HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 4, 2008) Sophomore Jason Colwick, from San Marcos, Texas, will be the lone Rice Owl from the men's track and field squad competing at the 87th annual NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship held June 11-14 in Des Moines, Iowa. Action takes place at Drake University's Drake Stadium. A total of 544 student-athletes per gender will participate in the championship.
Colwick, competing in the pole vault, holds the school record with the nation's number one mark at 5.55m/18' 2.5," which he set at the Texas Relays in April. In doing so, he broke Dave Roberts' 1972 Rice record of 5.49m/18' 0.25" on his first attempt.
Roberts was the first three-time NCAA pole vault champion (1971-73) while at Rice. He twice set the world record as well as win the U.S. national title in 1974. Roberts captured the bronze medal in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, to become the Owls' second Olympic medalist in the pole vault. Fred Hansen won gold in the event in 1964.
Colwick was the 2008 Conference USA champion with a jump of 5.31m/17' 5" in El Paso, Texas.
"Jason jumped 17-3 during the indoor season but he has really stepped it during the outdoor season," states Rice men's head coach Jon Warren. "He has been very consistent through each competition."
Indeed Colwick has been consistent, as he has captured seven of eight competitions to go with one second place finish.
The pole vault event is slated to start on Wednesday, June 11 with qualifying at 4:15 p.m. (Central). The top 12 qualifiers will then advance to the finals on Friday, June 13 at 4:15 p.m. (Central).
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