Jennifer Hensel looks back on All-American career (MSU Moor)
Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 4:51 pm
http://www.frazeeforum.com/main.asp?Sec ... leID=21217
Jennifer Hensel looks back on All-American career
Frazee pole vaulter’s last meet finds her up for ‘Track Athlete of the Year’
• by John W. Dermody
The final curtain awaits. It will open for a last performance, then close on a career that has been nothing less than sensational.
Jennifer Hensel, a senior at Minnesota State University Moorhead, has more achievements in collegiate track and field than thinclad fans can almost imagine. And her several All-American honors came on the heels of winning the state high school pole vault on multiple occasions while performing for Frazee High School.
Today, she begins her quest for a third NCAA Division III outdoor pole vault title in San Angelo, TX. The big meet is the culminating event in her four-year resume as a member of the MSUM Dragon team.
The Frazee product, the daughter of Sharon and Bud Hensel, has twice won the NCAA Division II pole vault event at the national meet. Last year, she set an outdoor record of 13-2¼ in the championship event in California. In 2007, she won the pole vault with a jump of 12-9.
Accomplishment
She
has earned All-American honors seven times for her efforts in both indoor and outdoor track seasons.
Moreover, she has been an Academic All-American six times, with a strong chance that she will be declared among that elite group one more time as she finishes her career for the Dragons.
The Dragons' head coach, Keith Barnier, expects her to add another gold star, so to speak, to both of those totals.
"She has been amazing," the MSUM mentor said this week. "And Jennifer is up for 'Division III Track and Field Athlete of the Year.'
It is a supreme national award. Katelyn Rains, a pole vaulter from Minnesota State University-Mankato, is one of the other two in the running. The 'other MSUM' athlete is noted for her success in the indoor event, however, not outdoors.
"It has been fun . . . seeing her (Hensel) every day as a member of our track and field team," he added.
'Hurdles' even off the track
The long, winding path to success has been filled with some bumps, but the high points have been many, Hensel acknowledged this week.
Two big problems presented themselves to Hensel and her teammates this spring. Outdoor sports seasons are "iffy" even in average years, but this one was about the worst possible.
First, all of the athletes had practices interrupted for three weeks because of flooding in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Thus, most sessions had to be indoors, due to wet, cold conditions outside. Those were sporadic, at best.
"It was pretty hard . . . having to do all the work indoors," Hensel said.
Secondly, complicating her efforts to train for sprints and her jumping was a sprained ankle. It has been persistent and it won't be gone anytime soon.
"I won't be able to completely heal . . . and be really healthy, until the end of summer," she commented.
Even though she has been hampered, she will be jumping against the nation's best as the meet at Angelo State University runs through Saturday. Along with Hensel, Ashley Roemer will represent the Dragons as she competes in the high jump.
While things have been tough lately, the standout had no problem qualifying for the Division III finals. Competitors qualify automatically if they clear 12 feet, 9½ inches, or provisionally even below that level. A total of 16 contestants make the cut, with additional "provisional" entrants filling out the roster.
Reaching higher plateaus
She has never had a problem qualifying on her way to a pair of national titles.
"I cleared 13-1¼ in my first meet this year," she explained.
Last weekend, however, the story was a bit different for her at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) meet in Wayne, Neb. She finished 3rd in the pole vault and 8th in the 100-meter event. She and three teammates finished 6th in the 4-by-100 relay.
Because of the sore ankle, she did not run the 200-meter sprint. In past conference events, she had won the 100 and placed as high as second place in the 200 sprint.
Her best vault ever was 13-7¼, and her consistent success has allowed her to win conference indoor and outdoor meets numerous times. Earlier this month, she easily won the vault at the Ron Masanz Invitational meet at MSUM with a jump of 12-5½.
"I haven't done many sprints; I was injured in the first two weeks. It was pretty painful for a while," she added.
As has often been the case, her parents will be at the national meet in Texas. They have missed very few of the Dragons events on and around the numerous cinder tracks.
"MSUM has been a very good fit for me . . . close to home."
She noted the university is big enough, if a person wants some anonymity. However, she has enjoyed her years of achievements, both in the classroom and on the track.
Four years: Where did they go?
"It's gone by very fast," said the health and physical education major. She also has completed a concentration in public health.
In the fall semester, she will student teach in the Moorhead district, and graduate at that time. Then she will continue pursuing a master's degree, probably as a graduate assistant. The emphasis will be in physical education.
Down the road, she can see herself teaching at the high school or college level.
"One of the reasons I want my master's is to get more knowledge and experience," Hensel continued. Where she will do the advanced study is not known at this time.
There is no doubt that the Frazee senior loves her sport. And she will likely be an ambassador, at whatever level she teaches and coaches.
"Track and field is such an individual sport . . . you rely on yourself and there are always teammates who will push you."
When asked how youthful athletes can gain success, she said, "For young people . . . it is always worth it, if you love it, and enjoy it, and put your mind to it."
A high point, with family present
Hensel said following the national event, she will enter open track and field meets in the future.
"But training will be different, more specific, but first I just want to get healthy."
The culminating Division III meet at Mankato last year, she added, was one of the high points of her career, even beyond all the other successes over four years.
"It was . . . because I had most of my family and my teammates could also come."
She is the two-time defending national champion in the pole vault. During the current season, she has been ranked as high as No. 2. Another coup was that she repeated as champion at the Kansas Relays.
Coach Barnier noted his prize pole vaulter has been an exemplary role model for teammates.
Awards, high rankings earned
Looking back, he stated, "What college freshmen has gone to her first national championship meet ranked No. 1?"
He and vaulting coach Jon Heath noted that she has worked hard and gained achievement despite having "a bad wheel."
Success has also been due to the fact "her conference and national competition has been the best," the mentor added.
Recently, another honor was afforded the senior, one named for the late Jon Tieman, MSUM's first track and field All-American. Tieman, who still holds cross country and mile marks for the Dragons, competed in the 1970s.
Following the Ron Masanz Invitational, she was presented the Jon Tieman Courage Award.
That seemed very appropriate, Barnier indicated, after the kind of season that has confronted Hensel and her Dragon teammates.
In relating Hensel's impact in terms of her overall contribution to MSUM's success, the coach pointed out, "Never have so many owed so much to one person!"
Jennifer Hensel looks back on All-American career
Frazee pole vaulter’s last meet finds her up for ‘Track Athlete of the Year’
• by John W. Dermody
The final curtain awaits. It will open for a last performance, then close on a career that has been nothing less than sensational.
Jennifer Hensel, a senior at Minnesota State University Moorhead, has more achievements in collegiate track and field than thinclad fans can almost imagine. And her several All-American honors came on the heels of winning the state high school pole vault on multiple occasions while performing for Frazee High School.
Today, she begins her quest for a third NCAA Division III outdoor pole vault title in San Angelo, TX. The big meet is the culminating event in her four-year resume as a member of the MSUM Dragon team.
The Frazee product, the daughter of Sharon and Bud Hensel, has twice won the NCAA Division II pole vault event at the national meet. Last year, she set an outdoor record of 13-2¼ in the championship event in California. In 2007, she won the pole vault with a jump of 12-9.
Accomplishment
She
has earned All-American honors seven times for her efforts in both indoor and outdoor track seasons.
Moreover, she has been an Academic All-American six times, with a strong chance that she will be declared among that elite group one more time as she finishes her career for the Dragons.
The Dragons' head coach, Keith Barnier, expects her to add another gold star, so to speak, to both of those totals.
"She has been amazing," the MSUM mentor said this week. "And Jennifer is up for 'Division III Track and Field Athlete of the Year.'
It is a supreme national award. Katelyn Rains, a pole vaulter from Minnesota State University-Mankato, is one of the other two in the running. The 'other MSUM' athlete is noted for her success in the indoor event, however, not outdoors.
"It has been fun . . . seeing her (Hensel) every day as a member of our track and field team," he added.
'Hurdles' even off the track
The long, winding path to success has been filled with some bumps, but the high points have been many, Hensel acknowledged this week.
Two big problems presented themselves to Hensel and her teammates this spring. Outdoor sports seasons are "iffy" even in average years, but this one was about the worst possible.
First, all of the athletes had practices interrupted for three weeks because of flooding in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Thus, most sessions had to be indoors, due to wet, cold conditions outside. Those were sporadic, at best.
"It was pretty hard . . . having to do all the work indoors," Hensel said.
Secondly, complicating her efforts to train for sprints and her jumping was a sprained ankle. It has been persistent and it won't be gone anytime soon.
"I won't be able to completely heal . . . and be really healthy, until the end of summer," she commented.
Even though she has been hampered, she will be jumping against the nation's best as the meet at Angelo State University runs through Saturday. Along with Hensel, Ashley Roemer will represent the Dragons as she competes in the high jump.
While things have been tough lately, the standout had no problem qualifying for the Division III finals. Competitors qualify automatically if they clear 12 feet, 9½ inches, or provisionally even below that level. A total of 16 contestants make the cut, with additional "provisional" entrants filling out the roster.
Reaching higher plateaus
She has never had a problem qualifying on her way to a pair of national titles.
"I cleared 13-1¼ in my first meet this year," she explained.
Last weekend, however, the story was a bit different for her at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) meet in Wayne, Neb. She finished 3rd in the pole vault and 8th in the 100-meter event. She and three teammates finished 6th in the 4-by-100 relay.
Because of the sore ankle, she did not run the 200-meter sprint. In past conference events, she had won the 100 and placed as high as second place in the 200 sprint.
Her best vault ever was 13-7¼, and her consistent success has allowed her to win conference indoor and outdoor meets numerous times. Earlier this month, she easily won the vault at the Ron Masanz Invitational meet at MSUM with a jump of 12-5½.
"I haven't done many sprints; I was injured in the first two weeks. It was pretty painful for a while," she added.
As has often been the case, her parents will be at the national meet in Texas. They have missed very few of the Dragons events on and around the numerous cinder tracks.
"MSUM has been a very good fit for me . . . close to home."
She noted the university is big enough, if a person wants some anonymity. However, she has enjoyed her years of achievements, both in the classroom and on the track.
Four years: Where did they go?
"It's gone by very fast," said the health and physical education major. She also has completed a concentration in public health.
In the fall semester, she will student teach in the Moorhead district, and graduate at that time. Then she will continue pursuing a master's degree, probably as a graduate assistant. The emphasis will be in physical education.
Down the road, she can see herself teaching at the high school or college level.
"One of the reasons I want my master's is to get more knowledge and experience," Hensel continued. Where she will do the advanced study is not known at this time.
There is no doubt that the Frazee senior loves her sport. And she will likely be an ambassador, at whatever level she teaches and coaches.
"Track and field is such an individual sport . . . you rely on yourself and there are always teammates who will push you."
When asked how youthful athletes can gain success, she said, "For young people . . . it is always worth it, if you love it, and enjoy it, and put your mind to it."
A high point, with family present
Hensel said following the national event, she will enter open track and field meets in the future.
"But training will be different, more specific, but first I just want to get healthy."
The culminating Division III meet at Mankato last year, she added, was one of the high points of her career, even beyond all the other successes over four years.
"It was . . . because I had most of my family and my teammates could also come."
She is the two-time defending national champion in the pole vault. During the current season, she has been ranked as high as No. 2. Another coup was that she repeated as champion at the Kansas Relays.
Coach Barnier noted his prize pole vaulter has been an exemplary role model for teammates.
Awards, high rankings earned
Looking back, he stated, "What college freshmen has gone to her first national championship meet ranked No. 1?"
He and vaulting coach Jon Heath noted that she has worked hard and gained achievement despite having "a bad wheel."
Success has also been due to the fact "her conference and national competition has been the best," the mentor added.
Recently, another honor was afforded the senior, one named for the late Jon Tieman, MSUM's first track and field All-American. Tieman, who still holds cross country and mile marks for the Dragons, competed in the 1970s.
Following the Ron Masanz Invitational, she was presented the Jon Tieman Courage Award.
That seemed very appropriate, Barnier indicated, after the kind of season that has confronted Hensel and her Dragon teammates.
In relating Hensel's impact in terms of her overall contribution to MSUM's success, the coach pointed out, "Never have so many owed so much to one person!"