Owen 'vaults' to school record
Photo curtosy of University of Idaho<br>Melinda Owen’s vault of 13”9’ earned her a fifth place finish at the NCAA indoor track championships.
Zach Urness
Leader Staff
Melinda Owen, a 2002 graduate of Polson High School, took fifth place at the NCAA indoor track championships in the women’s pole vault, held last Saturday at the University of Arkansas. Owen set yet another University of Idaho record with the performance, clearing 13’9” 1/4 to top her previous record of 13’8” that she set with a first place finish at the Husky Last Chance Meet two weeks ago in Seattle.
The fifth place finish earned Owen a place on the All-American team, the first of her career and the eighth in University of Idaho women’s track and field history.
And while 13’9” 1/4 is impressive, Owen just missed hitting 14’1” 1/4, a mark that co-head coach Yogi Teevens told the university he expects her to reach during the outdoor season.
“She’ll definitely go 14 feet in outdoors, there’s no doubt at all,” he said.
Melinda is the daughter of Bob and Sandi Owen.