Thursday, May 27
Grand Rapids, MI
6:10 PM
Millersville University
at
NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships
Millersville's Woelfling scores All-America finish in hammer throw
5/27/2021 8:37:00 PM | Women's Outdoor Track and Field
Woelfling placed fourth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Stepping into the circle for her sixth and final throw at Thursday's NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships, Hannah Woelfling knew exactly where she stood, and exactly the distance she needed. And she received a not-so-subtle reminder from the announcer standing just outside the cage. On that final toss, the Millersville redshirt freshman vaulted from ninth place to fourth, scoring an All-America finish and the highest-ever by a Marauder in the hammer throw.
Woelfling joins Marauder legend Sunflower Greene as the only Marauders to score a top-eight hammer throw finish at the NCAA Championships. Greene's best finish was fifth as a senior in 2019. Woelfling's top toss on Thursday landed 186-8, topping Greene's best national championship toss of 182-10.
"(Hannah) has put in a lot of work over the last couple of years," said Millersville throws coach Brittany Hartman. "She's becoming more knowledgeable in the hammer, doing research herself and understanding the event. From where she started and the growth she's made in such a short time, it's great, and there's more that she can do to progress."
Woelfling won the event at the PSAC Championships earlier in the month and became the first Marauder rookie to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. She came into the event seeded fifth, and her first attempt hit at 182-1. That was good enough to just sneak her into the finals in the ninth and final position. Woelfling hit 179-1 on her fourth try and 168-11 on her fifth. It all came down to the last toss. It wasn't about nerves, in fact, as a first-time national qualifier, she felt no added pressure.
"Honestly she was pretty calm. I'd say it was the most calm she's been going into a meet," said Hartman.
"I wasn't super nervous," said Woelfling. "I have this adrenaline rush when I compete and I was super pumped. It was just a different atmosphere here. At PSAC's everyone is screaming for each other, and here, everyone kept to themselves. It was a different feeling to get hype by myself."
Woelfling needed to make just one small adjustment in her approach for the final toss.
"I was confused because I felt good the first few throws," said Woelfling. "I just think I didn't have that aggressiveness. Coach (Hartman) talks about how I throw hard, and I didn't feel like I was doing that. I was prepared to give it my last shot, to give it my all, even if I fell out of the circle. I heard the announcer say just as I walked into the circle that I was in ninth place, and that was some extra motivation."
Woelfling's 186-8 was the third-best toss of the final round, and it moved her ahead of two seniors, two juniors and a sophomore. It edged Missouri Southern's Kirsten Leisinger for fourth by two inches. Woelfling entered the field as one of two freshmen-eligible athletes. The other was Central Missouri's Rachael Molloy, who finished 16th out of 17 with a toss of 171-9. Grand Valley State's Judith Essemiah won the national title with a toss of 205-5.
With three more seasons of eligibility remaining in the hammer throw, Woelfling's career is just getting started, and Thursday's finish has her thinking about what's next.
"Now I'm just looking at third, second and first place. That's where I want to be next year and the year after," said Woelfling. "Now that I have set myself on a high standard, I'll have to keep up to it. It gives me an edge that I have to work harder if I want improve."
Woelfling joins Marauder legend Sunflower Greene as the only Marauders to score a top-eight hammer throw finish at the NCAA Championships. Greene's best finish was fifth as a senior in 2019. Woelfling's top toss on Thursday landed 186-8, topping Greene's best national championship toss of 182-10.
"(Hannah) has put in a lot of work over the last couple of years," said Millersville throws coach Brittany Hartman. "She's becoming more knowledgeable in the hammer, doing research herself and understanding the event. From where she started and the growth she's made in such a short time, it's great, and there's more that she can do to progress."
Woelfling won the event at the PSAC Championships earlier in the month and became the first Marauder rookie to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. She came into the event seeded fifth, and her first attempt hit at 182-1. That was good enough to just sneak her into the finals in the ninth and final position. Woelfling hit 179-1 on her fourth try and 168-11 on her fifth. It all came down to the last toss. It wasn't about nerves, in fact, as a first-time national qualifier, she felt no added pressure.
"Honestly she was pretty calm. I'd say it was the most calm she's been going into a meet," said Hartman.
"I wasn't super nervous," said Woelfling. "I have this adrenaline rush when I compete and I was super pumped. It was just a different atmosphere here. At PSAC's everyone is screaming for each other, and here, everyone kept to themselves. It was a different feeling to get hype by myself."
Woelfling needed to make just one small adjustment in her approach for the final toss.
"I was confused because I felt good the first few throws," said Woelfling. "I just think I didn't have that aggressiveness. Coach (Hartman) talks about how I throw hard, and I didn't feel like I was doing that. I was prepared to give it my last shot, to give it my all, even if I fell out of the circle. I heard the announcer say just as I walked into the circle that I was in ninth place, and that was some extra motivation."
Woelfling's 186-8 was the third-best toss of the final round, and it moved her ahead of two seniors, two juniors and a sophomore. It edged Missouri Southern's Kirsten Leisinger for fourth by two inches. Woelfling entered the field as one of two freshmen-eligible athletes. The other was Central Missouri's Rachael Molloy, who finished 16th out of 17 with a toss of 171-9. Grand Valley State's Judith Essemiah won the national title with a toss of 205-5.
With three more seasons of eligibility remaining in the hammer throw, Woelfling's career is just getting started, and Thursday's finish has her thinking about what's next.
"Now I'm just looking at third, second and first place. That's where I want to be next year and the year after," said Woelfling. "Now that I have set myself on a high standard, I'll have to keep up to it. It gives me an edge that I have to work harder if I want improve."
Players Mentioned
Throws
/ Women's Outdoor Track and Fieldvs. Millersville Metrics
Saturday, April 06
3x PSAC Champ Hannah Woelfling and Coach B talk about the record-setting performance
Thursday, May 11
PSAC Track & Field Championships Preview with Coach Andy Young
Thursday, May 11
Highlights: 40th Millersville Metrics
Tuesday, April 04
