William and Mary volunteer assistant coach Janice Keppler took one step closer to the Olympics Saturday night, taking second overall and finishing as the top American in the pole vault at the U.S. Open in Madison Square Gardens.  The first event of USA Track and Field's 2012 Visa Championship Series, the U.S. Open featured the top national and international athletes in one of the most iconic indoor track and field venues in the world.

Competing in a field of six athletes, Keppler finished behind only Olympian Jillian Schwartz (Israel) after clearing the bar at 4.42 meters (14-6).  The height tied Keppler's all-time best that she set last August outdoors, and is a lifetime-best indoors by 17 centimeters (previously, 4.25m).  Her clearance qualifies Keppler for the 2012 U.S. Indoor Championships in one month's time, and also meets the provisional-qualifying standard for both the U.S. Olympic Trials and the London Olympics this summer.  She had three attempts at 4.52m (14-10), coming up just short, and currently ranks 18th in the world in 2012.

A former vaulter at Eastern Michigan and Arkansas, Keppler joined the College in the fall of 2010 as a volunteer assistant coach while training under head assistant coach Dave Fritz.  Last year, she helped Fritz guide two Tribe vaulters to the ECAC indoor championships, while taking seventh at the 2011 U.S. Indoor Championships.  Outdoors, Keppler reset the Zable Stadium record twice (up to 4.20m) and the Colonial Relays record (4.10m) while training towards the 2012 Olympics.

Keppler is just one of several W&M athletes, coaches and alumni working towards realizing their Olympic dreams.  Former great athlete and coach Kathy Newberry '00 was 18th at the U.S. Marathon Trials two weeks ago, and also already has a provisional qualification to the Olympic Trials at 10,000m.  On the men's side, Keith Bechtol '07 was 27th at the Marathon Trials.  In track, volunteer assistant Ed Moran '03 is qualified for the Olympic Trials at 5,000m, and could add a second qualification in the 10,000m.  Christo Landry '08 is qualified in the 10,000m, and current Tribe senior Brandon Heroux (Westfield, N.J.) is qualified in the javelin throw.  Still searching for his qualifying mark, but a heavy favorite to do so, is Jon Grey '12, who won the 2011 U.S. Club Cross Country Championships in December.

Highlights of the U.S. Open will air tomorrow night, Sunday Jan. 29, on ESPN2.  Coverage is scheduled to run from 7-9 p.m. EST.

2012 U.S. Open Women's Pole Vault
1. Jillian Schwartz (ISR) 4.52m (14-10)
2. Janice Keppler (USA) 4.42m (14-6)
3. Becky Holliday (USA) 4.42m (14-6)
4. Lacy Janson (USA) 4.22m (13-10)
5. Mary Saxer (USA) 4.22m (13-10)