The Bobcat Nation

Sophomore Asa Staven set a new school record in the indoor heptathlon Saturday. The indoor hep is a relatively new event, and Asa will probably increase his record point total again this season. He's a great jumper (23' 8", 6' 9.5", 14' 11") and has decent speed. If his throws improve significantly, he could challenge Harry Clark's 20 year old school record in the decathlon before he graduates.
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Mike Carignan

It is amazing to me how these rare athletes can be so talented at multiple events. Track athletes tend to be good at either running distance, sprints, jumping or throwing but seldom more than one or two. When you see someone who is talented at all four it makes you you stand back and say WOW!!!!!!!!

Jim Thorpe was amazing back in 1912, putting the shot 47' with a simple hop across the circle at 185 lbs, practically hurdling 6' 5" into sawdust, and finishing his decathlon at the Olympics with a 4:40 1500, equal to a 5 minute mile for a power athlete. Shoes and cinders weren't much to run on, and training theory even less. He must have just gutted that 1500 out. Add the world record in the pole vault. It took a few decades for the sport to catch up to his level.

Bobcat All-American Stevie Keller was impressive in the decathlon in 1998, a 6' 8" high jumper who pushed himself through a 4:21 1500 at NCAA's. Brad Benjamin was a 6' 9" jumper with a 4:08. He held the heptathlon record Asa just broke.

Mike Carignan

Congrats Asa! He's definitely worthy of it, and he's probably going to break his own record about 3-4 more times by the time he's done. I wish I could've set the bar a little higher for him, but with his talent, I think it was a foregone conclusion.