Carlie Vannatta of Olivet Nazarene University kicked off the 38th Annual National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Women’s Outdoor Track and Field National Championships by winning the hammer throw event. Her toss of 57.00m was more than 10 feet ahead of the next competitor and the best of 31 total competitors.
Olivet Tiger women’s track and field team members are part of the 563 competitors — representing 135 U.S. institutions — gathered for this three-day 2018 National Championships event, May 24 to 26, at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium, Gulf Shores, Alabama.
While at Olivet, Carlie enjoyed a stellar track and field career. She helped lead her team to the 2018 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Championship — the ninth consecutive championship for Olivet. In 2017, she earned her first All-American honors in the hammer throw at the NAIA Outdoor National Championships. She also received several CCAC and NAIA Athlete of the Week honors.
Carlie graduated in Olivet’s Class of 2018 with a major in special education. She will be soon be a life skills teacher at Shortridge High School in Indianapolis, Indiana.
To learn more about the Olivet Tiger athletics program, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@olivet.edu or 800-648-1463.
Reprinted with permission.
Published: 5/25/2018