FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas' Sandi Morris and Stephen F. Austin's Demi Payne have been trading women's collegiate pole vault records back and forth throughout 2015.
Morris, senior from Greenville, S.C., holds the outdoor record of 15 feet, 5 3/4 inches going into the event today at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore. Payne, a junior, holds the indoor record at 15-7.
Sandi Morris glance
SCHOOL Arkansas
EVENT Pole Vault
CLASS Senior
HOMETOWN Greenville, S.C.
NOTEWORTHY Won the NCAA indoor pole vault title this year, clearing 15-1. … Set the collegiate outdoor record this year at 15-5 3/4 to win at the SEC Championships on May 15. … Finished second at the 2014 USA Outdoor Championships, clearing 14-11. … Three-time All-American, taking fourth nationally indoors in 2013 and fourth outdoors in 2014 in addition to this year’s indoor title. … Transferred to Arkansas from North Carolina. … Redshirted outdoors at Arkansas in 2013 and indoors in 2014 so she would have three years to train with UA field events coach Bryan Compton. … Top clearance at North Carolina was 14-1. … Graduated from Arkansas in May with a degree in broadcast journalism.
"I don't think I'd be going as high this year if I didn't have Demi right there pushing me," Morris said. "I think the competition has pushed both of us to our limits."
Morris set the women's outdoor record by clearing 15-1 3/4 April 11 at the John McDonnell Invitation. Two weeks later Payne went 15-3 1/2 at the Drake Relays to surpass Morris, who got the record back with her 15-5 3/4 clearance at the SEC Championships on May 15.
During the indoor season, Morris cleared 15-1 1/2 for the college record but held the mark for about 17 hours before Payne cleared 15-2 1/4.
For the combined indoor and outdoor U.S. women's rankings this year, Payne and Morris trail only U.S record-holder and 2012 Olympic champion Jenn Suhr. Suhr, 33, has the U.S. record at 16-5 1/2 with a best of 15-9 1/2 this year.
"To be able to have two girls jumping around 15-6 in college is incredible," Morris said. "The collegiate record before this year was 15-1, so we've upped the bar a lot.
"It's really cool to be a part of history and bring a lot of attention to the sport of pole vaulting."
Morris won the title at the NCAA Indoor meet earlier this year in Fayetteville when she cleared 15-1 while Payne no-heighted, as did Texas junior Kaitlin Petrillose, a former collegiate record hold and 2014 NCAA indoor champion.
Morris hasn't suffered any no-heights this year while consistently clearing at least 14-7 or higher and 15 feet several times. She credits Arkansas jumps coach Bryan Compton with making sure she's using the proper poles and grips.
"That's the key to making the opening bar on your first attempt," Morris said. "Usually once I get that opening bar under my belt, the confidence really comes in and I'm ready to go."
Compton recruited Morris out of high school, but she signed with North Carolina to be closer to home. After her best mark in two years at North Carolina was 14-1, Morris transferred to Arkansas.
"Coach Compton has made me a confident pole vaulter," Morris said. "What I struggled with before I got here was worrying too much. He's made me a lot stronger both at practice and in meets. He has a good way of bringing out the toughest person within you."
Morris -- who redshirted the 2013 outdoor season and 2014 indoor season so she would have three full years to train with Compton -- said it took her a year to adjust to his demanding practices.
"He runs a very tight ship and doesn't let you get away with little things," she said. "It was very tough in the beginning, but I've really learned how to take what he's trying to get me to do and do it."
Compton said he isn't surprised by Morris' record-setting success.
"We knew we could jump this high, we just didn't know how soon," he said. "The progression has been faster this year."
Razorbacks Coach Lance Harter said Compton used to point Morris out to him at meets before she transferred.
Compton said it's a matter of time before Morris clears 16 feet and that she can go much higher.
"She could break the world record," said Compton, referring to the 16-7 cleared by Russian Yelena Isinbayeva in 2009.
Morris, who graduated in May with a degree in broadcast journalism, plans to continue to live and train in Fayetteville. The Arkansas training group includes April Steiner-Bennett, a former Arkansas All-American who competed at the 2008 Olympics.
"Sandi's so talented it's unbelievable," Steiner-Bennett said. "She's doing so many amazing things, but still has a lot of room for improvement.
"You're not going to break records every track meet, though she's good enough to do it. She's really powerful and is so quick on the runway. She's got hurdler power in her hips and legs."
Morris' victory at the NCAA Indoor meet helped Arkansas win its first national title in a women's sport, and she's hoping both herself and the Razorbacks can repeat at the NCAA Outdoors.
"I've always had dreams of winning a national title, and I knew the whole time I could jump these heights but it takes time to get there," Morris said. "I think a lot of athletes make the mistake of thinking you can make these changes overnight.
"I transferred here to Arkansas, I've redshirted. I've had terrible meets and I've now had awesome meets."
Sports on 06/11/2015