Maggie Ewen elevates to No. 2 in the world, now boasts five career throws beyond 237 feet

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

LSU freshman Jake Norris and Cal freshman Camryn Rogers both took over the respective World U20 leads in the hammer throw Friday to open the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge at Arizona State's Sun Angel Stadium.

NORRIS INTERVIEW

ROGERS INTERVIEW

Arizona State senior Maggie Ewen, the reigning NCAA Division 1 champion and collegiate record holder, won the women's competition in her hammer debut this year with a second-round throw of 237 feet, 2 inches (72.28m). She ranks No. 2 in the world this year, trailing only Hanna Malyshik of Belarus and her Feb. 11 performance of 240-4 (73.25m).

EWEN INTERVIEW

Including her runner-up effort of 244-7 (74.56m) in June at the USATF Outdoor Championships, Ewen now boasts five career throws beyond 237 feet, and has four of the top nine marks in NCAA Division 1 history.

Norris set the British U20 men's 7.26-kilogram record with a third-round throw of 238-6 (72.70m), surpassing the 2015 standard of 227-8 (69.39m) set by Taylor Campbell. Norris also secured the collegiate lead, moving ahead of Georgia junior Denzel Comenentia, to improve to No. 2 in LSU history behind only the 2010 mark of 239-5 (72.98m) established by Walter Henning.

LSU was added to the meet as a late replacement for the Pac-12 side, joining Arizona State, Cal and Colorado to compete against Big Ten programs Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Penn State during the two-day meet.

Rogers, the reigning Pan-Am U20 champion, improved on her own Canadian U20 record with the 4-kilogram hammer with a fourth-round throw of 213-4 (65.02m). Rogers ranks second in Cal history, trailing only the 2002 record of 214-0 (65.22m) by Jennifer Joyce.

Penn State sophomore Michael Biddle won the men's javelin throw with a sixth-round effort of 233-7 (71.20m).

Nebraska junior Brittni Wolczyk prevailed in the women's javelin competition with a third-round throw of 170-1 (51.86m).

The Cornhuskers also received a victory from senior Pat Letz in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:23.59 in the only running event contested Friday.