Senior thrower Jermisha Frazier throws her shot put as far as possible. According to Frazier, beating her personal record is the goal of her throws. 
The Lion's Roar/Ian Fischer

Halfway into 2016, Louisiana has become well represented among the best student-athletes in the nation and track is no exception. 

Sophomore Devin King placed third in Men’s Pole Vault and senior thrower Jermisha Frazier placed 14th in the Women’s Hammer Throw at the NCAA Championship.

“I’m not honored to be in the top 24 in the nation,” said Frazier. “I belong here. I’m one of the greatest throwers in the nation.” 

It is not her first time competing in the national championship in Oregon. Frazier went in 2015 and entered the 2016 season with the goal of returning. 

“I came back really, really strong,” said Frazier. “Like really strong. My first week back, I beat my personal record by like four meters. That was crazy.”

She made numerous honors in 2016. In the 2016 Indoor Southland Championship, she made second-team in the weight throw and third team in the shot put. In the 2016 Outdoor Southland Championship, she made both second-team in the shot put and hammer throw where she broke the stadium record in both competitions. 

“I think I’ve made the Southland Conference team like 15 times,” said Frazier. “It’s very, very exciting. It’s an honor no matter how many times you make it. The 15th or the 100th, it’s still an honor to make an All-Southland Conference team.”

A young Frazier began her track and field journey in New Orleans where she was born.

“I started throwing when I was in the 7th grade because there was this award at my middle school called the ‘Miss Pathfinder’ and it went to the most athletic person,” said Frazier. “I really, really wanted to win it so I started playing everything at my middle school.”

She did not win the “Miss Pathfinder” award at her middle school, but it did not stop her from continuing her athletic career. In 2012 at Bonnabel High School, she finished second in the shot put, third in javelin toss and sixth in the discus throw at the High School Athletic Association Outdoor State Championships. 

She came to the university in 2013 majoring in athletic training. She opened her college career placing 10th in the weight throw and 16th in the shot put at the McNeese Cowboys Invite. Her work at the university has been a balance between athletics and academics now a 22-year-old senior. 

“As a student-athlete, one of my biggest challenges was getting the clinical hours in the athletic training program,” said Frazier. “That was really, really difficult to manage training meets and practices and still getting the minimum number of required hours.”

Frazier said of all the awards and honors she made throughout her college career, being voted the Louisiana Freshman of the Year was one achievement she was most proud of. 

“That was amongst all of the schools in Louisiana, not just the Southland Conference,” said Frazier. “I beat out all of the freshmen at LSU, LaTech and ULL and that was a really, really great accomplishment for me.”

This year, Frazier also had a more personal accomplishment. An admirer of hers drove from Texas to watch her and her teammate at her last meet. 

“She was like a sophomore in high school,” said Frazier. “It felt really good to know that I’m inspiring young people to come in and throw, because whoever says ‘You know, I want to be a thrower today.’”

 

Sophomore Devin King placed third at the NCAA Championship.
The Lion's Roar/File Photo