University of Albany's Luke Schoen Finishes Sixth in Men's Pole Vault at NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

College Station, Texas – University at Albany’s Luke Schoen finished sixth in the men’s pole vault at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships on Friday, March 13. The two-day national competition is being held at Texas A&M University’s Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium.

Schoen, the America East Conference champion, cleared 17-feet, 6.50-inches on his third attempt at that height. He becomes the second Great Dane to earn indoor All-America recognition. Gered Burns placed fifth in the 800-meter run at the 2006 NCAA championship.

Schoen entered the Division I national meet as the eighth-best collegiate performer this season as he set a school record of 17-9 at the NYU FastTrack Invitational on Feb. 27. The junior cleared 17 feet on six occasions this winter. Schoen was fifth in this event at the 2008 NCAA outdoor championship and became the program’s first Division I All-America pole vaulter.

“I gave my best effort; it was not a bad jump,” explained Schoen, whose father won three varsity letters as a member of the UAlbany football team in the 1970s. “My legs didn’t have much power. I think I went overboard in the warm-ups (the previous day). The competition was steep and more consistent since you didn’t have to deal with the wind or other factors that you would outdoors.”

Rice’s Jason Colwick finished first at NCAA indoors with a height of 18-4.50, a mark he posted on his first try. After winning the competition, Colwick missed at 18-8.75 in attempt to set the facility record. He is first Conference USA pole vaulter to clear 18 feet in the league’s history.

Virginia Tech’s Vavgeniy Olhovsky, who was fifth at the NCAA indoor meet last year, place second at 17-10.50. Kansas’ Jordan Scott, a three-time Big 12 Conference champion, was third.

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2009 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship

Men’s Pole Vault Final

1. Jason Colwick (Rice), 18-4.50; 2. Yavgeniy Olhovsky (Virginia Tech), 17-10.50; 3. Jordan Scott (Kansas), 17-10.50; 4. Jeff Coover (Indiana), 17-6.50; 5. Seth Burney (Nebraska), 17-6.50; 6. Luke Schoen (Albany), 17-6.50; t7. Nick Frawley (Air Force), 17-2.75; t7. Hunter Hall (Virginia Tech), 17-2.75; 9. Brian Hancock (Missouri), 16-10.75; 10. Maston Wallace (Texas), 16-10.75.