Penn freshman thrower Julie Siebert-Johnson placed fourth in last Friday's Junior National Track and Field Championships in Denton, Tex.
Siebert-Johnson was the highest-ranked collegiate javelin thrower out of the 15 high school and college freshman competitors.
"She did just a super job with performing under the hard conditions," Penn assistant coach Tony Tenisci said. "It was very, very hot and very windy."
Although the wind was blowing from behind the throwers, Tenisci said that it "really [negatively] affected the javelin's flight."
With her finish, Siebert-Johnson was named a Junior All-American.
"I was extremely pleased for her that she was an All-American," Tenisci said. "We had a wonderful trip and I was just very, very happy for her to end her wonderful season on such a good note."
That wonderful season ended on quite the uptick.
Siebert-Johnson won the season-ending Heptagonal Championships, held this year at Franklin Field, with a school record throw of 151' 10"
While her very respectable toss of 143' 4" placed her well-back of third place Sarah Malone's 158' 2", Tenisci was no less than thrilled with Siebert-Johnson and her season.
"She was very poised," Tenisci said. "She's a very good competitor. She likes the big meets, she likes to be in good competition."
That competition may have put Siebert-Johnson in position to qualify for a spot on one of the U. S. Junior teams that will face Canada later in July, but those teams have yet to be announced.
Regardless of whether or not Siebert-Johnson is selected to one of those teams, her coach was no less than thrilled with his freshman's undeniably impressive performance in this, her first season of collegiate throwing.
"I'm very proud, not only of the way she represented the University, but of the 17 people that were there, that she'd be fourth to go up there on that dais and win her medal," Tenisci said. "We're real proud of her and her efforts."
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