It was a long road through different states with a detour in Tulsa, Okla., but Ashley Ast finally made it to Sacramento State and the track and field team. Ast started as a Hornet throwing far and just kept improving, said coach Kathleen Raske.

Ast is a senior javelin thrower on Sac State’s track and field team, but she did not begin her career here. She began her career at Conway Springs, Kan. where she started throwing for the Conway Springs High School track and field team.

“Track was the only spring sport that I could do at my high school as a woman,” Ast said. Ast said her high school track coach believed that she should try the javelin because of her height, so she did. Her freshman year of high school, she went to the Kansas state championships, and her sophomore year she won the championships. Ast was 21st in the nation as a sophomore in the javelin throw. She helped her high school program win two state titles during her four years.

However, the javelin was not her first love. “In high school, I played volleyball, basketball and ran track. I first thought I wanted to try and get a scholarship in volleyball, but after the winning the state in the javelin, it became a toss-up,” Ast said.

Her senior year in high school she received a scholarship to the University of Tulsa, were she competed for one year.

“I have been in Kansas and the South for most of my life. I wanted to go on my own and see if I can make it – it was a spur of the moment thing.” Ast said.

Ast said she had some friends in California, and they told her that it was a cool place, so she started looking for a scholarship and Raske saw an opportunity in her.

“Ashley is a unique athlete to California because in high school in California, there are no teams with a javelin program, so she was an invaluable asset to have,” Raske said.

As soon as she started in the Hornets’ program, she made an impact, winning three meets that year and taking over the school record (145-04). During Big Sky Championship, despite breaking her wrist, she placed seventh and qualified for the West Regional NCAA meet.

“I was warming up for the javelin, and I tripped over my shoe. I tried to brace my fall with my arm, and that’s when I broke it,” Ast said.

She red-shirted during the 2006 season to give her time to heal and rehab her wrist – the same year that Raske acquired throwers coach Jeff Magley; when he came, he said he knew that they had a pretty good javelin thrower.

“She impressed me because I did not know how she was going to end up after her injury, but she never stopped working. She is a very hard worker, and has a drive that just wants to flat out win,” Magley said. “Her drive never stopped.”

In 2007 she earned Big-Sky honors, placing third at Big Sky Championships and placed ninth at the NCAA West Regionals. That year she also extended her school record throwing 153-00.

“She is one of those ladies who you wish you had more than one of them on your team. She leads by example, and does all the right things,” Magley said.

Her major is nursing, which has been keeping her busy, but she is doing a good job juggling school and track, Raske said. As a senior she is looking to go bigger and throw better for the 2008 outdoor season.

“I am really excited about this year’s team. I wasn’t able to be a part of the indoor season because of my event when they won conference, but we have a good chance of winning the outdoor as well,” Raske said.

Raske said it’s going to be hard to find another Ashley Ast and that she is great person, off and on the field.

“We are really going to miss her next year. We are going to celebrate her and the other seniors this year by going for the Big Sky Title,” Raske said.

David Green can be reached at [email protected]