Markel Shatters School Record in Pole Vault in Baton Rouge

Friday, February 1

Baton Rouge, La.

Tulane University

LSU Bayou Bengal

Markel Shatters School Record in Pole Vault in Baton Rouge

Feb 1, 2019 | Track & Field

Meet Results

BATON ROUGE – Rebekah Markel had the greatest performance of any pole vaulter in Tulane history on Friday at the LSU Bayou Bengal meet, clearing a height of 4.32 meters (14-2) on her first try to set a new school indoor record and blow away her previous personal best.

Tulane as a team had three total victories during the meet and 11 top-five finishes, but Markel's big moment was the obvious high point.

"The thing about Rebekah, she's been so consistent for a long time that it's just a matter of time before a breakthrough comes," said Doug Fraley, Tulane's associate head coach who oversees the pole vaulters. "Her consistency and trusting the process, nobody's been better at that than her in the time that I've coached at Tulane.

"When you've got the talent like she does and you trust the process and become very consistent – when you have a really good day, things like this can happen. That's what happened today. Three and a half years of really hard work all came together in her jumping this afternoon. That's what we've been waiting on this indoor season."

Markel's day started off in a less-than-ideal way as she nearly failed to record any height. She did not clear 3.92 meters on her first two attempts, but made it over the bar on her final attempt to advance. At 4.02 meters, she got over the bar on her first try, raising the bar to a new height of 4.16 meters. On her second attempt at that height, Markel broke her own personal indoor record (previously 4.15 meters).

But she was far from done.

The bar rose 11 more centimeters after that to 4.27 meters, and it seemed that might be too much. But on her final attempt at that height, Markel soared over the bar to tie Merritt Van Meter's 2014 school record and advance on to 4.32 meters.

She cleared that height – and set the new school record – on her first attempt.

Markel's 4.32 meters is two centimeters higher than Alyssa Applebee's outdoor school record of 4.30 meters set in 2017, making Markel's height the new best in school history indoors or outdoors.

The height of 4.32 meters ties Markel for eighth in the country this season entering the weekend.

"Hopefully she will be able to qualify for one if not both of the national meets this year and really test herself against the best women in the country," Fraley said.

Markel's performance wasn't the only impressive one in the pole vault. Nastja Modic and Alex Potts set new personal bests by clearing 3.92 meters (12-10.25), with Modic taking second by clearing the height on her first try. Potts came in third due to her clearance coming on her third attempt at the height. Modic and Potts now are tied for seventh all-time in team history in the event indoors. Modic had previously cleared 3.87 meters and Potts had reached 3.80 meters this season.

Rose Brutkiewicz finished fifth by clearing 3.62 meters (11-10.5) and Megan Fitzgerald was eighth with a clearance of 3.42 meters (11-2.50).

Elsewhere in Baton Rouge, Hunter Robinson was another winner for the Green Wave when she took the 200-meter dash crown with a time of 25.01 seconds. Aldrianna Dupree earned a third-place showing with a time of 25.39, and Kyra Ness-Lanckriet finished out the top 10 with a time of 26.26 seconds.

Brandi Hughes won her heat of the 60-meter hurdle preliminaries, crossing the finish line in 8.50 seconds. She bettered that time by .10 seconds in the finals, winning the event in 8.40 seconds.

Dupree impressed in the 60-meter dash, winning the prelims with a time of 7.54 seconds. Maya Harewood also qualified for the finals thanks to her time of 7.62 seconds, tying her for 10th all-time in team history.

In those finals, Dupree knocked .02 off her time but placed second, finishing in 7.52 seconds. Harewood was third in 7.72 seconds to give the Green Wave another top-three placement.

In the mile, Jennifer LaMori came in third place in the field, finishing with a time of 5:24.05.

The 400 saw Louise Jones earn a seventh-place finish for Tulane, coming across the line in 59.08 seconds. Kyra Ness-Lanckriet was 11th in 1:00.09, and Oneke Gwan was 12th in 1:00.28.

On Thursday night, Pauline Helm got the competition started for the Green Wave when she took part in the pentathlon. The sophomore earned a fifth-place finish with a score of 3,349.

Helm earned that placement by taking second in the 800 with a time of 2:25.77, third in the 60-meter hurdles in 9.28 seconds, fourth in the high jump by clearing 1.52 meters (4-11.75), fourth in the long jump by reaching 5.37 meters (17-7.5) and seventh in the shot put with a distance of 8.68 meters (28-5.75). That mark in the shot put was a new indoor personal best for Helm.

The Green Wave will be back west next weekend, heading to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to take part in the Don Kirby Collegiate Invitational. That meet starts Friday and continues Saturday.