2/23/00 -- This is the second in a series of articles pertaining to the fields that will compete at the Nike Indoor Classic in Bloomington on March 11-12. Today we're featuring the Pole Vault. Both contain most of the nation's leading vaulters so let's take a look.

THE MEN: You start with the top two returnees from '99, junior SAGE THAMES, Friendship, Wolfforth TX, 16-7 and this year's current USL KEVIN OPALKA, Memorial, Edmond OK, 16-4. Opalka's already cleared that height twice this season while Thames did 15-10 at the Pole Vault Summit.. Edge: Opalka. But don't think the young Texan, he's only a junior, is coming to Indiana for a workout, he'll be ready, willing and able to give Opalka all the competition he wants. But both could be surprised by a bevy of top-notch jumpers. The winner of the famed and acclaimed Simplot Games, CHRIS CHAPPELL, Douglas, Minden NV is over at 16-1 and ready to go even higher. But there's more! Pole Vault Summit winner CALEB KRANTZ, Myrtle Point OR has a 15-10A clearance and could easily top (pun intended) all of the above. ("above", get it?) KEVIN DARE, State College PA is another winner with a bigtime clearance, 15-7. You can't count him out. Two locals, junior JEFF MARTZALL, Northrup, Ft Wayne and PAUL GENSIC, Carroll, Ft Wayne have both topped 15-6 while Gensic's teammate, DUSTIN RUNKLE recently posted a 15-1 success. Louisianian DAN TROSCLAIR, Bourgeous, Gray over at 15' and another junior, GREG ROYSTER, Spring Valley, Columbia SC is primed and ready to move into the 15' ranks as evidenced by his 14-9 in at Virginia Tech. Adding to the mix, an invitation has been issued to LA Inc winner LOGAN ODDEN, Marina, Huntington Beach CA. Odden soared over 16' on the less-than-vaulter friendly LA runway. Should he accept, this field would have 3 16' footers, 2 at 15-10 and five others above the bar at 15'. That's merely the TOP EIGHT vaulters in the nation!

THE WOMEN: Former high school record holder (12-8) and Pole Vault Summit winner SARAH SASAKI, No Clackamas Christian, Oregon City OR heads this field with Yale Inv gold medallist AMY LINNEN (12-6) close behind. LAURA CHEN, Temple City CA junior took the LA Inv at 12-0 and, according to Team Strange member Doug Speck, "She looks ready to go much higher." Texan ALLY DAUM, Memorial, Houston stood atop the Carl Lewis Inv with an 11-7 clearance while junior EMILY THARPE, McDowell, Erie PA, CHARLOTTE LA ROCHE, Centreville, Clifton VA, CARRIE DRAKULICH, Clackamas, Milwaukie OR and LEILA BEN-YOUSSEF, Sidney MT have all cleared 11-6.

Sasaki led the US last year with her scintillating 13' clearance. Unfortunately, two of the nation's best, Samantha Shepard and current high school record holder (12-9.5) Molly Lederman were unable to get proper plane connections and will miss the competition.

The Indiana University Harry Gladstein Fieldhouse has one of the finest vaulting facilities in the country and has produced vaults of 18-6.75 (Mark Buse) and 18-6.5 (Dave Volz.) With superb conditions, awesome fields and an anticipated crowd of over 4000, expect to see some equally superb and awesome performances.