By Christopher Hunt
photos by wingedfootfotos.com
It could be coincidence that pole vaulters look toward the sky when they fall back to earth from an attempt. It gives them a chance to curse the heavens when the bar joins the vaulter in their descent. Or coming down from the air can provide an opportunity to send a message upward in gratitude.
“I was like, Oh thank God,” Notre Dame senior Mary Saxer said once she cleared the bar for a meet record and the automatic qualifying mark for the NCAA championships.
The graduate of Lancaster in upstate New York won the women’s pole vault on Day 1 of the Big East Championships, vaulting 4.20 meters (13-9.25), which also topped the meet record of 4.15m set by South Florida’s Denise von Eynatten last year.
“That’s what I wanted to do,” Saxer said. “That was my goal all season.”
Saxer, the former high school national record-holder, was the first scholastic female to clear 14 feet, putting the record at 14-2. And although Saxer has been a solid contributor to the Irish, she never achieved the kind of success that many expected after a dominant high school career.
“Coming out of high school, I really thought that I’d be at nationals every year,” she said. “But here I am a senior and it’s my first time.”
Saxer said the new school, new coaching and struggling to adjust could be what’s made her struggle to regain the form she showed in high school. But each meet this season Saxer has vaulted higher than last including her new collegiate indoor best Saturday. She missed only once before clearing her winning height.
“I just felt really good today,” she said. “I felt good in the warm-up and all the way through. I’m excited.”
Daniel Dunn of Georgetown also set a meet record by winning the men’s 5,000 for the Hoyas in 13:52.65. Notre Dame’s Patrick Smyth led the race throughout and in fact pressed the pace. But Dunn never lost contact and stayed relaxed while Smyth accelerated.
“But I realized that even from where I was that I was running as fast as he was so I wasn’t losing anything,” Dunn said. “I figured if I just hung in I’d be able to make a move.”
Dunn’s time better the meet record of 13:52.84 by John Truatmann of Georgetown in 1991.
“That wasn’t the goal at all,” Dunn said. “It’s just icing I guess.”
The women’s 5,000 provided the same drama. Villanova’s Frances Koons bounced alongside Danette Doetzel in the lead pack until the last mile when Doetzel decided to move. Koons followed but mostly zoned out during the race.
“I know it sounds corny but I have this mantra I repeat in my head over and over during long races,” she admitted. “I’m strong. I’m confident. I’m a winner.”
And she was. Koons took over on the penultimate lap and the senior won the Big East title in 15:59.75 in her first indoor 5,000. Doetzel finished second in 16:01.78. Both were under the automatic national qualifying standard.
The meet records in both the men’s and women’s distance medley relay were also erased. Georgetown won the women’s relay in 11:16.84, just three-hundredths of a second under West Virginia’s winning time last year. Providence, led by David McCarthy’s 3:58.8 anchor leg split, won the men’s race in 9:39.85.
McCarthy took the baton in third and 30 meters back for the last leg. But with a 55-second first 400 meters McCarthy had taken over the lead already.
“I think adrenaline got the better of me in the start,” McCarthy said. “When I got to the front I wanted to slow it down a bit.”
Georgetown and Notre Dame’s anchor stayed on McCarthy’s back until he switched gears again with 250 left to give Providence the win.
“I knew I had another gear left,” the sophomore said. “I’m just delighted. This is my first time running a mile with a baton in my hand. I think it gives you something extra.”
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.