Windy City Pole Vault Summit 2015

Rolling Meadows, IL

Meet Information

By Frank Schweda

2015 Windy City Pole Vault Summit

The Windy City Pole Vault Summit looks to be another great chance for the top vaulters in the state of Illinois to vault against one another. Thanks to the help of The Athletic Equipment Source and the likes of Jim Voyles and John Lemke this will be the 14th year of this great pole vault only meet. As always the meet will be hosted at Rolling Meadows High School in their fieldhouse. The vaulting competition gets started at 4pm this Saturday.

On the girls side you will have 3A state champion and returning Summit champion Brook Catherine (US #5) from Normal Community High School who has already jumped 134 out in Reno. She should be pushed by returning 1A state champ Morgan Zacharias (Reed-Custer) and 3A runner up Julia Junkroski (Lincoln Way East), both over 12 feet and in the US top 50. Other top vaulters will be Katie Schroeder (Grayslake Central), 2A runner up Kassadee Ifft (Prairie Central), and Claire Buck (Triad). One of the great things about the Summit is that it brings together the 3 different classes and has them compete as one event. As a side note the Windy City Pole Vault Summit record for the women was set back in 2006 by 2011 NCAA Pole Vault Champion Melissa Gergel (Marian Catholic) at 13. Could we see one of this years girls take a shot at the record?

The guys will have a tough time topping last years record jump of 172.5 by Luke Winder (Plainfield Central) who is now jumping at North Central College. However it will be a very competitive field led by Andy Jatis from Providence Catholic who has jumped 162 already this year. Andy is currently ranked as the number fourteen vaulter in the US. He will have his hands full with Adam Coulon (Tri-Valley), Ryan Ashenbremer (Normal Comm.), and Edward Smoliak (Highland Park). This group has jump 148 or above so far. There will surely be some vaulters who step out of the shadows and put their name down as medal contender come May. It should be an exciting meet, so come on out and cheer on the vaulters!

You can follow the Summit on twitter @RMHSBOYSXCTF.