Nicole Pitchford article (Pittsburgh)

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http://www.timesonline.com/site/news.cf ... 9293&rfi=6

Pitchford set record vault mark
Eric Hall, Calkins Media
04/05/2006


Nicole Pitchford realized that high school was over the moment she stared at the new number.

Eleven feet.

"In high school, my best was 10 feet, 9 inches," the Riverside graduate and former WPIAL pole vault champion said, "And in college, the opening (vault) is 11 feet.

"I guess I've gotten so much better since I've been here."

The assumption is as same as it is documented. Pitchford, a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh, recently set new meet and facility records at the West Penn Championships at Robert Morris University with a vault of 11-0¼. She's also coming off a sixth-place finish at the Big East indoor championships.

Yet, Pitchford was neither happy nor satisfied with either accomplishment.

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On the Big East finish: "It should have been a fourth (place). It was a sixth because of misses."

On the West Penn record: "It wasn't a good jumping day. Don't get me wrong, getting the record is nice. But it wasn't anywhere near my best."

It's that perfectionist attitude that drives Pitchford.

Her goal is simple: Qualify for the NCAA Regional Championships. She'll need a vault of 12-6 to do that. Her best indoor mark was 12-4½. Her top outdoor mark was 11-0¼, the West Penn record.

And even though she hasn't reached that goal, she's confident she will.

"I should be there," Pitchford said. "My hopes were to have it already, but the weather hasn't been cooperative. There hasn't been a good jumping day.

"But it shouldn't be that hard of an accomplishment."

That doesn't mean it wouldn't be a tremendous one. Once at the regionals, she can multiply that accomplishment by finishing in the top five, an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Championships. She figures that would take at least 13 feet.

Nevertheless, it's a distinct possibility. Last year, Pitchford didn't place in either the Big East indoor or outdoor championships. This year, she has a sixth place already, and is on the short list of favorites to win the outdoor title.

Satisfaction, it seems, would come in the form of an NCAA appearance - at least, for now.

"That would be one heck of an accomplishment for a sophomore," Pitchford said. "That's my highest hope."