Gopher Pole Vaulters Open Well

University of Minnesota pole vault stars Ben Peterson and Alicia Rue opened their 2009 campaigns well at Saturday's Northwest Open, hosted by the Gophers.

Both achieved provisional qualifying marks for the NCAA Indoor Championships scheduled for March 13-14 in College Station, Texas.

Peterson, (pictured) the defending Big Ten indoor champ, cleared a personal-best height of 17-4 1/2 to win the men's pole vault. Peterson’s vault is the sixth-best in school history.

Peterson, a junior, was one of six Gopher men's winners at the meet.

Find full men's and women's results HERE.

Rue, a junior, won the women's pole vault with an NCAA provisional qualifying height of 13-3 1/2. Sophomore teammate Samantha Sonnenberg was second with a height of 12-3 1/2.

The Golden Gopher women's team is currently ranked #10 in NCAA Division I.

Two-time NCAA Division II outdoor champion Jennifer Hensel of Minnesota State - Moorhead no-heighted at the meet.

Photo by Sean Hartnett, Peterson competing at the 2008 Big Ten Indoor Championships.