Track & Field Signs All-American Pole Vaulter
06/21/2002 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
June 21, 2002
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University men's track and field head coach Cameron Wright announced the signing of prep All-American pole vaulter Ray Scotten on Friday.
The 5-foot-7, 150 lb. product of Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, will join the Salukis in 2003 after a outstanding senior season in which he was the Class 2A state champion and second at nationals. Scotten also placed first at the prestigious Adidas Championships and had a record-breaking performance at the Meet of Champions during his senior year.
Scotten's career-best jump of 16 feet, 10 inches was the fourth-best mark in the nation this year, and would have ranked second in the Missouri Valley Conference.
"We are very excited about Ray coming in and feel that he was a very good signing for us,'' said Wright. "There was a lot of interest in him, and we beat out some Big Ten schools like Purdue and Indiana to get him. He should really help us out.''
Scotten's career-best vault is only five inches off the NCAA qualifying standard, and he has shown vast improvement throughout his prep career, going from 11 feet as a freshman, to 14 feet his sophomore year, 15-3 his junior year and his current personal-best of 16-10. A great all-around athlete, Scotten was also an honorable mention all-stater in football, and is planning on majoring in engineering at SIU.