Camryn Rogers concluded her sophomore year at Cal-Berkeley University in spectacular fashion back in June — capturing the women’s hammer throw event at the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas.
The 20-year-old Richmond native opened the competition with a career-best throw of 69.99 metres. That mark was a personal best and closed in on her stated goal of cracking 70m in a competition this year. However, that mark also raised the standard of the competition as nine student-athletes set personal or season bests on the day, including six that made the final..
However, the Kajaks standout and reigning U20 world champion was locked in and had an advantage as she held the lead heading into the finals.
On her fourth throw, the McMath graduate took it to another level as she threw 71.50m. That mark put her in a commanding lead and led her to the national championship.
She had to wait out some quality competition over the final three rounds in what was possibly the best hammer throw competition in NCAA history.
Second place finisher Erin Reese from Indiana State had a better mark
than any other second place finisher at a NCAA Championship and the same held true for places three through eight. Rogers’ conference rival — Alyssa Wilson from UCLA — finished third.
Rogers also set a host of records and earned prominent placing on some impressive lists. She recorded the seventh-best hammer throw in NCAA history, and sixth-best at a NCAA Championship event.
She headed to Texas with plenty of momentum after winning the Pac-12 Championship and NCAA West Regional — breaking her school and personal best marks along the way.
