Hufnagel Finishes Eighth at 2012 USA Junior Championships

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Western Michigan freshman Lindsey Hufnagel battled the heat and the field to climb back up and finish in eighth place at the 2012 USA Junior Championships at Indiana University on Sunday.

Fighting temperatures in the high 90's Hufnagel competed in the long jump, javelin and the 800 meter run to finish of the competition she began on Saturday. She finished in ninth in the long jump with a distance of 17-1.25/5.21m after fouling on her best jump. 

"She did a good job to climb back into eighth place," said head coach Kelly Lycan. "I think the heat took its toll on the entire field because the point totals were a little off for everyone."

Hufnagel gained some ground in the javelin, taking fifth overall despite throwing below 100 feet for the first time of the season at 98-08/38.08m. She finished off the day of competition with a seventh place finish in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:28.09.

"Sometimes we overvalue numbers and marks because at the end of the day it is where you finish and who you beat and for Lindsey to climb back up to eighth despite not performing her best was an accomplishment," added Lycan. "She broke the heptathlon record in just her second time competing in it and that record had been held since 1996 by one of our All-Americans in Phyliss Brooks. It has been a long season for her competing into June as just a freshman but she had a great year as did our freshman class and I think we are just scratching the surface with her and her classmates.