Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Judge. That gamble paid ofi for Ellerbe and Coach Judge when Ellerbe won the 1995 USA Track and Field Outdoor Championship in the hammer the fol1 Til 1 lowing season, ner tnrow at tne time was the furthest toss ever by an American woman using the new length hammer. She also ~ won the discus at the SEC Championships the same year. "Dawn has come from not even throwing the hammer, to not even being recruited, to being number one in the world," explains Misipeka almost in a mothery tone. ".Da has < to not "A lot of great athletes start out great and they just get better. Dawn came from where most people start from and she just excelled a lot (quicker) than most people do," she said. During Dawn's junior season, she won almost every I 1 r\ i 11/ awaru uui an wiyinpic goto tneither the women's hammer nor the 20-lb. weight were included in last year's Olympics, but the women's hammer will be an Olympic event in 2000). Ellerbe set the unofficial world, American, NCAA, SEC, and Carolina records in the 20-lb. weight with the mark of 68-11 3/4- Ellerbe won the 20-lb. weight and the hammer at every meet in which she competed last season. She was named the USATF/NCAA Track and Field Athlete of the Championship along with picking up the SEC Commissioners Outdoor Trophy. She also set an Olympic Stadium women's record in the hammer. But maybe Ellerbe's biggest accomplishment of last season was being named as a finalist for the USATF's Jesse Owens Award. Ellerbe was the only collegian on the list and the youngest athlete ever to be nominated for the award. In fact, the list included well-known Olympic and track stars Jackie JoynerKersee and Gale Devers. "I was so surprised that I was nominated. It really showed that people respect what I've been doing," said Ellerbe. Ellerbe has continued her winning ways into this season. During the first half of the season, otherwise known as indoor competition, Dawn picked * nn her rhird NCAA fourth USATF, and fifth SEC champi onships. She also played a majc 1 1 1. 1 ? roie in leading tne women's trac and field team to a fourth plac finish in the NCAA Indoo Championships earlier thi month. The fourth place finisl was the highest Indoors finish ii team history. The women's tear held the fourth spot in the na tion as of press time. Ellerbe has now beei thrust into the role of becomin] a pioneer among womei throwers. But don't feel sorry fo her. It's a role Ellerbe has preppei for, for almost five years, and it' a title she's completely satisfiet with. ;umt jrum nui even being rei - All-Ameri "Yeah, I think I am [? pioneer]," concedes Ellerbe. "When I was growing up, I was nine years younger thar my brother and at the high schoo I went to everyone always re membered him. So, everything 1 did was in his shadow and this ii the first time that I've really goi to make a name for myself." Vl?... CI1?1? >1 nuw i^uctuc i*> me uiic casting shadows. "Dawn is ambitious Everything she does, she does it until the end. Even with hei schooling and her internships, she seeks opportunity and grabs hold of it," professes two-time SEC champion and All-Ameri can junior teammate Crystal Brownlee. Brownlee currently owns the school record for the women's shot and broke her own record last week. Brownlee was not the only thrower to make .1 1 1 notewortny news last week. Lisa Misipeka's 200foot-plus throw, joining Ellerbe as the second woman to ever do so in the U.S., is only less than a week old. Misipeka beat Ellerbe in the first day of competition in last weekend's Weems Baskin Invitational. She threw a personal best of 203-10 to Ellerbe's 202-5 as Ellerbe lost for only the first time in two years in either the hammer or the weight. Misipeka knows how much Ellerbe hates to lose, but this is one title Ellerbe can concede with a proud smile. " Dawn and 1 go out every day just hoping to PR (short for personal record). We're friends so it's not about who wins or loses," said Misipeka. Ellerbe is excited about pvon thrmvina il r vf? R-r?/ Ff vs raited, to being can Lisa Misipei 1 * f ,- - v. ... * ... .. , ^ ^m., lt:i:i;aij;lil! , . - - : Jl m 3 r ft ? mBMIK Datrn Ellerbe is currently the top hamm two female throwers to throw the hamme the rest of the outdoor season. It's already safe to assume that Dawn will make amends for her loss to ; iviioipviva aiiu ciiai u pi^K up 1 another slew of plaques and tro- ] phies. But it's neither one of j those Ellerbe is marking the days i off her calender in anticipation i for. In exactly one month, i Ellerbe and the rest of the track and field team will head to Penn- ; if '' f?| 8 P: > Jk A - ie hammer; number one in lea ; v. SR . *- .. ?*< v > -w er thrower in the United States. She and r over 200feet on American soil. sylvania for the Penn Relays. For most of the other athletes, the Penn Relays will be iust another meet, but not for Ellerbe. For the first time in the five years Ellerbe has been throwing for the Gamecocks, Dawn will have a little extra motivation when she competes. "(My family) is not reilly in the financial situation to i the world." .SOT5C n 111 i 11 teammate Lisa Misipeka are the only see me all of the time, and they still haven't seen me throw yet. So, the first time they'll get to see me throw will be at the Penn Relays," said Ellerbe with a smile. But this smile is a little different from all of her other patented smiles. This one won't be on any posters or ads. It's just simply one of those I-can't-waitto-see-my-fami!y smiles.