Is Wally Having Second Thoughts?

[Tugg Speedman]

Last year Wally set a PR in the high jump at 7' 5.75" (2.28m) in January 2015 in the field-house in Madison

He won the Big East jumping 7' 3.25" (2.23m)
He jumped the same height to finish third at the NCAA D1 indoor Track championships.

The 2016 NCAA Track indoor championship finished this past weekend.

http://www.ncaa.com/2016-division-i-indoor-track-and-field-championship-results

The winning jump was 7' 3.25" (2.23m) with  the winner having a ton of misses at lower heights (ties are determined by fewer misses)
Second place was 7' 1.75" (2.19m)


Given what he was jumping last year, an NCAA championship was easily within his reach.  Of course he'll say he made the right decision foregoing track to play basketball with his brother, but is he thinking in the back of his mind how special it would have been to be an NCAA champion?

But all hope is not lost for Wally, after the basketball season finishes next week, he can go straight to track and if he can quickly regain his form from last year (again, if), and outdoor championship and berth into the Olympic trials (June and July respectively) is within his reach.  Making the Rio team is a real long-shot as he would have to jump around 2.33 to 2.35m (around 7' 8" - 7' 9") to have a chance.

[RushmoreAcademy]

He should be careful to schedule jumps against decent opponents so he has a decent RPI.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

No.

[MomofMUltiples]

It's the indoor season.  Wally has only participated in the indoor season when he was out of basketball, sophomore year when he left the gophers team, last year when he was sitting out at Marquette.  This will be his last year to participate in the outdoor season, and he has gone to the NCAA championships each year for the last three years (finishing 2nd in 2014).  I'm sure he'll be there in June, giving Marquette a legitimate shot at a national championship.

God I hate the off season.  Nothing but trivial posts speculating on the actions of kids we know nothing about

(edited beause I forgot about his sophomore indoor season as a Gopher)

[GGGG]

So no evidence he is having second thoughts. Just speculation.

[Herman Cain]

Wally loves basketball and we are lucky we have him on the team. I think he had a lot of fun this season.

As to track, he will give it his best this spring. Olympic qualifying standard is 2.28 meters which is approximately equal to his career best achieved indoors.

I think he will achieve All American status again in the high jump and hopefully he can compete for the title. Track and Field is all about peaking at the exact moment of the big meet.

[Jay Bee]

Is Heisenberg having wacky thoughts?

[Tugg Speedman]

It's the indoor season.  Wally has only participated in the indoor season when he was out of basketball, sophomore year when he left the gophers team, last year when he was sitting out at Marquette.  This will be his last year to participate in the outdoor season, and he has gone to the NCAA championships each year for the last three years (finishing 2nd in 2014).  I'm sure he'll be there in June, giving Marquette a legitimate shot at a national championship.

God I hate the off season.  Nothing but trivial posts speculating on the actions of kids we know nothing about

(edited beause I forgot about his sophomore indoor season as a Gopher)

First my post was meant to be complimentary of Wally.  He might be the only high Division 1 athlete in the country playing in one sport and foregoing the opportunity to win a national championship in another.  Nice problem to have.

Regarding this year, the difference is Adkins and Duffield are not competing anymore (already done with eligibility) as they stood in his way of winning a Championship.  With them gone, the winning height 2.23m on three misses is something he has bettered many times at MU and Minnesota.

Regarding this comment ...

posts speculating on the actions of kids we know nothing about

If that is the standard, then let's shut down every message board everywhere.

[Tugg Speedman]

Wally loves basketball and we are lucky we have him on the team. I think he had a lot of fun this season.

As to track, he will give it his best this spring. Olympic qualifying standard is 2.28 meters which is approximately equal to his career best achieved indoors.

I think he will achieve All American status again in the high jump and hopefully he can compete for the title. Track and Field is all about peaking at the exact moment of the big meet.

The Olympic qualifying standard has been revised to 2.29m as 33 jumpers worldwide have met this already. (Best being 2.42m, just missing the 2.43m WR or 8' 0.5")

The US Olympic trials standard is 2.25m, below Wally's 2.28m PR.  He has until June 26, to jump this and he can compete in the trails in Eugene this summer.  Making the Rio team one has to finish in the top three and jump 2.29m or better.  Eight US jumpers have already jumped 2.29 or higher (with Erik Kynard going 2.37m or 7' 9.25").  Unless Wally takes it to a completely different level, qualifying and competing in the Olympic trials should be his goal, not getting to Rio.

[MomofMUltiples]

I'm thinking Olympics in 2020 is a more reasonable goal - after four years of really concentrating on jumping.  Would love to see him in the trials this year, though.

[warriorstrack]

Track Alum here, I've been very excited to have Wally be a part of the MU track program.  I have met John Bennett (silver medal 1956 Olympics)
http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/be/john-bennett-1.html

To have athletes at the world class level as a part of our program (Wally) is very exciting for any track alum.  Athletes at that level are very rare, appreciate then while they are around, I know I do.

[Tugg Speedman]

I'm thinking Olympics in 2020 is a more reasonable goal - after four years of really concentrating on jumping.  Would love to see him in the trials this year, though.

Agree .... most top jumpers hit their peak in their late 20s and even into their early 30s.  2020 (Tokyo Olympics) is his best shot. 

And if we can call him a "part time jumper" and is already at 2.28m, is simply extraordinary.  A few years of concentrating on his technique, and not sharing that time with Basketball, and in the weight room for jumping (and not sharing it with Basketball), anything is possible for him.

I look forward to watching him the next few years.

But it would awesome if he can crank out another 2.25m to 2.28m before June 26 and make the trials.