Hutson leads the nation in final season with Sycamores

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.indianastatesman.com/sports/ ... -1.1171183

Senior Hutson leads the nation in final season with Sycamores
By Jared Messmann

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Published: Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Updated: Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Sycamore track and field teams have seen their share of National champions over the years. Senior Kylie Hutson is the newest addition to that list, as she won the NCAA national pole vault title last indoor and outdoor seasons.
Hutson started her career at ISU not expecting to win national titles or even compete all that well in the pole vault, but she has become one of the best collegiate vaulters of all time.
“When I recruited Kylie four years ago, I thought that she and Erica [Moore] would both end up being multi eventers,” head coach John Gartland said. “What happened was that Kylie got so good at pole vault that we couldn’t put her anywhere else.”
Hutson has a chance in two weeks to win a third national championship at the in the 2010 NCAA Indoor National Championships at the University of Arkansas. But first she must get through the Missouri Valley Conference Championships.
“Over the last two years we have trained through the conference meet, but we’re not just blowing this meet off,” pole vault coach Jeff Martin said. “There are some historical implications for this meet; she will be the first four time champion in the women’s vault if she wins.”
Coming into this season, Hutson saw herself on top of the pole vault again, but she knew she had to continue training hard to get better.
“Coming into the season, I saw myself trying to get a jump close to 14 feet, 5.25 inches (4.40 meters) again, I was going to stay in the weight room more and work on the track more to really help work on my technique,” Huston said. “I didn’t even think about hitting the collegiate best mark until last weekend when coach Martin asked me if I wanted to move the bar up and go for it.”
Hutson made three attempts at the collegiate record last weekend and nearly cleared it on her last attempt. The collegiate record currently sits at 14’-10.25” (4.53m) set by Amy Linnen of Arizona in 2002. Hutson was also named MVC athlete of the week for her performance last weekend.
“It didn’t bother me really,” Hutson said. “My first two attempts were OK, but my last attempt I was about five inches over the bar but came down on top of it. I think it is a realistic mark to get in the next few weeks. I’ve watched the video several times, and it gives me more confidence knowing that I’m right there.”
Hutson’s coaches are confident in her ability to keep improving and enjoy coaching her with the intensity and determination that she brings every day.
“Kylie is a one-of-a-kind athlete, very similar to Holli Hyche,” Martin said. “We may not ever find an athlete like her. She is a hard worker, she does things by the book, her attitude and her intensity are hard to match. The other kids see that and aspire to be like her.”
Gartland echoed those remarks about the kind of athlete Hutson has become.
“In a team meeting today, we went through how Kylie won her first national title,” Gartland said. “She was in fifth and was behind on misses. The bar moved up to a new height, and she had to clear it, and she did with an immense amount of pressure on her. She is great to watch because she is cool under pressure and never cracks.”
Hutson is looking beyond this year and into the future of having a possible professional career. Her future looks bright, and only time will tell how good she gets.
“She has had a great career and still has a few more big meets left in her collegiate career, and she has been at the caliber of Holli Hyche in the early ‘90s for us,” Gartland said. “To get her to the next level, she will need to find a place that will allow her to use the equipment that she needs. We can help her with that and would love to watch her continue to grow and train with our team.”
Hutson and the rest of the Sycamores will travel to Northern Iowa this weekend to compete in the MVC Championships.

[kev44000]

After seeing her vault in person, I think she will be the next great USA womens vaulter. I can see 15 feet outdoors this year from her. I do not know her and have never met her. Her jump is smooth as silk.

[zipsDIGSpv]

She did this this weekend during an awful competition as well. Both vault competitions took over 8 hours and Kylie warmed up around 8:30 and didn't take her first jump until midnight...she finished well after 1am. She is going to be tough to beat and I was thoroughly impressed with her performance last weekend. Congrats Kylie keep it up!