Henry ties for second, Anders takes seventh in NCAA pole vault

Jordan Henry

Jared Anders

MANKATO, Minn. -- The two Missouri S&T pole vaulters who competed at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships Saturday are coming home with All-America honors.

Jordan Henry, a junior from St. Charles, Mo., finished in a tie for second place in the event and broke the school record in the process with a clearance of 16-10 3/4. The other Miner in the meet, Jared Anders, finished seventh with a personal-best effort of 16-2 3/4.

Henry had just one miss in his first five attempts of the day and cleared the record height on his first attempt. He bowed out of the competition at 17-2 3/4, which turned out to be the winning height that was posted by Grand Valley State's Bryant Wilson.

Henry, who was seventh at last season's NCAA indoor meet, finished in a tie for second with Missouri Southern's Jacob Williams as each vaulter had an equal number of misses. It tied the highest finish ever by a Miner at the indoor championhips, matching the finishes of Tyrone Smith in the long jump last season and J.R. Skola in the pole vault in 2003.

Anders, a junior from Quincy, Ill., cleared the first two heights on his opening attempt, then stayed alive by going over the bar at 16-2 3/4 on his final chance. Anders then fell out of the competition at 16-6 3/4.

It is the first All-America award for Anders.

The efforts of Henry and Anders put the Miners in a tie for 21st place in the team standings in a meet won by St. Augustine's.