Arizona State senior begins pursuit of American hammer throw record at home meet

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The most anticipated debut in any outdoor event by a collegiate female athlete this season is expected Friday in Tempe, Ariz.

Arizona State senior Maggie Ewen, the reigning NCAA Division 1 champion and collegiate record holder in the women's hammer throw, is scheduled to compete in her signature event to open the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge at Sun Angel Stadium.

Ewen won the NCAA indoor shot put title March 9 in College Station, Texas to become the first Division 1 female athlete to capture championships in both throwing events. But the focus in training for the nine-time first-team All-American throughout the winter remained the hammer throw in preparation for a big opener.

Ewen improved her collegiate record by throwing 240-7 (73.32m) to win the Division 1 crown in June, capping a meet in Eugene, Ore., where she placed in the top six in the discus, hammer and shot put. She placed second two weeks later at the USATF Outdoor Championships in Sacramento with a lifetime-best 244-7 (74.56m) effort to improve to the No. 5 performer in American history and 35th all-time in the world.

Gwen Berry still holds the American record of 251-10 (76.77m) from May.

Ewen hasn't competed in the hammer since August, when she placed 21st at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships in London.

Arizona State is joined in the meet by Pac-12 counterparts Cal and Colorado, along with late replacement LSU to compete against Big Ten programs Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Penn State.

Additional field events begin at 1:30 p.m. MST Saturday, with running events starting at 5:20 p.m.