Arkansas vaulters soaring, scoring

Arkansas pole vaulter Sandi Morris jumps during the Razorback Invitational on Friday, Jan. 30, 2015 at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- The bar is set high when it comes to expectations for Arkansas' women's pole vaulting crew.

Literally.

Arkansas track officials set the bar at 15 feet, 7 1/4 inches -- which would have been an indoor college record -- Friday evening during the Razorback Invitational at the Randal Tyson Indoor Track Center, and senior Sandi Morris just brushed it on the way up or she might have held the national mark for the second time in less than a month.

"I thought she had it," said Lance Harter, Arkansas' women's coach. "It was a strong vault."

Morris held the college record briefly earlier this season after clearing 15-1 1/2 on Jan. 16 during a dual meet against Texas, but that mark lasted less than 24 hours after Stephen F. Austin junior Demi Payne cleared 15-2 1/4 the next day at the Texas A&M Invitational in College Station, Texas.

Morris had to settle for a new school record of 15-3 Friday night and her fourth meet victory in as many tries this season.

Harter could afford a smile as he talked about his pole vaulters because the group is more than just a one-woman show, going three and four deep in elite talent under the guidance of vault coach Bryant Compton.

"It's a special group," Harter said. "They put in a lot of hard work, and vault coach Compton does a great job with them."

Morris is ranked No. 2 in the nation, while freshman Desiree Freier is No. 3 with a best of 14-2½ and junior Ariel Voskamp, a returning All-American from Cabot, is among the nation's top 10. Junior Meghan Zimlich is a strong No. 4 vaulter for the Razorbacks and is ranked just outside of the top 25 nationally.

Arkansas' women's team has risen to No. 5 in the latest track and field polls, and the pole vaulters appear to be easily the best group in the country.

"We compete and push each other in practice and at every meet," Voskamp said. "Our goal is to go 1-2-3-4 in every meet we enter."

Voskamp was an all-around track star at Cabot and ran hurdles and on some relay teams. Compton told Voskamp while recruiting her that she could be a special pole vaulter with a little work on fundamentals and technique.

"She was a good all-around athlete with the speed, strength and determination that you look for," Compton said. "We love to get those Arkansas girls, and she is as good as anyone out there in the nation.

"She's been battling a bit of a foot injury that has slowed her up, and you are going to see her get better."

Voskamp said the mental aspect of being a top vaulter is just as important as having the physical ability.

"When you are standing at the end of the ramp getting ready to sprint down with a pole and push yourself up over the bar at 13 feet or so high, you have to be in the right frame of mind," she said. "Otherwise you aren't going to make it."

The success of Arkansas' pole vaulters also has gone a long way toward setting to the tone for the rest of the team during meets.

"It's huge when you can go out and get those points on the board right way," Harter said. "They set a tone for us, and we feel like we can count on them to get some some big points every night."

Compton said the sky is the limit for Morris as she chases the college record the rest of the season.

"Technique-wise she has a lot of room for improvement," Compton said. "She has tremendous national speed and strength. She has the potential to go higher."

Sports on 01/31/2015