Prior to the Regionals, the buzz was that Maggie Ewen had a chance to win the thrower’s trifecta (shot/discus/hammer) at the Nationals, but after the Arizona State senior fouled 3 times with the ball & chain at the West Regional, the trifecta turned into a double, and her first “shot” at redemption came Thursday evening.
Throwing fourth in the rotation of flight I, the motivated Ewen, owner of the outdoor Collegiate Record, let it be known that she was all business with her first-round heave of 61-5¾ (18.74). The next best throw came from Oklahoma senior Jessica Woodard (56-10/17.32), followed by Iowa soph Laulauga Tausaga (56-2/17.12) and Stanford senior Lena Giger (55-4¼/16.87).
It was more of the same in round 2, as Ewen, a 23-year-old Minnesota native, padded her lead by almost a foot and a half with a 62-10¾ (19.17), a mark that would not be surpassed and rated as the No. 2 throw in meet history.
Giger then moved into 2nd with her 57-5¾ (17.52) as Woodard fouled and Tausaga did not improve. In round 3, Giger remained in the runner-up spot, but Ole Miss senior Janeah Stewart pushed Woodard and Tausaga into 4th and 5th with her 56-10¾ (17.34). Woodard responded in round 4 with 58-8 (17.88) and was now back in 2nd, moving Giger down a notch, even though the Card had improved to 57-8½ (17.59), 9¾” ahead of the now-4th Stewart.
A PR in round 5 by Woodard (61-3½/18.68) kept her in 2nd, but she was now 43½” closer to Ewen heading into the final round and claimant to the No. 9 position on the all-time collegiate list. Tausaga’s PR 56-10¾ (18.68) moved her back into 4th, with Stewart now 5th and Arizona State redshirt frosh Samantha Noennig in 6th at 56-2 (17.12). The top 5 remained the same as Woodard’s final toss fell far short, Giger fouled and Tausaga and Stewart did not improve.
When asked about what it felt like winning her first outdoor shot title Ewen responded, “It felt great! You know, the hammer didn’t go the way we wanted it to, so to be able to come out and win the shot put just really made up for it.” As for Woodard’s mounting a charge after the penultimate round, she added, “I mean yeah, I always know that Jess is capable of a lot, and is still capable of a lot, so I knew she had the potential. So yeah, definitely a little scared there.”
NCAA WOMEN’S SHOT RESULTS
(June 07)
1. Maggie Ewen (AzSt) 62-10¾ (19.17) (x, 10 C; 2, 2 NCAA)
(61-5¾ [4, 5 NCAA], 62-10¾, 60-2, 59-4¼, 60-5¼, f) (18.74, 19.17, 18.34, 18.09, 18.42, f);
2. Jessica Woodard (Ok) 61-3½ (18.68) PR (9, x C; 5, 6 NCAA)
(56-10, f, 55-11¾, 58-8, 61-3½, 54-10¾) (17.32, f, 17.06, 17.88, 18.68, 16.73);
3. Lena Giger (Stan) 57-8½ (17.59)
(55-4¼, 57-5¾, 55-2¾, 57-8½, 56-11½, f) (16.87, 17.52, 16.83, 17.59, 17.36, f);
4. **Laulauga Tausaga (Ia) 56-10¾ (17.34) PR
(56-2, 52-10¾, 55-9¼, 56-½, 56-10¾, 54-4¾) (17.12, 16.12, 17.00, 17.08, 17.34, 16.58);
5. Janeah Stewart (Ms) 56-10¾ (17.34)
(53-¾, 53-4¼, 56-10¾, f, 54-6¾, 54-10¼) (16.17, 16.26, 17.34, f, 16.63, 16.72);
6. ***Alyssa Wilson (UCLA) 56-5¾ (17.21)
(f, f, 55-7, f, 51-4½, 56-5¾) (f, f, 16.94, f, 15.66, 17.21);
7. ***Samantha Noennig (AzSt) 56-2 (17.12)
(54-10, 56-2, 53-9¼, 53-10¼, 52-8¼, 52-0) (16.71, 17.12, 16.39, 16.41, 16.06, 15.85);
8. Lloydricia Cameron (Fl) 56-0 (17.07)
(f, f, 55-10¼, 55-3¾, 56-0, 53-8¼) (f, f, 17.02, 16.86, 17.07, 16.36);
9. *Portious Warren’ (Al) 55-6¼ (16.92)
(55-2¾, 55-6¼, 54-7¼, 55-3, 53-7½, 53-4¼) (16.83, 16.92, 16.64, 16.84, 16.34, 16.26);
10. Galissia Cause (ECar) 54-10¼ (16.72) PR;
11. Gleneve Grange’ (FlSt) 54-9½ (16.70);
12. **Divine Oladipo’ (Ct) 54-3¾ (16.55);
13. **Meia Gordon (Ok) 54-2 (16.51);
14. Jess St. John’ (KsSt) 54-1 (16.48);
15. Aliyah Gustafson (BG) 54-½ (16.47);
16. ***Tochi Nlemchi (SMU) 53-1 (16.18);
17. Ieva Zarankaite’ (FlSt) 52-9½ (16.09);
18. *Kiley Sabin (Mn) 52-4 (15.95);
19. *Banke Oginni (Wi) 52-2 (15.90);
20. Katelyn Daniels (MiSt) 50-11 (15.52);
21. ***Tori McKinley (Aub) 50-3½ (15.33);
22. Alexis Chiles (SnMs) 49-7 (15.11);
23. *Brenn Flint (UtSt) 45-¼ (13.72);
… nm—Lauren Evans (NCSt).
(best-ever mark-for-NCAA place: 2, 10)