(photo by Tim O'Dowd)

William and Mary sophomore Derek O'Connell (Virginia Beach, Va.) brought his very successful year to a close Saturday afternoon, tying for 19th place in the pole vault at the NCAA Eastern Semifinals.  The top-12 vaulters earned places at the NCAA Finals in two weeks, and it took a best-ever height of 4.32m (17-5.5) to advance.  O'Connell was one of just five men in the field (of 48 total) to vault a lifetime-best on Saturday, and improved his seeding by a mammoth 15 places over what he was predicted to finish.

Complete Results

O'Connell easily cleared the opening bar at 4.87m (15-11.75), and then took 5.02m (16-5.5) on his second attempt.  His final height was 5.17m (16-11.5), smashing his own school record by nearly three inches, and lifting him into a tie for 19th overall when all was said and done.  He also took three good attempts at 5.27m (17-3.5), but was unable to clear it.  O'Connell's second school-record of the year gives him eight clearances of 16-feet or better in the 127 days, the second-most ever in a single year at W&M in a similar time frame (Charlie Strode '72, 10 times in 110 days).  O'Connell was also the CAA Champion, and fifth indoors at the IC4A Championships.  His competing Saturday made it 10-straight years that the W&M men's track and field team has been represented at the NCAA Championships.

W&M at the NCAA Eastern Semifinals
Athlete	Event	Seed	Finish	Improvement
Derek O'Connell	Pole Vault	T-36th	T-19th	+15
Dylan Hassett	10,000m	48th	36th	+12
Elaina Balouris	10,000m	11th	2nd	+9
Katie Johnston	Javelin	35th	26th	+9
Meghan McGovern	5,000m	38th	29th	+9
Emily Stites	10,000m	3rd	3rd	E