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Track and Field
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Iowa State University Athletics
Track & Field Preseason Update No. 1: Throws
09.23.2011 | Track and Field
AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State track and field team recently started its preseason training for the upcoming 2011-2012 season and the Cyclone throwers carry a lot of promising talent.
The returning women's throwers posted impressive results during last year's indoor season and made large strides while redshirting the outdoor season. Redshirt junior Danielle Frere qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the shot put and earned All-America Honorable Mention honors while fellow redshirt junior Laishema Hampton set a new Iowa State school record in the weight throw.
In addition to the returning talent the women's throws group will have this season, Iowa State throws coach Grant Wall also has a great deal of talent to work with in freshman Christina Hillman, who was a high school national champion in the shot put last year. Hillman, a native of Dover, Del., also earned a silver medal in the shot put at the Junior Pan-American games over the summer and currently holds a personal best mark of 50 feet in the event.
"You would think we'd be down a little bit after having four throwers graduate, but with who we have returning after their redshirts last spring coupled with Christina signing and Cody (Barhke) transferring in, I think all of these kids can score at the outdoor conference meet this year," Wall said. "Our group seems to be getting smaller but we're getting better."
Hillman, Hampton and Frere all plan on redshirting the indoor season, and set their sights on the 2012 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships. Of the three, Frere is the only one who holds experience competing at the USA Championships. She threw a personal-best of 55 feet, 1 inch in the shot put in June at the Outdoor USA Championships in Eugene, Ore.
"I think all three of them have the ability to make the USA Indoor Championships," Wall said. "Anytime you have a freshman come in and be able to do that coupled with a few returners with that strength, that's something really great to see."
Frere has taken on a leadership role within the throws group and expects big things from the women's throwers this season.
"I think we're going to be pretty solid on the conference and national levels this year," Frere said. "With Laishema, Christina and myself redshirting the indoor season we kind of take a hit, but Hayli (Bozarth) will take over for us and hopefully get some points in the weight throw and shot put. But outdoors, I think the four of us will be a force to reckon with at the conference level."
The men's throwers also look to have a successful year in 2012 after most members of their event group also redshirted the 2011 outdoor season. Redshirt junior Zach Richards will lead the men's throws group this season after making large improvements during his redshirt season last spring. Richards posted a personal-best mark of 201 feet, 1 inch in April at the Musco Twilight meet in Iowa City and continues to improve during pre-season training.
This season, Richards hopes to win the conference title in the hammer throw and work towards becoming an All-American in the event.
"They've come in more motivated, way ahead of any other class I've worked with," Wall said. "Their focus is better and they look really good."
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