Wake Forest Athletics
Merckle Set to Compete at USA Track and Field Championships
6/25/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
June 25, 2014
By Currie McFayden, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeTrack)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Jessie Merckle, Wake Forest's first-ever All-American in the javelin throw, is set to compete at the USA Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif., on Thursday evening.
The sophomore is set to compete at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday at Hornet Stadium and is ranked 12th out of the competitors who entered the competition and 15th overall in the United States. Not only will she be competing against other collegiate throwers, but also against professional athletes sponsored by brands such as Nike and ASICS.
"I am very happy about the fact that I can end my sophomore year at this meet," Merckle said of the prestigious event. "I definitely feel like training has gone well and my hope is to end the season with a good competition."
One of only three Wake Forest track athletes, male or female, to win consecutive ACC championships in the same event, Merckle also earned Second Team All-American honors by finishing 12th at the NCAA Championships earlier this month.
Merckle's throw of 177-0 (53.94m) at the 2014 ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships was the longest of her career, in school history and in the history of the ACC meet. Prior to this season, no female thrower had ever broken the 170-foot barrier at Wake Forest; Merckle shattered that mark three times in 2014.
The sophomore battled back from offseason injuries under the guidance of Assistant Coach Zeb Sion to post the strong numbers of her second campaign.
"I've really enjoyed working with Coach Sion these past two years and could not have had the success I did without him," Merckle said of her coach. "I can't imagine any other coach putting as much faith and effort into their athletes as he does."
"To qualify for the USA Track and Field Championships as a 19-year old sophomore is quite an accomplishment in itself," Sion said. "We're looking forward to a fun trip and to end her stellar sophomore season with a great experience and competition."
Players Mentioned
