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Laura Olson

FAYETTEVILLE, AR - University at Buffalo senior Laura Olson (Lyons, NY/Lyons) made her second overall and first indoor appearance in the NCAA Championships with a 14th-place finish in the women's pole vault competition. The event included 17 entrants from Division I schools.

Olson, the UB recordholder and ECAC indoor champion in the event, finished with a final height of 12-5.50 (3.80m) and was eliminated after failing to clear the second height of 12-11.50 (3.95m). Olson started the meet by clearing the bar at the competition's first height (12-5.50) on her first attempt. However, the senior was unsuccessful in advancing further after failing to clear the second height on her three attempts. Although Olson was one of three vaulters unable to clear 12-11.50, she was able to finish ahead of the two others, Penn State's Sara Dougherty and Appalachian State's Suzanne Makinson due to the fact that at the previous height, Olson cleared the bar on her first attempt while the other vaulters needed a second or third attempt to clear the height.

Georgia senior Fanni Juhasz was declared the winner of the competition over UCLA sophomore Chelsea Johnson on the tiebreaker of fewer vaults. Both cleared 13-11.25 (4.25m) but Juhasz did not knock the bar over on any of her attempts during the competition while Johnson needed a second attempt to clear an earlier height.

This was Olson's second NCAA Championships appearance. She competed in the 2003 Outdoor Championships in Sacramento last June, finishing 13th overall. Olson is the first UB athlete to earn a trip to the NCAA Indoor Championships in the Division I history of program.

A complete list of results appears below.

1, Fanni Juhasz, Georgia, 4.25m, (13-11.25). 2, Chelsea Johnson, UCLA, 4.25m, (13-11.25). 3, Jenny Green, Nebraska, 4.15m, (13-07.25). 3, Connie Jerz, Arizona, 4.15m, (13-07.25). 5, Kira Sims, Akron, 4.05m, (13-03.50). 5, Kate Soma, Washington, 4.05m, (13-03.50). 7, Jackie Rodgers, Kent State, 4.05m, (13-03.50). 7, Beth Hinshaw, Rice, 4.05m, (13-03.50). 9, Jennifer Lincoln, Arkansas, 4.05m, (13-03.50). 9, Christi Lehman, Nebraska, 4.05m, (13-03.50). 11, Jessi Graff, Nebraska, 3.95m, (12-11.50). 12, Jennifer Bennett, Missouri, 3.95m, (12-11.50). 13, Hannah Moore, Oregon, 3.95m, (12-11.50). 14, Laura Olson, Buffalo, 3.80m, (12-05.50). 15, Sara Dougherty, Penn State, 3.80m, (12-05.50). 16, Suzanne Makinson, Appalachian State, 3.80m, (12-05.50). --, Ally Daum, Rice, NH.