Pleger Becomes First Female Three-Time All-American With Third Place Finish At Nationals

Thursday, June 11

Eugene, Ore.

4:30 PM

Bowling Green State University

NCAA Outdoor Championships

Pleger Becomes First Female Three-Time All-American With Third Place Finish At Nationals

June 11, 2015 | Women's Track and Field

By: by Jason Knavel, Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications

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Eugene, Ore. – Brooke Pleger threw the hammer 219-feet-11 and finished third at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field National Championships for the second year in a row. Pleger completes her career by earning All-American status for the third time and becoming the first female in BGSU Athletics Department history to achieve that elite level of consistency.

"Brooke has single-handedly raised the national prominence of Bowling Green," BGSU Track & Field head coach Lou Snelling said. "We are beyond proud of her career and what she has done for our program, for the University and for the community."

Southern Illinois junior DeAnna Price broke the NCAA Championship record with a throw of 234-feet-6 on her final throw, but she had already locked up first place by that point. She entered the final round in first place by improving throughout the meet and tossing 224-2 on her fifth throw. Defending national champion Julia Ratcliffe ended second by throwing 220-9 on her third attempt.

Pleger did lead through two rounds after throwing 218-8 on her first attempt of the championship. Both Price and Ratcliffe moved ahead on their third throws of 220-10 and 220-9, respectively, but Pleger answered back. She tossed 219-11 on her third attempt, a mark that would have won the NCAA Championship a year ago, but kept her in third on this day.

Those three were well out in front, but with the reshuffling of the throwing order for finals, Pleger was slotted in front of Ratcliffe and Price for the final three rounds. None of the three were able to improve their standing during the fourth round but Price unfurled a throw of 224-2 during the fifth round to take a commanding lead.

In the sixth and final round, neither Pleger nor Ratcliffe were able to move past Price and so she headed into the ring for her final toss knowing that she had won a national championship. With the pressure off, she recorded the third-longest throw in NCAA history for the icing on the cake.

For Pleger, it was a bittersweet end to her collegiate career. She ranked No. 1 in the country for most of the year and entered the championship with the best performance of the 2015 season when she threw 228-9 to win her third consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship in the hammer throw. Despite winning the MAC title, finishing first at the NCAA East Regional preliminary round, being named the MAC Most Outstanding Field Athlete and the Great Lakes Region Field Athlete of the Year, Pleger wanted more. And she was her own harshest critic.

"It hurts a little bit, especially knowing this is my last chance," Pleger said. "The meet didn't go exactly the way I wanted. I couldn't relax enough on a throw to get what I needed. I am very proud of what we've been able to accomplish here and I'm excited for what the future holds."

Pleger equals the best finish at an NCAA Championship for a women's track and field student-athlete in program history – tying the third-place finish she had a year ago. As a sophomore in 2013, Pleger finished seventh. The top eight finishers earn All-American status.

"The journey getting to today with Brooke has been very special," BGSU throws coach Matt Conly said. "I couldn't have imagined when I arrived at Bowling Green that she would earn two top three finishes and be a three-time first team All-American. It's been an honor to be entrusted with guiding her day-to-day. She has worked incredibly hard and trusted me every step of the way. She has represented our program and University with tremendous class and success. I can't thank our athletics department, our coaching staff, our team and community enough for the continuous support they have shown Brooke and myself. Her best days as a hammer thrower are still to come!"

Pleger will refocus for a post-collegiate career in the hammer throw. Along with her on-field success, she is a third-team Academic All-American and graduated from BGSU in May with a degree in nursing and a 3.624 grade point average.

Brooke Pleger throws 67.03 meters at the NCAA Championships