Kaila Butler Posts Top Collegiate Hammer Throw Mark At Texas Relays

Thursday, March 28

Austin, Texas

12:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

Texas Relays

Kaila Butler Posts Top Collegiate Hammer Throw Mark At Texas Relays

March 28, 2019 | Women's Track and Field

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

Austin, Texas – Redshirt sophomore Kaila Butler posted the top hammer throw performance by a collegiate at the prestigious Texas Relays Thursday afternoon, setting a new personal best mark of 213-feet (64.92m).

Butler's throw moves her to fourth in Mid-American Conference history behind only three-time first team All-American Brooke Pleger (Bowling Green / 69.72m in 2015), national champion Stevi Large (Akron / 68.08m in 2009) and All-American Brittany Funk (Akron / 66.33m in 2014).

Brooke Anderson, who completed her collegiate career at Northern Arizona in 2018, led the way with a distance of 243-4 (74.18m). Butler was second, narrowly edging out Southern Illinois sophomore Shauneice Oneal at 212-9 (64.86m). Bowling Green redshirt senior Aliyah Gustafson also competed, placing 20^th with a distance of 178-10 (54.52m).

Heading into the weekend, only five hammer throwers in the country had thrown further than Butler did Thursday. As a true freshman in 2017, Butler had a personal best of 189-8.25 (57.81m). She redshirted for the outdoor season in 2018, but returned a week ago with a distance of 204-6 (62.33m). She improved by more than two meters from that distance in just five days.

Bowling Green will continue competition at the Texas Relays Saturday when Gustafson competes in her primary event, the shot put, where she is a three-time All-American. She is also set to take part in the discus competition. The rest of the team will compete at the Raleigh Relays Friday and Saturday, hosted by NC State.