie Suttle has been on a bit of a roll of late and looks like a solid choice for the runner-up position. Mel Mueller was the hottest vaulter in the world early in '99, but a protracted problem with her ankle killed much of the rest of last year and she hasn't quite returned to that form
yet this year. NCAA champ Tracy O'Hara of UCLA looked great during the college season but hasn't shown much since then.The stadium's configuration means the vaulters will probably have to contend with some right-side crosswinds, but the competition is likely to be complete before the evening breezes pick up.
/garry hill/Pre-Trials seasonal records of finalists:
Paula Serrano (Nik) 13-1 1/2 4)PV Summit..........01/21 13-7 1/4 2)Reno...............01/29 13-6 1/2 3)Los Angeles........02/19 13-3 1)Mtn Pac............02/25 13-5 1/4 3)NCAA Ind...........03/10 13-7 3/4 1)Fresno R...........04/01 12-9 1/2 5)Azusa..............04/08 0)Mt. SAC Inv........04/15 14-0 1)Fullerton Open.....04/27 12-11 1/2 3)Cardinal Inv.......05/05 12-11 1/2 7)Modesto R..........05/13 13-1/4 5)PAUSATF............05/21 13-5 1/4 10)Beach Vault.......06/11 12-9 1/2 2)Stanford OT Qual...06/17 12-8 3/4 7)GMC Open...........07/01Melissa Price (Nik) 12-9 1/2 7)PV Summit..........01/21 13-5 3/4 3)Fairfax............01/29 12-8 1/4 6)Millrose...........02/04 13-7 1/4 4)Simplot G..........02/19 13-10 6)USATF Ind..........03/03 13-6 1/4 2)Azusa..............04/08 0)Mt. SAC Inv........04/15 13-6 1/4 2)Scott Inv..........05/07 13-5 1/4 =5)Modesto R.........05/13 13-8 1/4 4)PAUSATF............05/21 13-8 1/4 3)Phoenix............05/27 13-9 1/4 =5)Beach Vault.......06/11 0)Raleigh GP.........06/17 13-3 1/2 6)Portland GP........06/25
Mary Sauer (Asics) 13-5 1/4 3)PV Summit..........01/21 13-6 1/4 4)Millrose...........02/04 14-2 1)Los Angeles........02/19 14-2 3)USATF Ind..........03/03 13-11 1/4 1)Sacramento.........04/01 14-0 1)Azusa..............04/08 13-9 3)Mt. SAC Inv........04/15 13-6 1/4 3)Scott Inv..........05/07 13-5 1/4 =5)Modesto R.........05/13 14-8 2)PAUSATF............05/21 14-5 1/4 3)Beach Vault........06/11 13-9 1/4 3)Raleigh GP.........06/17 14-7 1/4 3)Portland GP........06/25 13-10 1/2 5)GMC Open...........07/01
Jill Wittenwyler (Nik) 0)Fairfax............01/29 12-8 1/4 7)Millrose...........02/04 12-9 1/2 4)NBal Inv...........02/06 0)Simplot G..........02/19 12-8 =2)Fresno R..........04/01 0)Mt. SAC Inv........04/15 12-6 2)Fullerton Open.....04/27 12-11 1/2 =8)Modesto R.........05/13 13-1/4 8)PAUSATF............05/21 13-1/4 12)Beach Vault.......06/11 13-1 1/2 1)Stanford OT Qual...06/17 12-7 1/2 7)Portland GP........06/25 12-8 3/4 7)GMC Open...........07/01
Alicia Warlick (SMTC) 13-1 1/2 1)Houston............01/14 12-5 1/2 1)Houston Cl.........01/29 13-8 1/4 1)Houston............02/12 13-6 1/4 7)USATF Ind..........03/03 12-11 3/4 1)Houston............03/25 13-3 =4)Mt. SAC Inv.......04/15 13-1 1/2 1)Waco...............04/22 13-1 1/2 1)Houston Inv........05/06 14-3 1/4 3)Modesto R..........05/13 13-9 1/4 1)LSU Last Ditch.....05/19 0)Houston............05/25 13-5 1/4 =4)Raleigh GP........06/17 14-0 1)Houston A-C II.....06/22 14-3 1/4 5)Portland GP........06/25 13-10 1/2 4)GMC Open...........07/01
Lesa Kubishta (PtL) 13-5 1/4 1-f3)PV Summit......0 1/22 13-6 1/2 2)Los Angeles........02/19 13-6 1/4 8)USATF Ind..........03/03 13-7 1/4 1)Fullerton..........03/11 13-1 1)San Diego..........03/18 13-9 1/4 1)Long Beach.........03/18 14-0 1)UCSD Open..........03/26 14-1 3/4 1)San Diego..........04/01 13-6 1/2 1)UC San Diego Inv...04/08 13-9 2)Mt. SAC Inv........04/15 12-6 1)Irvine.............04/22 14-2 1/2 1)Golden State Conf..04/28 14-4 1)Scott Inv..........05/07 13-6 1/2 1)Oxy Inv............05/13 13-1/4 6)PAUSATF............05/21 13-7 3/4 1)NAIA...............05/25 13-9 1/4 =5)Beach Vault.......06/11 14-1 1/4 1)Norwalk............07/08
Alexa Harz (unat) 13-4 1/4 1)Tucson.............03/18 12-9 1/2 3)UCSD Open..........03/26 12-11 1/2 3)Sacramento.........04/01 13-1/4 4)Azusa..............04/08 13-3 =4)Mt. SAC Inv.......04/15 13-1/4 5)Scott Inv..........05/07
Kristin Quackenbush (Reeb) 12-5 1/2 8)PV Summit..........01/21 0)Fairfax............01/29 12-3 1/2 5)NBal Inv...........02/06 13-1 3/4 1)University Park....02/12 13-6 1/4 1)Blacksburg.........02/26 12-9 1/2 4)Cedar Falls........02/27 13-1/4 =9)USATF Ind.........03/03 12-5 1/2 4)Sacramento.........04/01 12-9 1/2 2)Sea Ray R..........04/14
Stacy Dragila (Reeb) 14-0 1)Pocatello..........01/15 14-9 1/2 1)Pocatello.........0 1/28 14-6 1)Millrose...........02/04 14-11 1)Brisbane...........02/11 14-1 1/4 2)Sydney.............02/13 15-1 1/2 1)Simplot G..........02/19 15-1 3/4 1)USATF Ind..........03/03 14-2 3/4 1)Mt. SAC Inv........04/15 14-9 1)IdSt Twi...........05/04 15-1 1)Modesto R..........05/13 15-0 1)PAUSATF............05/21 15-1 3/4 1)Phoenix............05/27 15-5 1)Beach Vault........06/11 13-5 1/4 =4)Raleigh GP........06/17 14-7 1/4 1)Portland GP........06/25 14-10 1/4 1)GMC Open...........07/01
Erin Anderson (KsSt) 12-9 1/2 1)Manhattan..........01/15 12-3 1/2 1)Ames...............01/21 13-1 1/2 1)Big 12.............02/25 13-5 1/4 2)NCAA Ind...........03/10 12-9 1/2 4)UCSD Open..........03/26 13-7 1/4 2)Texas R Uni........04/07 0)Mt. SAC Inv........04/15 12-9 1/2 3)USTCA Team Ch......04/22 13-3 1/2 1)Nebraska USTCA.....05/07 12-8 1)Emporia Twi........05/13 13-9 1/4 2)NCAA...............06/02
Mel Mueller (Nik) 13-5 3/4 2)Fairfax............01/29 14-2 =2)Millrose..........02/04 14-1 1/4 1)NBal Inv...........02/06 14-5 1/4 1)Flagstaff..........02/12 14-1 1/4 2)Simplot G..........02/19 14-6 2)USATF Ind..........03/03 13-7 1/4 1)Sun Angel Inv......04/15 14-1 1/4 1)Wildcat Qual.......05/13 14-4 3)PAUSATF............05/21 14-4 2)Phoenix............05/27 14-9 2)Beach Vault........06/11 13-9 1/4 2)Raleigh GP.........06/17 14-7 1/4 2)Portland GP........06/25 14-4 1/2 3)GMC Open...........07/01 14-2 1)Can High-Alt IV....07/08
Aimee Crabtree (unat) 11-11 3/4 2)Mtn West...........02/25 13-3 1/2 2)UCSD Open..........03/26 13-5 1/4 2)Sacramento.........04/01 13-6 1/4 3)Azusa..............04/08 0)Mt. SAC Inv........04/15 13-1/4 1)Drummond Inv.......04/22 12-11 1/2 2)Cardinal Inv.......05/05 13-1/4 4)Scott Inv..........05/07 13-1/4 2)Oxy Inv............05/13 14-1 1/4 4)Beach Vault........06/11 13-5 1/4 2)Norwalk............07/08
Kellie Suttle (Nik) 13-11 1/4 1)PV Summit..........01/21 13-9 3/4 1)Fairfax............01/29 14-2 =2)Millrose..........02/04 14-1 1/4 3)Simplot G..........02/19 14-6 1)Cedar Falls........02/27 14-2 4)USATF Ind..........03/03 14-0 1)Jonesboro..........04/15 13-11 1/4 4)Modesto R..........05/13 14-8 1)Bell PV............05/19 14-5 1/4 1)Essx Bell Inv......05/28 13-5 1/4 1)Jonesboro..........06/06 14-5 1/4 1)Jonesboro..........06/14 14-6 1/4 1)Raleigh GP.........06/17 14-7 1/4 4)Portland GP........06/25 14-10 1/4 2)GMC Open...........07/01
Shannon Gallagher (Reeb) 13-1 1/2 5)PV Summit..........01/21 12-10 1)Carbondale.........01/29 12-9 1/2 3)NBal Inv...........02/06 12-10 1)Jonesboro..........02/20 13-1 1/2 3)Cedar Falls........02/27 13-1/4 =9)USATF Ind.........03/03 12-5 1/4 3)Drake R Inv........04/29 13-5 3/4 3)Bell PV............05/19 12-9 1/2 2)Essx Bell Inv......05/28 13-5 1/4 2)Jonesboro..........06/06 13-1 3/4 2)Jonesboro..........06/14 11-6 1/2 2)Indianapolis.......06/24 12-8 1/4 1)Indianapolis.......07/01
Shannon Pierson (SacTC) 13-1 1/2 1)Hamilton Inv.......04/08 12-11 1/2 2)Mt. SAC Open.......04/15 13-1/4 2)Drummond Inv.......04/22 13-5 1/4 1)Cardinal Inv.......05/05 0)PAUSATF............05/21 12-7 1/4 =14)Beach Vault......06/11
Tracy O'Hara (UCLA) 13-9 1/4 2)PV Summit..........01/21 13-7 1/4 1)Reno...............01/29 13-10 1)Reno...............02/05 13-10 5)USATF Ind..........03/03 14-6 1)NCAA Ind...........03/10 13-7 1)Westwood...........03/18 14-1 1/4 1)USTCA Westwood.....04/01 14-1 1/4 1)Westwood...........04/01 13-3 6)Mt. SAC Inv........04/15 14-7 1/4 1)USTCA Team Ch......04/22 12-11 1/2 1)UCLA-USC...........05/06 14-3 1/4 2)Modesto R..........05/13 13-7 =1)Pac-10............05/21 14-5 1/4 1)NCAA...............06/02 13-9 1/4 7)Beach Vault........06/11 13-10 1/2 5)GMC Open...........07/01