Track & Field | 5/23/2015 2:41:00 PM

FINAL RESULTS

ALLENDALE, Mich. – In the third appearance of his collegiate career at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Western Oregon University junior Justin Larson became the seventh All-American since the Wolves joined the NCAA in 2000 after he finished sixth overall in the men's javelin throw Saturday at Grand Valley State's Track & Field Stadium.

Larson, who entered this weekend's championships ranked 18th in the nation, found a place on the podium with a lifetime best throw of 66.68 meters (218-9) as he moved up three spots with his final throw of the season that eclipsed the 65-meter mark for the first time ever.

Since WOU joined the NCAA in 2000, the Wolves have had five All-Americans in field events and one in a running event with Larson joining former Wolf Will Crook as the program's only two javelin All-Americans with Crook earning the honor at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

With his lifetime PR distance over 218 feet, Larson also set a new school record surpassing former Wolf David Nickell's marks of 212-1 feet (64.64 meters) that was set during the 1991 season.

Larson would move into the finals of the javelin throw with a mark of 64.42 meters (211-4), which was a lifetime best until his All-American earning throw on his sixth and final throw of the afternoon. All nine finalists would surpass the 65-meter mark, as Larson joined fellow Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) competitors Slater Hirst of Western Washington, Alaska Anchorage's Franz Burghagen, and UAA's Cody Parker in the finals. Hirst posted a runner-up finish with a mark of 70.23 meters (230-5) to go along with Burghagen's fifth place showing after unleashing a throw of 68.26 meters (223-11), as both student-athletes earned All-American honors to join Larson on the award's podium.

Prior to today's national championships, Larson's lifetime best was 63.12 meters (207-1) that was accomplished at this year's John Knight Twilight. Throughout his collegiate career, Larson has surpassed the 60-meter mark 15 times that includes eight times this season.

In two previous appearances at the national championship meet, Larson had earned a ninth place finish last season as a sophomore after not placing as a freshman.

Along with Larson, a pair of freshman females – Sheila Limas De La Cruz and Amanda Short – placed 17th and 19th, respectively, in the women's javelin throw with distances of 39.19 (128-7) and 38.76 (127-2) meters, respectively.
 

2015 NCAA Division II All-Americans in the Javelin Throw Pictured (L to R): Shippenburg's Andrew Korrubin, Western Oregon's Justin Larson, Shippenburg's Jacob Sunday, Western Washington's Slater HIrst, TAMU-Kingsville's Javan Gray, TAMU-Commerce's Hendrik Nungress, Alaska Anchorage's Franz Burghagen, and Angelo State's Asael Arad