IU pole vaulters prepare for home meet at Indiana Relays

The Harry Gladstein Field House will play host to a fourth consecutive meet this weekend, as IU track-and-field athletes gear up for stiff competition in the Indiana Relays before they travel to Arkansas for the Tyson Invitational. \nTwo Hoosiers who are looking for competition are Vera Neuenswander and Jeff Coover. The pair anchors the women's and men's IU pole vaulting squad, respectively. \n"The two should almost be brother and sister," pole vaulting coach Jake Wiseman said. "I can't overemphasize how hard they work."\nNeuenswander is a freshman from Jefferson City, Mo. While in high school, she was a state champion in pole vault in 2003, 2005 and 2006. She holds the third-best all-time record for women's pole vault at IU, with a jump of 3.75 \nmeters. \nNeuenswander said she decided to come to IU after many visits to the campus. \n"The coaches here care, and it is a great atmosphere," she said.\nCoover, a sophomore, also talked about the campus when discussing why he came all the way from La Jolla, Calif. \n"I also have a brother on the team, Paul, and he has been a big role model to me, and was an important factor in my decision," Coover said.\nBut it has been Coover who has been a role model for the pole vaulting squad. Last week he set a career best while posting a NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 5.20 meters, meaning he could be going to the NCAA National Championships.\n"It's not very likely that my mark will get me to nationals, because they only choose the 10 or 11 best pole vaulters in the nation," Coover said. "But it is awesome to have my name in the running and be considered."\nNot only was Coover's jump a career best, but he said it was his first time over 17 feet and that it felt good to finally clear that mark.\nThese meets are what the track and field teams as a whole have been preparing for with the Big Ten championships only a month away. \n"This is the time when we need to start to peak," Wiseman said.\nIn practice the pole vaulters help each other out and cheer each other on knowing that they will be coming up against some stiff competition, including the teams not just in the Big Ten, but also those that will be at the Indiana Relays this weekend. \n"They make each other better in day-to-day practice," Wiseman said. "It has been fun coaching this team. They are young and they really bring the best out of you"